Left no crumbs? Nearly half of America's late-night snackers do it in bed, according to survey

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Apr 16, 2024, 07:55 ET

Survey shows nearly 44% of people in the U.S. who snack late at night do it while in bed

CHICAGO, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Company) today announced the release of its 2024 Late-Night Snacking survey, which has shown that bedtime isn't just for sleep in America. In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults conducted to better understand Americans' late-night snacking preferences, nearly 44% of the people who snack late at night do so while in bed – with 58% of adults ages 18-24 noting this is their location of choice for late-night snacks. The survey also found that late night nibblers favor cookies, ice creams and chips.

The different ways Americans snack late at night.

"As a leader in global snacking, with iconic brands like Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts and Rice Krispies Treats, we're constantly looking for new ways to better understand our consumers," said Amjad Malik, Kellanova's Vice President of Insights & Analytics. "We already know people are snacking throughout the day, and we were interested in learning more about late-night snacking habits. While we aren't at all surprised that 30% of people snack late at night, we were surprised to learn where they are doing it – in the bedroom!"

The survey also found that among those snacking in bed:

66% are snacking alone;
20% of people are eating salty snacks; and,
31% said they were satisfied after finishing their snack

The survey also found that men are more vulnerable to the late-night munchies than women, and that they more often crave spicy, sour, and bitter snacks over sweet choices. Of the women who snack late at night, 74% of them reported that they do so because they are bored and said that they more often crave sweet, salty, and gooey foods.

Other interesting findings include:

Baby Boomers (those older than 60 years) are the only age group that reported they prefer the living room over the bedroom for their late-night snacking;
People aged 35-39 were the only group to list "spicy" as part of their top 3 cravings late at night; and,
Half of the late-night snackers (50% of survey respondents) said that they are eating while watching television, with nearly a quarter saying their entertainment of choice is a "sitcom or comedy."

Survey interviews were conducted online, and the data was weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on gender, age, income, race and region.

About Kellanova
Kellanova (NYSE: K) is a leader in global snacking, international cereal and noodles, and North America frozen foods with a legacy stretching back more than 100 years. Powered by differentiated brands including Pringles^®, Cheez-It^®, Pop-Tarts^®, Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats^®, RXBAR^®, Eggo^®, MorningStar Farms^®, Special K^®, Coco Pops^®, and more, Kellanova's vision is to become the world's best-performing snacks-led powerhouse, unleashing the full potential of our differentiated brands and our passionate people. Our net sales for 2023 were $13 billion.

At Kellanova, our purpose is to create better days and ensure everyone has a seat at the table through our trusted food brands. We are committed to promoting sustainable and equitable food access by tackling the crossroads of hunger, sustainability, wellbeing, and equity, diversity & inclusion. Our goal is to create Better Days for 4 billion people by the end of 2030 (from a 2015 baseline). For more detailed information about our commitments, our approach to achieving these goals, and methodology, please visit our website at https://www.kellanova.com.

SOURCE Kellanova