Hungry Kids

Selling to Kids, Jan 24, 2001

If it seems kids are gobbling up food at record rates these days, well, they are. Kids are eating more today than their counterparts did 20 years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Eighty-three percent of kids 9 and under reported eating one or more snacks on the day they were surveyed. A total of 5,559 kids were interviewed for the survey between 1994 and 1998 - the most recent data available. A study from the late '70s featuring a similar- sized sampling found that 65% of kids surveyed had eaten one or more snacks that day.

The munchies kids reported most frequently snacking on were fruits, cookies, candies, milk, crackers, popcorn, pretzels and corn chips. Soft drink consumption was up 21% among 2- to 5-year-olds over the last two decades and 37% among 6- to 9-year-olds. Milk has taken a drop over the years, with today's preschoolers drinking 4% less and older kids consuming 10% less. Sharon Mickle, with Agricultural Research Service's food survey research group, says the difference in figures might possibly indicate some under-reporting. She also says that portions seem to be getting larger at restaurants and fast food venues, and therefore, maybe people are getting used to eating more. (USDA: Sharon Mickle, 301/504-0341)

Snack Attack

Snack foods have become a more than $15 billion industry, and kids are among its biggest supporters. Here's a look at some of the most popular snacks and where kids fall according to the Snack Foods Association's most recent Consumer Snacking Report:

Potato Chips: Kids 6-12 account for 13.9% of chips' heaviest consumers. Only adult males between 18-44 find it harder to eat just one. They make up 17.5% of potato chips' distribution of heavy users - the groups consuming the most of a snack segement during two weeks.

Tortilla Chips: Adults under 45 and DINK households are among this chip's biggest fans. Overall, children between 0-17 make up 30% of tortilla chips' heaviest users.

Corn Chips: Kids 6-12 and teenagers 13-17 are some of corn chips' heaviest users at 11% and 9.7% respectively. But overall, heavy corn chip consumption is not very age dependent.

(Snack Food Association, 703/836-4500)

Dinner's the Winner

On Nov. 7, The Washington Post's KidPost printed its own ballot to gauge issues kids care about (like education and the funniest form of body humor). The results are finally in (the folks in Florida were faster counting pregnant chads). More than 1,700 kids returned their ballots. Some of the results:

Favorite Meal:

* Dinner: 44%

* Lunch: 32%

* Breakfast: 22%

* No Reply: 2%

Pick Your Favorite:

* Ice Cream: 52%

* Chocolate: 24%

* Gum: 23%

* No Reply: 1%

Oh, and for those of you dying to know - flatulence came in No. 1 in the body humor category with 77% of the vote. Nasal mucus garnered 9% and vomit had 6%. Apparently, 8% of the kids were so grossed out by the question they didn't even answer.

Carrot Flunks List of Flavorites

What kind of flavor do kids want to slurp out of their sports bottles and juice cups? Nothing that sounds too grown-up, according to a flavor concept study by International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. Carrot and cantaloupe were the least appealing, probably because kids view these flavors as too adult or unfamiliar, says Amanda Smith, senior consumer research specialist. In the study, 67 children, ages 6-14, were asked to rate 26 different flavor concepts on a 5-point concept acceptance scale.

(International Flavors & Fragrances: Amanda Smith, 732/329-5632)