Paramount Farms believes its Wonderful Pistachios offering is better than sex. Research released by the Californian-based grower-packer marketer suggests that 60 per cent of Australian experience cravings for snacks on a daily basis. This outnumbered the urge for “partner-time” between the sheets (49 per cent) and cuddles (39 per cent). Ironically, the study showed that over 50 per cent of Australians like to snuggle up with snacks in the bedroom.
According to survey results, the number one trigger to snacking is fellow snackers. Four in five people surveyed believe others snacking around them is the catalyst for their own snacking.
Additionally, almost two thirds admitted they’re more likely to eat unhealthy snacks if those around them are doing so. This was particularly the case for Australians belonging to Gen Y who were found to be more susceptible to unhealthy options than any other generation.
“What we’re doing, or what others are doing around us can awaken sensory areas of the brain that trigger snack cravings,” according to renowned Australian clinical psychologist Leanne Hall. “So when we see others making poor snack choices, this can tempt us to follow suit and it also feels more socially acceptable.”
However, Hall suggested that such passive consumption patterns can also be nutritionally beneficial. “This kind of behaviour can create positive associations, which explains why snacking emerged as a leading source of cravings, more highly ranked than intimacy,” she explained. ”Social snacking can be a powerful tool that can positively influence those around us to make nutritionally wise choices.”
With this in mind, Paramount hopes to position the Wonderful Pistachios range as a nutritional and affordable snacking option in Coles and Woolworths supermarkets this year. The campaign has the endorsement of Kara Landau, a practicing nutritionist and manager of Melbourne-based firm Corporate Nutrition.
“Academic research suggests pistachios promote mindful eating, since you have to crack open the shells and it takes longer to eat them,” Landau said. “They are also one of the lowest kilojoule nuts – a 30g serve of pistachios is around 49 nuts, which is more nuts per serve that any other snack nut. They also have protein, fiber and other nutrients making them a nutritionally wise snack choice for Australians.”
The research for the study was conducted by StollzNow Research and was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,008 participants.
