With busy lifestyles ruling the convenience food market, packagers become more and more creative to keep their food in front of rushing consumers. People are trading in typical meals in favor of a series of smaller bites that better fit their hectic itineraries. But consumers aren’t content with the same old snacks. They want new options that provide real, healthy, ingredients that they can take anywhere. Several companies are finding new solutions and developing creative packages that suit the swamped consumer’s schedule and help him or her spot the new snack pack options available.

Get up and go

We covered snack food packaging back in March of this year and discussed the focus on healthy convenience. Since then, more and more snack food packagers have created on-the-go snacking solutions that go beyond the old-school junk food staples.

tapaz2go, a new mini-meal snack line from Mediterranean Snacks, features protein-rich Lentil Crackers with hummus. The box opens up and allows the consumer to pop the hummus bowl into the box to create a serving tray allowing consumers to eat the product anywhere regardless of what kind of surface they have available. The snacks are shelf-stable, touting a 300-day shelf-life. This offers consumers the chance to snack on the move without the worry of refrigeration, and it provides retailers with the convenience of a shelf-stable product that won’t take up cooler space. The product also lends itself to convenience stores, delis and impulse shelves because it is an on-the-go snack that doesn’t need to be refrigerated. The individual package size is 3.6-ounces and is offered at a suggest retail price of $2.99.

“We are very excited about our tapaz2go innovation,” says Vincent P. James, founder and CEO of The Mediterranean Snack Food Company.  “There is significant research showing that protein in snacking is becoming more desirable, and tapaz2go provides a snack alternative that satisfies both the appetite and the demand for a nutritious, protein-rich mini meal. We are confident this line, which leverages culinary trends of legumes, tapas and hummus, will be very well-received by a wide range of consumers.”

Wholly Guacamole® has opened up new possibilities for their existing product by introducing new snack cups for their 100-calorie packs. Previously the 100-calorie guacamole packs came in squeeze pouches, but these packages didn’t lend themselves to the traditional guacamole eating method – dipping.

According to a recent Wholly Guacamole survey, approximately one-quarter (23% to 26%) of refrigerated dip consumers have had guacamole at a party or social event at or away from their homes. Almost one-fifth (18%) have used guacamole as a snack during the evening and 16% have used it as a snack during the day. To make that snacking simpler, Wholly Guacamole mini dipping cups offer portability, portion control and easy (dip-able) consumption.

“We want Wholly Guacamole products enjoyed in the car, at work or at any play date, basically anytime by both adults and children,” says Tracey Altman, vice president of marketing at Fresherized Foods. “While our larger sizes are perfect for family meals and parties, the Minis are designed for consumers who are looking for a fresh way to spice up their daily snack and lunch box routine with a nutritious option. These days, guacamole goes way beyond the party chip. Consumers can enjoy our Minis with veggies, pretzels or as a spread substitute for mayo on their sandwiches.”

What you see is what you eat

Today’s consumers want to know what they are eating. They want to know what is in the food they are consuming, and they expect packages to make the contents, nutrition and allergen information easy to understand. However, they also want to see what comes inside that package.

In a world with 24-hour food television, Instagram photos of friend’s meals and Pinterest pins full of picturesque recipe ideas, visuals of food abound. Consumer have grown accustomed to eating with their eyes first. To attract shoppers, packages, especially new product packages, benefit from being transparent not only with their ingredients, but also with the package itself.

The Quaker Oats Company is no stranger to the snacking market, and they have had a large presence in the snack bar market for a long time. However, Quaker has broadened their snack bar market with the new Quaker Real Medleys Bars, a grab-and-go fruit and nut snack bar. Real Medleys Bars are marketed to on-the-go adults, and mothers in particular, who need a boost. The bars use real healthy ingredients that are obvious when looking at the product. To emphasize that, the individual bars are wrapped in transparent packaging and line up inside a box with a window so the consumer can see the texture and ingredients in the bars.

“Inspired by the positive response to Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal portable cups, we developed Quaker Real Medleys Bars for moms, which also feature unique flavor combinations like cherries and pistachios; apples, cranberries and walnuts; peaches and almonds,” says Julie Saliba, senior director of marketing for Quaker Oats. “Loaded with premium ingredients, Quaker Real Medleys Bars offer busy moms a delicious on-the-go snack experience...”

Wholly Guacamole’s new mini dipping packages also features transparent individual packaging with a peak through box allowing consumers to see not only the vibrant color of the product but also the shape of the new dipping-friendly package. Similarly, the tapaz2go packaging also has windows for consumers to see what they’ll be getting inside the mini-meal packaging. These peeks past the packaging give consumers a solid visual, which reduces the risk-factor for new purchasers and increases the confidence that the product inside is fresh.

 Clear visuals and convenient packaging are helping consumers cut through the clutter of their daily lives so they can still enjoy healthy, fresh snacks no matter where they go.