Young Gen Z Brits shun crisps to eat edamame beans in bed and drink Kombucha

Forget crisps and a pint of lager… young adults are turning their backs on traditional snacks and tucking into posh nibbles like edamame beans, spiced chickpeas and stuffed olives, washed down with Kombucha.

And what’s more, one of their favourite places to munch on them is in bed, according to research for Ryvita. The study, which looked at changing tastes by generation and area of the UK, found that more of the generation aged 18-27 would choose a range of ‘artisan’ snacks in the evening compared to crisps (18 per cent).

Gen Z are twice as likely to describe their favourite nibbles as ‘artisan’ or ‘hand- crafted’ than their parents’ generation and 60 per cent describe their snacks as posh.

Favourite place to eat them for 33 per cent is in bed, whereas just 8 per cent of older Baby Boomers aged 60-78 will risk crumbs between the sheets.

Gen Z are also twice as likely as older folk to wash their snack down with a trendy drink like Kombucha. And the younger generation is happy to spend their cash on snacking.

They will pay an average of just over £12 for an evening’s nibbles compared to more careful Boomers who will draw the line at £5.50. They are also the age group most likely to indulge in ‘secret snacking’, those clandestine night-time nibbles after everyone else has gone to bed.

More than half said they had done that in the past week.

The research comes as Ryvita launches a new ‘Snack Its’ range of their Thins crackers, which are perfect for snacking and come in three flavours – Smoky BBQ, Sour Cream and Chive, and Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar.

A Ryvita spokesman said: “Our research shows that tastes in snacking are changing and becoming more sophisticated. Sure, everyone still loves crisps. But people are looking for a much wider variety with added health benefits.

“Our Snack It Thins are light, crunchy, high in fibre and baked full of goodness. And you don’t have to eat them secretly to enjoy them!”