Mindful Snacking Virtual Discussion Media Interview

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'Mindful Snacking’ Virtual Discussion & Media Interview 

As we continue to do our part to flatten the curve by staying at home, eating patterns and snacking habits have changed, especially as we try to balance WFH, online learning and family life.

A recent consumer survey conducted by snacking powerhouse Mondelēz International (Malaysia), revealed that 74% of Malaysians are snacking to de-stress, unwind and as a form of comfort. Apart from that, 50% felt portion control is important. When asked about the nutritional content of their snacks, only 3 in 10 Malaysians categorised it as important. 

These results highlights the need to bring to light the discussions around ‘Mindful Snacking’ – an approach that focus on eating with intention, reason and attention, while being more mindful with the food that I eat, ingredients, portion and nutrition, hence encourages a more enjoyable eating or snacking experience and nurture a more positive relative relationship with food. 

As part of the mission to lead the future of snacking, Mondelēz International is driving the ‘Mindful Snacking’ Campaign with the hashtag #SnackMindfully / #JomSnekBijak – a consumer-centric initiative to advocate mindful snacking habits and raise awareness of its benefits, especially as our routines and day-to-day habits continue to evolve in this new norm. 

Speakers

Assistant Professor Dr. Satvinder Kaur, Nutritional Education Consultant 
Lim Chain Yin, Nutrition Lead for Mondelēz International Southeast Asia
Sharifah Sofia, Health and Wellness Advocate

Mondelez International: Empowering Consumers To Snack Right

Mondelēz International’s purpose is to empower people to snack right. We make great-tasting products in the right way, and we want to inspire people to get the most out of their snacking experience.
We are inspired to go the extra mile to lead the future of snacking in Malaysia and around the world. We do this by offering the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way.
The right snack is about giving people a wide range of high-quality snacks so they can make great informed choices. From indulgent treats to wholesome bites, we want to create snacks that people truly love and feel good about.
For the right moment is about giving people a wide range of high-quality snacks so they can make great informed choices. From indulgent treats to wholesome bites, we want to create snacks that people truly love and feel good about. 
Made the right way is about taking the lead in making sure our snacks are not only right for people but also right for the planet – from the raw materials we rely on to the communities we live in and work with and the climate we all need to care for.
















2021 Consumer Survey on ‘Mindful Snacking’

A consumer survey was conducted in June 2021 to gather clearer insights on people’s snacking habits, their awareness on mindful eating/snacking and how the pandemic, specifically the lockdown and the shift towards WFH/online learning have changed the way the population have been snacking. Almost 300 Malaysians across various demographics and localities were surveyed.

Survey findings 
Snacking and consumption behaviour

74% of respondents snack to de-stress, unwind and as a form of comfort.

42% also snack to curb hunger in between meals.

Snacking routines 

Snacking while watching TV and surfing the net came on top (67%) followed by snacking while working or studying (51%). 

Findings also indicate that the majority of Malaysians usually snack alone (68%).
Snack preference
 
3 in 5 Malaysians prefer savoury snacks, with taste as the most important factor. 

Of this, more than 50% prefer to pair their snacks with subtle options, plain water or juices.

Areas of interest

Being confined at home, over 60% of Malaysians are interested in easy tips on staying fit and active 
at home, alongside quick recipes. 

Portion control and nutritional content 

50% felt portion control is important. When asked about the nutritional content of their snacks, only 3 in 10 Malaysians categorised it as important.


‘Mindful Snacking’ perspectives
 
58% defined mindful eating / snacking as a positive approach of eating with intention, reason and attention. 

30% defined it as choosing between eating healthy and indulging in their favourites. 


The Approach of ‘Mindful Snacking’

We want to help consumers easily enjoy the right snacks throughout their day, and inspire them to snack mindfully so they can savor and feel good about each and every snack.
Simple mindful snacking behaviours help people to fully enjoy their snacking experience. It encourages a person to consider why they snack, what they snack on and how they snack.
By being fully present while choosing and enjoying their snacks, they’ll make more mindful choices and recognize when they’re satisfied.


Particularly when it comes to how to snack, here are some additional ways to be in the moment while snacking:
Portion out your snack and put the rest away; or choose single,pre-wrapped servings of snack foods.
Minimize distractions like phone, TV, computer and so forth while snacking.
Smell and taste each bite fully.
Chew slowly and give each bite your full attention.
Notice the texture of your snacks.
Finish your bite before you take the next.
Mindfulness encourages positive eating behaviours and existing as well as emerging sciences tells us eating mindfully leads to:


Local Commitment Around ‘Mindful Snacking’ by  Mondelēz International (Malaysia) 

We want to advocate good habits of mindful snacking among Malaysians and raise the awareness of its importance, especially as our daily routines change due to the pandemic. Some of our evolving efforts to help people be mindful about their snacking include:
Product labelling: “Snacking Mindfully” logo
Portion control: Individual packs
Product Innovation: “Better for you” products

“Snacking Mindfully” Logo
Placed on the front side of the packs, with the total number of calories per portion/individual section.
Help consumers to have better understanding and clarity on the right portion of snacks they can have.
Visualized nutrition information based on how the products are packed and section rather than using gram.








Portion Control Packs
Products are packed in individual packs, with less than 200kcal per pack (equal to 10% of our daily energy intake)
Help consumers to understand the right portion to eat in one snacking occasion as well as prevent food wastage.


Better for You Products
Delicate process by research and development to improve nutrition and ingredient profile of products.
Gradual reduction on some ingredients (i.e. sugar, salt).
Adding healthier ingredients to give more permissible indulgence for consumers (i.e. more wholegrain such as oats).










Three Concepts for Eating Right

Assistant Professor Dr. Satvinder Kaur shed light on how to ensure we are eating right with the concept of BMV, food pyramid and Quarter Quarter Half guide.

BMV:
Balance and moderation: Get everything just enough, not too much. This will make our diet more wholesome
Variety: Give a more gastronomic kind of experience, as well as exposing our body with different kind of nutrients

Food Pyramid
Provide a guide on BMV diet on a daily consumption.

Quarter Quarter Half
Easier way of visualising how our plate should look like.


Key Quotes from Speakers

Lim Chain Yin, Nutrition Lead for Mondelēz International Southeast Asia

On product innovation and reformulation:
“People typically think that reformulation means taking something out and putting something else in. But it is not that simple. If we were to remove a certain ingredient from a biscuit for instance, we need to add another ingredient in and that could alter the entire calorie of the product. Therefore, at Mondelēz International (Malaysia), we invest into research and development to reduce and replace certain ingredients in our products but still retain the tastes that our consumers prefer. We also listen to feedback from our consumers about our product as we put our consumers at the forefront of business.” 

On the importance of mindful snacking
“Mindful Snacking is more relevant now with the pandemic. As we are now at home, we can cultivate this habit with our family and even our children. For example, by asking our children to describe the taste and the texture of the food they are eating - that way it helps them to think and savour the food. 

From Mondelēz’s standpoint, we will continue to advocate mindful snacking through our packaging by providing more information to help consumers understand what the right portion for them is. We aim to update the packaging of all our products with the Mindful Snacking information by 2025 and continue to offer more portion control options. We will also continue to invest in our research and development to improve the nutritional offerings in our products.” 


Assistant Professor Dr. Satvinder Kaur, Nutritional Education Consultant

What are some challenges people face when it comes to snacking and what are some mindful snacking tips they can adopt? 
Snacking can be driven by moods for example, if someone is stressed, they may turn to snacking as a form of release. Hence, it is important to be mindful of what we are snacking on as it helps keep us in check. 
Sometimes, there are certain moments where we know we will need to snack, so before the moment comes, we can surround ourselves with healthy snacks and that is one way we can be mindful about our snacking. 
Another way we can be mindful about our snacking is to be aware of the taste and texture of our snacks, like if it’s hard or soft, or too salty or sweet. When we put some thoughts into tasting our food, we can decide that we had enough and stop snacking. 

What is the most important information on a product’s packaging that consumers should be aware of? 
This is based on the consumer’s preference, should they want a less sweet option, they should look for packaging that says it’s less sweet.
Everyone needs to select the product based on their dietary needs.
For example, if you require more nutrients in your diet, look for packaging information that tells you that this particular product contains the nutrients that you need. 

What do you think of stress eating and how can these individuals change to be more mindful about their snacks?
Stress eating is tied to emotional eating so, for some individuals who are feeling overwhelmed they may turn to food or snacks as a source of comfort. 
To avoid this, one needs to recognise that they are eating as a consequence to their stress. They need to be mindful of the food they are eating when that stressful moment comes and they can avoid unhealthy eating by surrounding themselves with healthy food.
Individuals should also focus on portion control. They need to know when it is too much. They can speak to a peer like a spouse or friend and tell them about this habit. When a peer sees you doing this, they can advise you to have some control. 
The more you talk about it, the more conscious and aware you will be. 

How can people be more conscious when it comes to what to snack on and what time to snack?
This is related to the individual’s habits. For some, they can plan when they want to snack, whether it is in the morning or afternoon.
For some who snack past midnight, this comes back to the individual’s practices such as what time they go to bed and sometimes it is tied to work commitments. 
Studies have shown that people who stay up late at night snack a bit more as humans are programmed in such a way that the body demands more energy at that particular time, as we are supposed to be resting.
When it comes to maintaining a good energy balance, the best time to snack is during the day as we are active and our body is very efficient in metabolising the energy.
These days there are wearable devices that can track the way we sleep and this can really help the individual be more conscious and mindful about what they are snacking on. So, these are just some ways individuals can keep track of their snacking habits. 

Is there any difference in individuals’ eating patterns if they are from either the city or the suburbs? 
Previously, we would think that those living in suburban/rural areas would have better access to healthier food. 
However, looking at diet studies that are being done, it is usually based on socio-economic status because now we’re seeing a lot of people living in the city having poor diet quality. 
In terms of eating patterns, it does not differ distinctively with someone living in the city and outside the city,  but it has got to do with accessibility, availability and food safety. I think these are more important factors to evaluate to see the differences in eating habits. 

Sharifah Sofia, Health and Wellness Advocate

On picking the right snack for her children
“Packaging that has labels to inform you about portion control, will definitely help you realise that you are overeating. It helps you to be mindful and I try to teach that to my children as well. When you start teaching them from a young age, they will grow-up with that mindset and automatically be mindful of what they are eating. Typically, at home, I try to stock my fridge up with fruits and occasionally, we would have a bar of chocolate.” 

On what consumers look out for on product packaging
“I typically don’t pay attention to the nutrition labels, however I do check if it is the low sugar option or the normal one. Being mindful of what I’m snacking on, I would often choose the product with the lesser option. For people who are on a diet, you will definitely be mindful of what you are consuming hence information like the Mindful Snacking logos help you to make the right choice. Hence, I am pleased to see companies like Mondelēz taking this lead to help consumers make better decisions.”  

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