It’s a trend I’ve noted in passing, in my regular perusal of the food newswires. But only after someone else put the pieces together, did I realize that ‘mini portions’ are more than just a marketing gimmick. They may just be the next true trend in the foodsphere…
Larger than life: McDonald’s legendary Snack Wraps. Small wraps built around a single
chicken tender… Triggered the release by its major competitors of similar menu items.
“According to a 2024 Georgetown study, 50 percent of consumers want smaller portion sizes due to health concerns or personal preferences.,” food writer notes in a FoodBeast contrib-ution. “In response, brands are meeting consumers in the middle of their wellness goals with more digestible options, from the launch of M&M’s Minis to Skittles Littles to Funyun Minis and more.”
There’s a general feeling in the snacks sector that folks are losing their appetite, especially for ‘non-essential’ eats and processed foods, in tandem with the rise in popularity of GLP-1 meds. Among other effects, the meds suppress the appetite.
Encapsulating the concept
A Snickers (candy bar brand) encapsulated The State of the Snack’ in a statement, when asked about it’s new Ice Cream Minis: “With fans seeking mini-sized items more than ever, Snickers Ice Cream Minis perfectly capture all of thee goodness of Snickers Ice Cream Minis and delivers the ultimate multi-textural experience, now in a snackable size, making it easier than ever to enjoy a moment of chill.”
“The Minis cater to a variety of occasions, from a quick afternoon treat, to a shareable dessert or a sweet bite on the go, all while delivering the satisfying SNICKERS Ice Cream experience,” Snickers added.
Minis and ‘bite-size’, hand-in-hand
Not all Minis are ‘bite-size’, but all ‘bite-size’ treats are, by definition, minis. Anyway. However… There’s one factor that separates the new ‘minis’ from previous small-sized treats: To be a true ‘new mini’, each portion the product has to be packaged singly. By that definition, the mini candy bars and tiny bags of chips that snack makers push at Hallowe’en are classics. Almost ‘legacy’ minis.
I think many reading this post will remember the infamous ‘Two-Bite Brownies’. They came (and may still come, for all I know) in bags of a dozen or 18. It was suggested you could finish one off with just two bites. I knew folks who made it one bite. But those cute little cakes were bulk-bagged, without even baking papers to separate them from their kin. And once you opened the bag, it was just about impossible to stop at just one. Or two…
Which brings me to…
Battling the crave
We’ve often referred, in this space, to the cold, hard fact that humans are hard-wired to crave salt, fat and sugar. (Not to mention alcohol). I.e., ‘snacks’.
And to make things worse, those foods (and beverages) are now proven to be as classically addictive as heroin or crack.
So how do you stop at just one mini? The addiction has been shown to be so strong that folks whose systems are telling them they’re ‘full’ are overridden by the ‘need’ for more. That’s believed to be one of the main mechanisms by which folks get fat. And the only way to foil those cravings is to restrict availability of treats.
My take
Along with the aforementioned Snickers products, I must point out the recently-returned McDonald’s ‘snack’ wraps, the newly reborn Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza (see picture, top of page), and a new hand-held Chicken Pot Pie KFC is currently testing… It looks like the ‘minis’ are here to stay.
I must disclose, though, that I don’t personally know anyone who is using GLP-1 meds. Nor do I know any genuinely obese people, at this juncture in my life. But I keep wondering if the in-bred craving for snacks ever gets the better of GLP-1 meds users seeking weight loss.
If GLP-1 meds are actually stronger than the ancient, hard-wired food cravings all humans alive today share, that’s another major advantage in their column…
~ Maggie J.