Table 5 Suggested Standardized Terminology and Definitions for Future Research on Child Snacking

Snack foods (and beverages, if applicable)

Foods and/or beverages that are consumed by children between meals. Researchers may provide their own specific qualifiers (e.g. “energy-dense snack foods”, “sugary snack foods”) along with explicit criteria for these classifications. Terminology may be shortened to “snack” or “snacks” after it has been defined.

Snacking occasions

The number of between-meal eating episodes in a given day.

Snacking purposes

Reasons that parents offer foods between meals (e.g. child request, reward, special occasion, routine).

Snacking contexts

Places where between-meal eating occurs (e.g. at home, in the car, at church).