# Define "Snack" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634 "2012-01-06T16:38:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/1 "2012-01-06T16:38:48Z")
I always got annoyed with the commercial where the woman asks the man to get her a “snack”, and he brings her some M&Ms (well, he tries, but they refuse to get in the bowl). I’m also irritated with Butterfinger “Snackerz”, “Snack Size” candy bars, and so on. In my mind, candy is _not_ a snack. It’s candy. It’s barely even food. I have trouble even considering it “dessert”. I’d call it a “treat”, I guess; something that tastes good but has no nutritive value and doesn’t even fill you up. A “snack” is something to tide you over until the next meal. But maybe I’m nuts\*. What foods do you consider to be a “snack”? The poll is multiple-choice. I tried to group foods into similar categories, but if you think pie and cake are worlds apart, for instance, please do elaborate. And note: it doesn’t matter whether you personally eat this stuff, for snacks or otherwise. I’m just asking if you think of it as a “snack food”. \*which _are_ a snack, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/2 "2012-01-06T16:52:52Z")
I voted “One or more of the above, plus…” instead of picking several specific groups, because I share your lack of a firm idea of what connotes a snack. A between-meal small portion of something with nutritive value is my best definition of how I use the term. Depending on how far away in time the next meal is from the moment in question, the snack might be as small as a biscuit or roll to a salad, bowl of popcorn, piece of fruit or a handful of cookies. Things normally reserved for dessert (pie, cake, ice cream and so forth) are rarely what I refer to as snacks, even if I do indulge “between meals.” Maybe some consensus here will help firm up my own ideas of what makes for a snack. Fun thread. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/3 "2012-01-06T16:52:54Z")
Regular food and junk food, in sizes smaller than a meal and not as part of a meal. So basically everything you list, minus soft drinks and milkshakes. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/4 "2012-01-06T17:02:39Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I voted “One or more of the above, plus…” instead of picking several specific groups, because I share your lack of a firm idea of what connotes a snack. A between-meal small portion of something with nutritive value is my best definition of how I use the term. Yup, this. A “snack” curbs hunger and is optimally somewhat nutritious. Most often for me, it’s a bit of leftovers from last night, lunch meat or cheese, nuts, or a mini granola bar (the nutritious ones, not the ones that are candy bars with granola in them). If I have cookies or candy, it’s not a snack, it’s a treat. Most of the time it’s so small that it doesn’t curb hunger at all. Think one small chocolate or one small cookie. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/5 "2012-01-06T17:03:17Z")
Snack is anything outside of your three square meals per day. My experience is that if you cut out snacks its not that hard to lose pounds. It’s just that snacks are yummy and comforting and its hard to stay away for long. Maybe my diet is doomed to fail. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/6 "2012-01-06T17:04:24Z")
If it’s not breakfast, lunch, or dinner, by default it’s a snack. Verdad? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/7 "2012-01-06T17:14:35Z")
Chips, pretzels … Fruit, pickles, olives … Candy is candy. A single piece of pizza is a small meal, as are wings. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/8 "2012-01-06T17:53:06Z")
I chose every food option you listed except Soft Drinks. A drink is not a snack. Like **diggerwam** , I define “snack” as any food eaten outside the confines of a meal. Of course candy can be a snack. It may _also_ be a treat, but it’s definitely a snack too. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/9 "2012-01-06T18:11:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > If it’s not breakfast, lunch, or dinner, by default it’s a snack. Verdad? Yes. Everything eaten between the standard meals is a snack. For instance if you’ve eaten lunch, then around mid-afternoon eat a 7 course meal, and then later in the evening eat dinner (or supper depending on where you live), then the 7 course meal was a snack. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/10 "2012-01-06T18:18:35Z")
I voted “One or more of the above,” because, as others said, I consider a snack to be anything eaten outside of one’s three regular meals. > [@diggerwam](#): > > It’s just that snacks are yummy and comforting and its hard to stay away for long. This. Candy is yummy and comforting and hard to stay away from. How is it not a snack? Candy is a snack, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/11 "2012-01-06T18:20:21Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Yes. Everything eaten between the standard meals is a snack. For instance if you’ve eaten lunch, then around mid-afternoon eat a 7 course meal, and then later in the evening eat dinner (or supper depending on where you live), then the 7 course meal was a snack. Man, I just have to say: I love the way you think! ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/12 "2012-01-06T18:24:09Z")
What everyone else said. My default snack is oreos and milk. However, a single handful / bite of something isn’t necessarily a snack (but that might be me). ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/13 "2012-01-06T19:49:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Yes. Everything eaten between the standard meals is a snack. For instance if you’ve eaten lunch, then around mid-afternoon eat a 7 course meal, and then later in the evening eat dinner (or supper depending on where you live), then the 7 course meal was a snack. What if you didn’t eat the last meal in the above case? Would you say that you ate breakfast, lunch, a snack and no supper? Because that would sound strange to me – I’d categorize that as breakfast, lunch and an early supper. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/14 "2012-01-06T22:27:51Z")
Everything except soft drinks. A snack is not about “what” as much as “how much.” It’s a smaller portion than a meal, and eaten at a time between meals. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/15 "2012-01-06T22:42:22Z")
[Linda Fiorentino.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_in_Black_%28film%29) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/16 "2012-01-06T22:53:45Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > What if you didn’t eat the last meal in the above case? Would you say that you ate breakfast, lunch, a snack and no supper? Because that would sound strange to me – I’d categorize that as breakfast, lunch and an early supper. Right. Then the snack is supper. But if you have supper later, the meal in between has to be a snack. The tricky part is brunch. Can you eat breakfast, lunch, and brunch all on the same day? ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/17 "2012-01-06T23:02:14Z")
Oreos dunked in coffee. My standard snack (and one where everybody who sees me do it goes EEEW). ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/18 "2012-01-06T23:13:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Right. Then the snack is supper. But if you have supper later, the meal in between has to be a snack. The tricky part is brunch. Can you eat breakfast, lunch, and brunch all on the same day? No me. I feel to full and bloated not to far into brunch if I had a breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/19 "2012-01-06T23:13:39Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Regular food and junk food, in sizes smaller than a meal and not as part of a meal. So basically everything you list, minus soft drinks and milkshakes. Exactly this. A snack can be any kind of food, the distinguishing characteristics are how much food it is and when you’re having it, i.e. not at mealtime. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634/20 "2012-01-07T00:25:16Z")
Candy bars (chocolate, as well as Payday, etc.) Other candy (gummies, hard candies, etc.) Cookies Chips, pretzels, popcorn, nuts, cheese and crackers, etc. Fruit, veggies, pickles, olives, etc. Those are snacks. If it “doesn’t even fill you up” you’re not eating enough. Not that I consider a snack to be something to fill you up anyway, they’re just to kill cravings or give your mouth something to do during an activity. Twinkies, Ho-hos, donuts, cinnamon buns, etc. Marked these as snacks, but donuts are more a meal or dessert, depending on time of day eaten. Ice cream, milkshakes, popsicles, etc. Pie and cake Those are desserts, not snacks, other than maybe popsicles. Soft drinks Drinks are drinks, not snacks. French fries, nachos, pizza rolls, wings, etc. Those are either sides, appetizers, or meals unto themselves. “Regular” food, but in portions too small to count as a meal A small meal is still a meal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-snack/608634.md?page=2)