Snacking is an important part of life, and if you’re anything like us, variety is key. We love combinations that range from sweet to salty, with spicy and tangy flavors in between. A fresh mango doused in chamoy and Tajín? Count us in. A scoop of dairy-free ice cream topped with salted caramel? We’re big fans. And don’t even get us started on coconut curry-spiced popcorn.
As it turns out, America’s snacking habits are also leaning toward more adventurous combinations. According to a recent YouGov poll, 61 percent of respondents expressed the most interest in exploring a sweet and smoky flavor combo.
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America’s preferred flavor combos
This increasing interest in sweet and smoky flavors reflects a broader trend in the United States, where snacking has become a staple of daily life. The YouGov data shows that 47 percent of Americans eat fruit daily, making it the most popular snack, while 38 percent consume vegetables at least once a week.
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Other frequently consumed snacks include chips (39 percent), crackers (38 percent), and confectionery items such as candy and chocolate (38 percent). Nuts are also favored, with 35 percent of respondents reporting weekly consumption.
Yogurt and cookies have more divided consumption habits. Yogurt is eaten weekly by 27 percent of Americans, but 24 percent rarely touch it. Similarly, 34 percent of respondents enjoy cookies weekly, while 24 percent say they rarely indulge.
Snack bars, however, are less common, with only 25 percent of respondents eating them weekly, and around 31 percent reporting they rarely consume them.
The poll also reveals interest in creative pairings, such as savory and herbal blends, which appeal to 54 percent of respondents.
Tajin
Another 39 percent are open to sweet and umami combinations, while spicy and fruity blends and spicy and cool pairings are of interest to 38 percent and 36 percent of respondents, respectively.
While sweet and salty remain top preferences, with 71 percent of respondents favoring salty snacks and 70 percent enjoying sweet options, the desire for new combinations like sweet and smoky reflects a shift in consumer tastes. A wide range of consumers are eager to explore more unconventional pairings, and 61 percent expressed excitement about experimenting with this particular flavor combination.
Sweet and smoky snack ideas
If you’re part of the 61 percent of Americans with a craving for something sweet and smoky, we’ve pulled together seven snack ideas—to make or buy—that’ll hit the spot.
McCormick
1Grilled veggies, à la Tabitha Brown
Grilled vegetables might not be a go-to snack for everyone but Tabitha Brown can help you add a little sweet and smoky flare to kick them up several notches. The influencer was already on top of the snack trend with her McCormick “Like Sweet Like Smoky” seasoning blend.
The salt-free seasoning features garlic, paprika, onion, natural hickory smoke flavor, and turbinado sugar and can be generously sprinkled on grilled zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, and just about anything you can think of.
For an indoor variation, grab your air fryer—maybe Tabitha Brown’s from Target?—and throw in some veggies tossed together with Like Sweet Like Smoky.
Madly Hadley
2Coconut bacon
From eggplant to rice paper, plant-based bacon can be made from a variety of things but to hit on this trend, sweet and smoky coconut bacon is the way to go. In this recipe, coconut’s natural sweetness comes through even when the flakes are seasoned with soy sauce, liquid smoke, and a bit of maple syrup for added sweetness.
You can snack on this bacon on its own or crumble it into nuts mixes, popcorn, and dips. If you don’t feel like making bacon, companies like Madly Hadley make organic coconut bacon for all your snacking needs.
3Meatless barbecue satay
Sometimes a little skewer before dinner is the perfect snack and this recipe for Korean barbecue satay, a meatless take on a popular street snack, is deliciously sweet and smoky.
The marinade combines soy sauce, sesame oil, agave nectar, and roasted red peppers, creating a smoky, sweet barbecue sauce that helps infuse the tofu with a meaty bite overnight.
This one is great for the grill to give the skewer added smoky flavor.
4Sweet potatoes
The sweet variety of America’s favorite tuber already has a base flavor profile that, when combined with smoked paprika, is perfect for a sweet and smoky combo. Plus, sweet potatoes are an accessible superfood loaded with vitamins A, C, and B6, plus manganese and potassium.
For appetizer-sized snacks, we love smoky sweet potatoes loaded into tacos, blended up with carrots, garlic, and nooch for a nutritious soup; and stuffed into tortillas alongside kidney beans for delectable enchiladas.
5Jackfruit pork sliders
Who doesn’t love tiny snack burgers? For a sweet and smoky take on meatless sliders, we love this recipe by Aubry and Kale Walch of The Herbivorous Butcher, which the Guamanian-born siblings established in Minneapolis, MN as the first US-based vegan butcher shop.
This tale on Hawaiian Kahlua pork swaps in jackfruit to create a succulent and meaty filling for sweet buns. The best part? This sweet and smoky slider comes together in less than 10 minutes.
Louisville Vegan Jerky
6Plant-based beef jerky
When you’re on the road and in need of a satiating snack, beef jerky always does the trick. And if you’re looking for a sweet and smoky experience, Louisville Vegan Jerky has just the thing.
The Smoky Carolina BBQ flavor of its soy-based jerky captures the sweeter flavors of the Carolinas with a bit of smoke for a gluten-free snack with a meaty chew. This one is great to pack with your gear for camping trips, too.
Snak Club
7Hot Ones’ snack mix
Do you like a little bit of everything when you’re snacking? What about a sweet and smoky snack inspired by the show Hot Ones? If both are a “yes,” then Snak Club has got you covered.
This mix is inspired by the Hot Ones hot sauce series and delivers a unique combination of sweet, smoky, and spicy elements that make it perfect for snackers seeking variety.
In the bag, you’ve got peanuts, cashews, sesame sticks, pretzels, and toasted corn for a very satisfying snacking experience, perhaps best enjoyed while watching celebrities struggle through increasingly spicy vegan wings on Hot Ones.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
