Snacks, the proverbial middle child of the food world, are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Last night, TV host Andy Cohen, a foodie in his own right, joined fellow food aficionados to launch Snack Week, a week-long celebration of snacking and the launch pad for the new Hillshire Snacking brand of premium snacks.

Snack Week kicked off with a VIP launch event, co-hosted by Cohen and other culinary experts, including Chef Dale Talde of “Talde” restaurants, New York mixologist Julie Reiner and two top food bloggers. The event united the experts to help launch the Hillshire Snacking brand and highlighted curated pairings and snack ideas using the products, all coming to life in a series of videos to be released during Snack Week.

“Being a foodie and living in a city with an amazing food culture has elevated my snacking game,” said Cohen. “I’ve spent enough time around food and the culinary world to know when I spot a trend. The Hillshire Snacking brand is a game-changer,” Cohen said.

Snacking has grown to be an American way of life with 95 percent of Americans snacking throughout the day and 48 percent snacking twice a day. This growth is tied to a change in the consumer definition of snacking as well as increased demand for high protein snacking options. While snacking was once synonymous with indulgent, salty and sweet treats, consumers are shifting away from this traditional thinking, with nearly half of consumers (44 percent) saying their definition of a snack has evolved to include more options. For more than half of Americans, snacking has become a way to add variety and explore new flavors − enter Hillshire Snacking brand, a new snacking brand that delivers perfectly portioned protein snacks for a new, elevated on-the-go eating experience to satisfy a more sophisticated food palate.

“Just as Restaurant Week celebrates culinary experiences, Snack Week celebrates the snacking experience and the elevated role snacking plays in people’s lives,” said Megan Huddleston, director of marketing for the Hillshire Snacking brand. “Snacking is no longer an afterthought. It’s an opportunity to go on a 15-minute culinary adventure, and Hillshire Snacking products set a new bar with interesting flavor pairings and quality ingredients you’d never expect from a packaged snack. We created Snack Week to celebrate how the boundaries of food culture have expanded to include snacks,” Huddleston said.

Videos capturing the results of the snack collaborations will be released on hillshiresnacking.com and via the brand’s Facebook and Instagram channels starting February 1, the beginning of National Snack Food Month.

Hillshire Snacking Small Plates and Grilled Chicken Bites

The Hillshire Snacking product line of new snacks includes Hillshire Snacking Small Plates and Hillshire Snacking Grilled Chicken Bites and is designed to be enjoyed on the go while still satisfying a foodie palate.

Made with high quality ingredients and bold, interesting flavors, Hillshire Snacking brand delivers perfectly portioned protein snacks for a new, elevated on-the-go eating experience. Containing 15 grams or more of protein per serving, the single-serving snack offerings are available in nine varieties across two product lines:

Hillshire Snacking Small Plates – Four flavorful combinations of air-dried salame, natural cheese and toasted rounds with a touch of sea salt, including:

• Italian Dry Salame with Natural Gouda Cheese
• Genoa Salame with Natural White Cheddar Cheese
• Wine Infused Salame with Natural White Cheddar Cheese
• Hot Calabrese Salame with Natural Gouda Cheese

Hillshire Snacking Grilled Chicken Bites – Made with all natural, minimally processed chicken breast bites, this gluten-free snack offers five unique dipping sauce options including:

• Teriyaki
• Honey Mustard
• Spicy Chipotle BBQ
• Mango Habanero
• Sweet Chili

Hillshire Snacking products are available at grocery stores nationwide. Suggested retail price for Small Plates is $2.99; Grilled Chicken Bites is $2.49.

For more information on Hillshire Snacking brand, and to view the Snack Week videos, visit hillshiresnacking.com or check out the brand on Facebook and Instagram.