They also ranked meat protein highest for strength, satisfaction and staying power: 66% associate meat most with strength and endurance, 52% call meat snacks the most satisfying protein source, and 61% would choose meat snacks if limited to a single protein source for an entire year.

Yet when asked which protein option is the "healthiest," meat snacks fell behind, with only 24% selecting them, trailing protein bars (31%) and shakes (28%).

"As protein continues to dominate food trends, nearly every category is trying to claim a seat at the table," said Holly LaVallie, SVP of Marketing and R&D at Link Snacks. "But not all protein is created equal. We believe real meat protein remains the gold standard, an essential part of our diets, complete and satisfying. While others are adding protein to sugary breakfast pastries and soda, Link Snacks provides real meat protein snacks for everyone in the family and has for more than 40 years."

And the confusion extends across the protein aisle. While higher protein has become the second-most-common definition of a "better-for-you" snack (38%), behind only better taste (44%), shoppers are split on what "good protein" actually means:

• 37% believe clean protein beats processed protein.
• 35% say any protein is better than none.
• Only 29% believe most "high-protein" or "better-for-you" claims live up to their promises.

Guidance is scarce, too. More Americans choose their protein based on what looks interesting on the shelf (27%) versus based on their doctor's advice (16%), and only about six in 10 feel confident they know how much protein they need each day.

And with appetites shrinking in the GLP-1 era, 48% believe meat is the best protein source for maintaining muscle mass while eating less, well ahead of dairy and eggs (29%) and plant protein (7%).

"Protein does much more than support muscle repair. It helps produce neurotransmitters that regulate mood, transport nutrients throughout the body, and is a key component of bones, hair, and nails. And protein needs vary based on age, activity level and overall calorie intake," said Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, sports nutritionist and NY Times best-selling author. "Despite the trend, there's no need to 'protein maxx.' Just opt for foods that naturally contain protein like Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, meat snacks, etc. and skip the protein-fortified chips, popcorn, and cookies. A cookie is still a cookie. Adding protein to a nutrient-poor food doesn't fundamentally change what it is."

As brands race to pack more claims onto packages, label fatigue is setting in and consumers are becoming more aware of what's in their snacks. On average, Americans estimate that 60% of snack foods on store shelves today have too many ingredients, and two-thirds (66%) say they trust a snack more when it has fewer ingredients.

Among the findings:

• 81% have struggled to pronounce ingredients listed on snack packaging.
• 73% feel overwhelmed by ingredient lists, including 52% of Gen Z who feel that way "all the time," more than double the rate of baby boomers (23%).
• 52% have felt misled about how healthy a snack is because of marketing. 60% of Gen Z respondents feel the same way.
• 88% say snacks labeled "better for you" at least sometimes fail to explain what actually makes them better.

"Consumers are increasingly seeing a disconnect between 'better-for-you' branding and the reality of the ingredient list," continued LaVallie. "People are becoming much more aware of what's actually in their food, and they're tired of marketing claims that aren't backed with the ingredient label."

The stakes are high because Americans snack constantly, an average of 4.5 times a day, led by millennials (5.2 times) and Gen Z (5 times). More than one in four Americans (27%) snack six or more times a day. Respondents said a "good" snack should taste good (60%), be filling (40%) and contain protein (31%), with high-protein options most often fueling the midday energy boost (40%), late-night snacking (35%) and busy mornings (32%).

Survey methodology

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general-population Americans was commissioned by Link Snacks between June 22 and June 25, 2026. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

Source: Link Snacks Inc.