A study conducted by Soreen has found children aged between four and 11 revealed that the average youngster will enjoy four snacks a day.

Snacking between 10am and 11am proved to be the most popular hour with 42% during this time, as well as between 2pm and 4pm – the afterschool slump.

It also emerged that 56% of parents worry about what snacks to feed their kids, with 56% turning to biscuits and 52% handing over a packet of crisps.

Despite nearly half of children nibbling on an apple to keep hunger at bay, parents admitted their youngsters are more likely to enjoy a chocolate bar.

Mark Simester, managing director of Soreen said: “Our research has shown that snacking is part of children’s daily routine. However, due to the volume of snacks consumed daily and weekly, it’s so important to choose the right snacks in order to fuel children throughout the day and give them an energy boost at that crucial afterschool time.

“We know children love the taste of biscuits and crisps, but these foods don’t necessarily have the right nutritional balance, satisfy their hunger or act as fuel, like other healthy and tasty snacks can, to keep little ones going.

“With school, homework, clubs and weekly activities, it’s important children gain the right energy sources to not only keep them going physically, but to give them the brain power they need throughout the school day.”

The study also found that 47% are concerned about their children’s snacking habits in general, with more than half of these worrying not being healthy.

Almost half of parents are afraid their youngster eats too much, while four in 10 think little ones might not be getting the right nutritional balance.

Nearly a fifth (19%) believe their child will snack more on weekdays during school time compared to the weekends, with parents carrying roughly two snacks when on the go.

But this could be causing kids to eat their parents out of house and home, with mums and dads spending £46 a month on snacks alone – with one in 20 spending more than £100 every month.

The study also found a fifth would describe their child as a ‘grazer’, but 42% reckon their youngsters are just as likely to snack as they are to eat three square meals a day.

A further three in 10 look for snacks to give kids the energy they need, with a fifth driven by whether the snack is allowed in school lunchboxes.

Mark Simester, managing director at Soreen added: “It’s difficult when all kids want is something tasty to eat, but you – as a parent – want them to eat something healthy.

“However, there are snacks, such as Soreen Lunchbox Loaves, available that offer that healthy balance, as well as being a tasty treat that kids will love and school compliant, to provide the perfect solution for children’s snacking requirements.

“For example, by swapping a standard cake bar for a Soreen Lunchbox Loaf can cut a child’s sugar intake by 50%, as well as having over 70% less fat than the average cake bar.”

Soreen has launched several more individually-wrapped products in recent years to offer more healthy snack alternatives in particular, their Soreen Malt Loaf Bar.

Soreen are currently supporting Public Health England’s Change4Life’s Good Choice campaign again in 2020.