logo
episode-header-image
May 14
26m 28s

Snackification: Our love affair with sna...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Ruth Alexander looks at the world of snacks. Have we always snacked or is it a more modern phenomenon that started with formal meal patterns? What snacks have been popular through the ages, what’s the industry doing now and what could we be eating in the future?

We talk to food historians Dr Annie Gray and Professor Janis Thiessen, the former CEO of Unilever Paul Polman - who remembers the rise of some of the biggest brands - and Christine Cochran from the international trade association SNAC International.

We also hear from snack fans across the world.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Up next
Yesterday
Protein v fibre
Protein is a health and fitness buzzword – plastered on packaging, prioritised in diets and praised by fitness influencers. But is our preoccupation with protein overshadowing another nutritional essential – fibre? Ruth Alexander explores the science, and marketing, behind protei ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 2
Video game food
It can be the difference between life and death for your character, signal you’re on a hostile planet or in a sumptuous world, or can even give you the whole basis for a game. In this week’s Food Chain we hear where the ideas for some of the most disgusting and delicious foods in ... Show More
26m 29s
Jun 25
The story of your plate
What can we tell about a society from the plates, bowls and cups it uses? In this programme Ruth Alexander learns about the history of pottery, from early earthenware to the porcelain discovered by ancient China, known as ‘white gold’. Professor of archaeology, Joanita Vroom from ... Show More
26m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
519. If Another Country Did This to Our Citizens, It Would Be War | Vani Hari
Jordan Peterson sits down with author and co-founder of Truvani, Vani Hari. They discuss Hari’s personal struggles with food which led her to start the Food Babe blog, the disgraceful business practices of major food companies, how the Tobacco industry took over big food, the uni ... Show More
1h 8m
Aug 2024
Real Life Dinners
What's happening with dinner at our houses? We're talking all about it from what we actually eat, what our kids are picky about, and what the dinner vibes are like lately. Along the way we ponder Manwich and the proper way to eat a corn dog. Bon appetit! See full show notes on ou ... Show More
38m 20s
Feb 2025
Lenny & Larry’s Protein Snacks: Barry Turner
When Barry Turner co-founded Lenny & Larry’s, the idea of selling a protein-packed breakfast muffin was practically unheard of: it was the early 1990’s, and protein-fortified food was not yet a thing. But when Barry was sidelined from a promising gig as an American Gladiator, he ... Show More
1h 4m
May 27
CLASSIC: The Wide World of Food Conspiracies
Whether rich or poor, young or old, everyone on the planet has to eat. Government institutions monitor the safety, cleanliness and consistency of our favorite foods, but as with any global industry, there are more than a few skeletons in the collective closet of the food and beve ... Show More
1h 7m
Aug 2024
PRETTY CURIOUS | How Do You Make A Demure "It" Brand?
We’re not a little bit obsessed with Nécessaire, we’re big-BIG time obsessed with Nécessaire and its co-founder, Randi Christiansen! Bodycare, one of the more niche corners of the beauty industry, is beyond important to our wellbeing. After all, as Randi says, “skin doesn’t stop ... Show More
44m 24s
Oct 2024
Cooking Dreams & Destiny with Ina Garten
This week, step into the studio (and kitchen!) with Jen and Amy as they have an intimate and insightful conversation with the iconic Ina Garten, a true pioneer in the culinary world who has shaped the way we cook at home. As they delve into Ina's groundbreaking career, from the b ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2024
The Sweet Tooth of Social Media
Candy fans unite! This episode is for you. Grab your favorite flavor of Nerds or indulge in some controversial candy corn and tune in to hear Annie Belgrade, Senior Manager of Integrated Content Marketing at Ferrara Candy Company, talk about finding the sweet spot in your social ... Show More
35m 40s
Aug 2024
Mukbangs
From mukbangs to what I eat in a day vlogs, why are we so fascinated with what other people eat? This week, we dive into the origins of mukbang, its transformation when it hit mainstream America, and what the implications are of sensationalizing food and eating online. (Bonus—che ... Show More
39m 52s
Oct 2024
Soup-er Successful Marketing with Ruth Snowdon-Gough from Hain Celestial
In this episode, Rory interviews Ruth Snowdon-Gough, CMO of Hain Celestial, a company known for its ‘dawn to dusk’ portfolio of brands including Sun Pat, Covent Garden Soup, Linda McCartney Foods and Ella's Kitchen. The discussion covers Hain's multi-year strategy for global grow ... Show More
43m 26s
Feb 2025
TED Explores: Food for the Future | TED Countdown
Food is culture, food is life — it’s part of who we are and the magic that binds us together. But here’s the twist: the way we eat is pushing the climate to the brink, with a third of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from the way we grow, process and waste food. Through TED ... Show More
23m 56s