Nuts.com Study: Cashews Are America's Favorite Nut, but Snacking Styles Vary by Region and Generation

CRANFORD, N.J. – Feb. 27, 2026: Just in time for National Snack Day, family-owned, direct-to-consumer snacking and specialty food powerhouse Nuts.com is cracking open new research on America's snacking habits. Cashews emerge as the nation's runaway favorite, but the data reveals distinct divides by geography and age. Boomers favor classics, Gen Z seeks bold variety, the Midwest backs pistachios, and the Southwest prefers peanuts. Across every group, crispy texture reigns.

"For nearly a century, Nuts.com has known that snacking is personal — and we've built our business on delivering exceptional quality and variety," said Nuts.com CEO PJ Oleksak. "Today, we serve nearly one million customers with tastes ranging from timeless favorites to bold, globally inspired flavors. National Snack Day is a chance to celebrate that individuality and the joy of discovery."

The Three Snacking Truths Shaping 2026 

1. Cashews Are America's Favorite Nut

Cashews take the top spot nationally, with 43% of Americans naming them a favorite for snacking and trail mixes, a rare snack that bridges generations.

• Boomers drive cashew popularity with 51% choosing them as their favorite to snack on, but every generation ranks them in their top two. 

• Boomers also lead on pecans, with nearly 40% more boomers choosing them as a favorite for snacking than millennials.

• Gen Z and millennials love cashews, but are more likely to reach for peanuts, which 42% pick for a top spot. The youngest are also more likely to branch out with 25% more Gen Z-ers choosing pistachios or almonds than their boomer elders.

2. Every Region Has a Snack Identity

America's snacking tastes vary widely, with each region defined by its own nut, texture, and flavor preferences.

• Northeast: Balanced and Creamy

• The Northeast is the most evenly split region in the country, with cashews and peanuts tied as the favorite. They are least likely to choose almonds, but prefer hazelnuts and Brazil nuts more than any other region.

• Northeasterners are nearly 10 percentage points less likely to opt for salty snacks, but they lead the country on preference for nuttiness. A love for both creamy (52%) and crispy (51%) textures gives these snackers balance.

• Southeast: Sweet and Proudly Pecan

• Southeasterners are loyal to their Georgia-grown pecans, leading the country in preference with 75% more pecan love than Northeasterners.

• The Southeast is the sweetest region in America (~50%), and leans heavily into creamy (52%) and cakey (39%) textures in their snacks for an indulgent, dessert-forward snacking style.

• Southwest: Fiery and Peanut-Forward

• The Southwest is the strongest peanut region in America (46%).

• This region has the most adventurous snackers with a yearn for the burn, leading the nation in preference for spicy and swicy (sweet + spicy) snacks by more than 20 percentage points.

• Midwest: Nostalgic and Pistachio-Powered

• The Midwest is the only region where pistachios take a top nut spot (37%). 

• Overindexing on classic salty, cheesy snacks and airy snacks like popcorn (32%) — plus a stronger love for sour and tropical flavors than any other region — Midwesterners opt for a nostalgia-driven profile.

• West: Baked and Buttery

• The West is the only region where almonds dominate (40%).

• Snackers here prefer more pastry-adjacent textures in their snacks — flaky (32%) and crumbly (25%) — to gummy or creamy. They lead on preference for chocolatey (46%) and buttery (33%) flavors for a snacking identity at home in a bakery.

3. Generations Reveal the Sharpest Snack Divides

Generations snack in stark contrast, with dramatic gaps between the youngest and oldest Americans — especially in texture and flavor.

• Younger Snackers are Driving a Sensory Snacking Revolution

• Gen Z and Millennials dramatically over-index on chewy (47%), crunchy (40%), airy (34%), icy (32%), and even bouncy textures (20%).

• Gen Z is three times more likely than boomers to choose hazelnuts or gummies, twice as likely to crave spicy or swangy (sweet + tangy) snacks, and seven times more likely to opt for sour.

• Older Generations Keep the Classics Alive

• Boomers and Gen X gravitate toward snacks that are smooth, nostalgic, and comforting, favoring crispy (56%), creamy (55%), and cakey (36%) textures.

• Flavor-wise, they lean heavily into chocolatey (46%), salty (44%), and sweet (42%) staples, but also lead on health-forward options like dried fruits.

• The One Thing All Generations Agree On

• Crispy is the must-have texture when snacking (54%).

• Tried-and-true sweet (47%), salty (43%), and chocolatey (42%) snacks top the charts nationally.

Despite the differences in snacking preferences, Americans are clear on their perfect snack blend: it's got to have balance. Energy-rich nuts and rich chocolate are the top must-haves across the board, but from there it's a jumble of flavors and textures — from gummies and dried fruit to pretzels and popcorn — that brings both indulgence and functionality.

Fueling the nation's varied tastes, Nuts.com's Custom Trail Mix Builder lets customers create personalized snack blends from an assortment of more than 150 premium nuts, jumbo dried fruits, seeds, candies, and handcrafted chocolates — bringing America's diverse snack identities together in one bag.

As America's snacking habits continue to evolve, Nuts.com remains committed to helping customers snack well, snack fresh, and snack happy. Visit Nuts.com and follow on Instagram @nutsdotcom for more.

*Data from a survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Nuts.com from Feb. 13 to Feb. 19, 2026, with a panel of 1,000 general population Americans.

ABOUT NUTS.COM

Nuts.com, a leading direct-to-consumer specialty food company, crafts and sources thousands of the highest-quality nuts, dried fruit, snacks, sweet treats, confections, pantry staples, and gifts. Founded in 1929 as the Newark Nut Company, a neighborhood shop with a mission to make every bite exceptional, Nuts.com is still family-owned to this day. It has grown from its humble roots to become the #1 online destination for discovering, devouring, and sharing everything delicious, including gluten-free, organic-certified, sugar-free, and kosher options. Nuts.com serves more than one million customers annually, shipping to all 50 states and Canada with facilities and distribution centers in New Jersey, Nevada, Indiana, Texas, and Florida. For more information, please visit nuts.com.