Little Treat Culture: 62% Consider Little Treats Crucial to Self-Care
Americans are embracing the art of the little treat in 2025: that usually sweet something that stands as a bright light in the day, providing comfort and joy in an otherwise potentially stressful adult life. Whether it’s a cute croissant or a soothing skincare routine, little treats are here to stay.
We wanted to know what makes little treat culture tick in 2025, so we commissioned a survey of over 1,000 American consumers about their preferences and habits when it comes to little treats. It turns out nearly half of Americans seek out small indulgences regularly – and 62% consider them part of their self-care routine.
2025 Little Treat Trends: Americans Have a Sweet Tooth
Consumers are especially in love with sweet treats in 2025: 56% associate a sweet snack with “something fun to eat.” Other top flavor profiles according to the survey include salty (16%), spicy (15%), and savory (13%). When it comes to flavor trends, though, sweet reigns supreme: 47% define a little treat as something sweet.
What are Americans’ favorite little treats? Among foods, ice cream captures 56% of the vote, followed by chocolate and/or candy bars (52%), and baked goods (41%). In the beverage category, soft drinks come out on top (49%), followed by milkshakes (45%) and coffee beverages (41%). For those looking for something to benefit the body without spoiling an appetite, top non-food small rewards include skincare products (26%), books (26%), and candles and/or incense (26%).
Most Americans are picking up their treats in the grocery store (57%), followed by superstores (54%), and convenience stores (35%). In terms of food service establishments, bakeries capture 32% of the vote, and coffee shops are the go-to for 22% of Americans when it comes to picking up a small indulgence.
How much do Americans spend on little treats?
Forty-four percent of Americans consume little treats at least a few times a week, and over one in 10 buy a little treat every day. That treat takes the form of something sweet the majority of the time, with Americans consuming something sweet a median of four times a week.
The median amount of money Americans are spending per treat is about $5, while the most expensive (yet still little) treat costs a median of $10. All of this adds up to a monthly little treat spend of $30, or $360 yearly! With this in mind, it’s unsurprising that 24% maintain a budget line for small indulgences specifically.
We also analyzed our own purchase data at NCSolutions and found, according to April 2025 data, that chocolate won the candy category in popularity among purchases, while in the sweet snacks category, muffins came out on top. For health and beauty products, facial treatments were the most frequently purchased.
Nearly 3 in 4 Americans Say Little Treats are Important to their Quality of Life
Little treats are part of the daily rituals that keep us ticking in the U.S.; 73% say that small indulgences are important to their quality of life, and 62% say little treats are important to their self-care routine.
When asked why they buy little treats, consumers responded that they see treats as an indulgence (51%), followed by considering a little treat a reward (50%). Other drivers include impulse purchasing (40%), coping with stress (34%), and self-care (30%).
Nearly half – 45% – feel like they need to earn little treats. What actions earn a small indulgence? Top rewarded behaviors include surviving a tough day (48%), caring for mental health (36%), completing a difficult task (33%), completing a basic task like laundry (31%), or achieving a major milestone (23%). A full two in five Americans buy themselves small rewards because they can’t afford something bigger, and the smaller treat is a good stopgap.
Treats can sometimes get tricky, however: one in three struggle with self control around little treats, and one in four feel a pang of guilt when they buy small indulgences. That being said, the majority of Americans enjoy treats without strings attached.
Another popular trend in little treat culture is that of pairing a treat with a ritual; the most popular rituals include a regular treat schedule, followed by buying the same treat every time (maybe it’s that latte you love, or a specific type of chocolate), and finally pairing a treat with another form of self care, like reading a book or taking a bath. Who doesn’t love a good treat-based ritual?
Gen Z Turns to TikTok for Treatspiration
Unsurprisingly, Gen Z is at the vanguard of little treat culture, with its native familiarity with social media trends and willingness to indulge. One in five Gen Zers buy a little treat for themselves daily, and 36% confess to self control issues around small indulgences.
Happily, treats aren’t a fiscal surprise. Over two in five Gen Zers have a little treat budget to defray expenses, which is smart, considering that 53% buy small indulgences because they can’t afford bigger treats.
Another top motivator for the younger generation is that of reward (64%), which reflects the role of treats as a motivator. Perhaps unsurprisingly 66% feel they need to earn little treats, and 41% pair a small indulgence with completing a basic, necessary task like laundry or washing dishes.
Top Little Treats for Gen Z
Beverages:
- Soft Drink
- Milkshake
- Smoothie
- Coffee
- Boba/Bubble Tea
Food:
- Fast food
- Ice cream
- Chocolate/candy bar
- Salty snacks
- Baked goods
Non-consumables:
- Cosmetics
- In-app purchase
- Skincare
- Haircare
- Bath products
Interestingly, 28% gravitate towards spicier foods as their go-to fun snack – a trend that aligns with the younger generation’s well-documented love of all things spicy, especially hot sauce.
Social media plays a huge role in Gen Z’s decisions around what treats to purchase; 62% have purchased a little treat highlighted or endorsed by an influencer, and nearly three in five turn to TikTok for inspiration around their little treats. Brands have caught up: 60% of Gen Zers noticed more mentions of little treats in the last year, and 63% noticed more little treat themed ads.
All in all, it seems like little treats add a special something to nearly everyone’s life, from a sweet treat as a reward to an indulgence that adds a little bit more fun to life. Whether you use it as reward, incentive, or just a little something, we hope you have a little treat today!
Methodology & Fair Use
About the Consumer Sentiment Survey
The consumer sentiment survey of 1,036 Americans was commissioned by NCSolutions in April 2025 and was made up of U.S. adults ages 18+, who were asked about their eating habits and preferences around little treats. Results were weighted to be representative of the U.S. population by age, gender, region, ethnicity, marital status, education level, and household income.
About the NCS Purchase Data
NCS provides purchase insights to brands to help them target, optimize, measure, and enable sales-based outcomes. NCS’s representative and balanced consumer CPG purchase data set consists of the industry’s preeminent and comprehensive sources. It is inclusive of actual purchase data (transaction information) from big-box retailers, supermarkets, drug stores, convenience stores, and other retail channels at which American households buy CPG products spanning 340+ grocery categories. The NCSolutions purchase data was analyzed in April 2025.
For media inquiries, please contact ncs.press@ncsolutions.com.
Fair Use
When using this data and research, please attribute by linking to this study and citing NCSolutions.
