Ellen’s Blog: What’s new or on the horizon

By Ellen Schuster, MS

Self-serve drink machines slowly going away, free textbooks w/snacks in them?, low-fat vegan diet saves money, extreme heat canceling school recess, at the grocer some Lunchables include fruit not candy/cookies, new cookbooks focus on veggie burgers, food waste and more!

McDonald’s to phase out self-serve drink stations 

(https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/09/11/mcdonalds-to-remove-self-serve-soda-machines-by-2032/70828970007/). The cost of eating out up 6% since the

start of the year; states with most/least restaurant inflation  (https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/credit-cards/top-states-with-the-most-restaurant-inflation/).
A marketing ploy…Kraft Heinz donating ‘textbooks’ for young children each with a hidden snack including a CapriSun pouch, mac ‘n cheese, Lunchable, jello cup (https://www.thedailymeal.com/1386613/kraft-heinz-hidden-treats-read-books-school/).

An upcoming book…Why SNAP Works – Chris Bosso (https://www.foodpolitics.com/2023/09/weekend-reading-the-politics-of-snap/). Publish date: Oct. 10, 2023

A study…Low-fat vegan diet saves $1.51/day (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230905/Low-fat-vegan-diet-can-lead-to-a-savings-of-more-than-24500-a-year.aspx).

Apps…Samsung Food let’s you change a recipe to fit your dietary preference and has recipes in multiple languages (https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/30/samsung-launches-a-meal-planning-and-recipe-discovery-platform-called-samsung-food/).

Safely use virtual payment apps (https://news.it.ufl.edu/security/safely-use-virtual-payment-apps/);

(https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/09/08/payment-apps-like-venmo-and-cash-app-bring-convenience-and-security-concerns-to-some-users/).

Extreme heat…

Extreme heat is leading to cutbacks of recess and canceling after school sports in schools. Some solutions: shorter recess breaks, morning recess, water stations, shade and misters or holding gym in a classroom  (https://www.npr.org/2023/09/07/1198269007/extreme-heat-is-cutting-into-recess-for-kids-experts-say-thats-a-problem). One teacher has an online YouTube channel with activities to do indoors (https://www.youtube.com/@CoachGelardi/videos). Keeping kids cool at school: 2014 pdf but still timely

(https://peacefulplaygrounds.com/download/pdf/Cool-in-School-Article-Set-083015.pdf).

On the plate for the upcoming Farm Bill…

Dr. Nestle shares Civil Eats’ view of what the Farm Bill ought to address (https://www.foodpolitics.com/2023/08/the-upcoming-farm-bill-whats-needed-courtesy-of-civil-eats/). And a new 6-part podcast series about the Farm Bill (https://www.iatp.org/farm-bill-uprooted-podcast).

At school…

Vending machines that deliver school meals increase participation (https://www.the74million.org/article/its-trendy-its-new-is-the-future-of-healthy-school-lunch-vending-machines/).

Enticing students to eat school meals: grab and go, food/packaging that’s good for the planet, meatless (https://www.npr.org/2023/08/06/1192388403/school-cafeterias-are-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-be-more-appealing-to-kids).

At the grocer…

What foods got more expensive last month: frozen foods like juices/drinks, veggies are up  (https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/13/economy/grocery-prices-august-cpi/index.html). Some Lunchables to have fruit not candy or cookies – suggested retail is $4 to $4.29, about $1 to $2 higher than other Lunchables (https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/business/lunchables-fresh-fruits-test/index.html). How grocers are reaching back-to-school shoppers

(https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocers-target-back-to-school-shoppers/692096/). Albertson’s platform aligns purchases w/MyPlate (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/albertsons-sincerely-health-nutrition-digital-health/691084/). More shop at more than 1 grocer to save money

(https://www.grocerydive.com/news/more-consumers-shopping-multiple-grocers-lowest-prices-dunnhumby/689680/). Buy now, pay later surges in the first part of 2023 (https://www.supermarketnews.com/technology/high-grocery-prices-cause-shoppers-lean-buy-now-pay-later-apps). Target

adds baby, toddler products to Good & Gather line (https://www.retaildive.com/news/target-good-and-gather-grocery-private-label-baby-toddler-food/691362/). Retail subscription services datapoints: demographics  (https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/retailers/most-us-households-subscribe-retail-membership-program). WALMART:

Walmart+ half price membership is a bid for the SNAP recipients that Amazon was vying for (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/walmart-vs-amazon-half-price-membership-battle-snap/688727/). Market basket analysis finds that Walmart prices are 15% below small regional grocers (https://www.grocerydive.com/news/walmart-15-dollar-online-grocery-price-advantage-over-regional-grocers/687975/). Walmart expands Express Delivery to 10 PM (https://www.retaildive.com/news/walmart-express-delivery-late-night/693537/).

A warning…

Be careful out there, your lemonade, seltzer may be spiked (https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/05/business/hard-seltzer-spiked-drinks/index.html); and your iced Dunkin’ tea and iced coffee too (https://www.tastingtable.com/1363311/dunkin-debut-lineup-spiked-iced-coffee-tea/).

Interesting (and tasty/healthier) recipes/cookbooks…

Edamame…Baked edamame that’s crushed after baking as a (healthier) substitute for breadcrumbs  (https://www.tastingtable.com/1383759/carb-friendly-breading-cut-meat/). Tofu…make it more flavorful…rip it into pieces instead of cutting it. This creates more surface area for ingredients to get into

(https://www.tastingtable.com/1379619/tear-tofu-apart-instead-cutting-crispiness/). Veggie burgers…a new (old) cookbook: Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger provides recipes for bean & grain, vegetable, tofu, seitan, tempeh, TVP burgers

(https://www.eater.com/23749926/veggie-burgers-every-which-way-lukas-volger-new-release). Tips about how to bake, panfry, bake, grill the burgers and some new ways to use veggie burgers (over salad, crumbled, in stir fries). Lukas Volger has a free substack newsletter (https://lukasvolger.substack.com/). Food waste cookbook…it’s fun and full of graphics and recipes…Perfectly Good Food by Margaret Li and Irene Li (http://www.publishersweekly.com/9780393541076) mostly focuses on fruits and vegetables. It’s fall yet many parts of the U.S. will still be hot so enjoy these refreshing recipes…fruit ice at home…use frozen fruit

(https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/frozen-fruit-shaved-ice/); (https://thebalancednutritionist.com/viral-frozen-fruit-shaved-ice/). Waffle cones…filled with fresh fruit or yogurt instead of whipped cream in this recipe

(https://simplifylivelove.com/fresh-fruit-waffle-cones/).

Read this…

Nominations to DGA expert panels (https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/12/nutrition-panel-experts/).