Discover the latest updates on food, nutrition, and health in our regular blog. Stay informed with the latest news that covers a wide range of topics important to the well-being of the audiences you reach.
TAKING A NEW LOOK
What important information will you get from this post? Top-of-the-mind news about buying food including food prices and shrinkinflation, climate change/extreme weather including Hurricane Helene’s impact on food availability and a deeper look at online grocery shopping. And if you’ve been reading about declining obesity rates, you’ll want to read about different experts’ takes on how to interpret the data. Lastly, you might be interested in an upcoming October 29th webinar about how to customize USDA MyPlate materials. More info/register at https://pages.extension.org/dietary-guidlines-myplate.
A CURATED LIST OF MUST-READ CONTENT
Buying food…
Less chocolate, more gummies this Halloween…why?
Cocoa prices are way up due to weather problems, so you’ll see more gummies and a Kit-Kat Bar with no chocolate!
CLICK HERE FOR RELATED NEWS
Aldi holiday meal feeds 10 for less than $50
The offer is its lowest price in five years
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Ahead of the holidays, Target cuts prices on 2,000 items
The price cuts include groceries and other items. By the end of the holiday season, prices on 10,000 items will have been reduced. (Price cuts will not include Alaska and Hawaii).
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Shrinkinflation…
Walmart’s holiday meal shrinks
Promoted in September as serving 10, Walmart now says the holiday meal package serves 8
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Shrinkinflation affects 1/3 of groceries according to a new Lending Tree analysis
Lending Tree tracked items from 2019/2020 to 2024. Worst offender? Household paper products such as toilet paper. 2nd worst offender: breakfast foods.
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Extreme weather, climate change affects food availability…
Hurricane Helene’s toll on agribusiness
Peanut, pecan crops and dairy farms were affected by the hurricane
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Climate change/extreme weather and the rise of pawpaw
Backyard gardeners and small farmers, seeking alternate sources of income, are increasingly growing pawpaws because of low maintenance and adaptability
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Online grocery shopping…
New ERS report looks at online grocery shopping
Those more likely to shop online were female, 15 – 24 years old, non-Hispanic White, married or with a partner, a parent of young children, more educated, not eligible for SNAP, more educated, more likely to do the grocery shopping. More than 2 in 5 online grocery shoppers cited time as the top reason they buy groceries online.
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Online grocery sites largely lack nutrition info
New study: 60 items across 10 online grocery sites were assessed and, in some cases, nutrition info was unavailable or hard to find as compared to marketing claims. (Note: in 2023 the FDA did release a request for information on nutrition labeling in online grocery shopping but hasn’t yet taken action.)
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Have we passed ‘peak obesity’? Inside the headlines…
Latest CDC data: Obesity rate didn’t rise
The decline isn’t statistically significant; severe obesity increasing slightly
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Dr. Marion Nestle’s view on those declining obesity rates
The decline of obesity rates occurred before weight loss drugs were widely used
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An epidemiologist’s take…
It’s too early to tell how or if weight loss drugs are contributing as 6% of Americans use the drugs
CLICK HERE FOR RELATED NEWS
