Social media…

TikTok’s new community guidelines bans information promoting disordered eating but doesn’t address calorie restriction, excessive exercising or fasts/cleanses; this writer wonders how/if this will qualitatively change TikTok. And in the ‘we could have seen this coming’ file…Denny’s debuts menu items influenced by Tik Tok stars available through June 21.

Tracking the consumer/buying more…

QR codes have ‘issues’..they track consumers and may be risky to scan. Food subscriptions give companies customer data and promote loyalty: 7-11 offers a subscription; Taco Bell’s subscription – members visit more often and buy more .

Grocery stores…

Target tests adding Starbucks orders to grocery order; joins DoorDash app. Delivery of prepared meals from select grocery stores via the Ready Meals Hub within the Instacart app – users ordered more frequently and added more items to orders. Walmart’s 24/7 InHome delivery (direct to your kitchen or garage when you’re not home) in select Florida locations. Some online food packages don’t have nutritional and other nutrition information – nutrition information appeared, on average, 36.5% of the time across products and retailers in this study; the journal article. Do you think it’s easy to sell food online? Even big name brands find it daunting to navigate the different online requirements of grocers – including differing formats, word counts, descriptors, images, definitions of terms such as vegan, and more.

The metaverse…

Fast food and the metaverse…it’s coming: McDonald’s and Chipotle have filed trademarks. Haven’t heard of Roblox amid all the focus on the metaverse? Maybe you should – more than half are under 13 years of age.

Food/food waste…

Caffeinated doughnuts that are bigger and have about the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee arrive. Starting January 2022 California food retailers are required to donate surplus edible food they would have thrown away to food banks or other food distribution organizations. Others, like schools, hotels, and restaurants have until 2024 to comply. Vermont has already passed such a law.

Miscellaneous…

Stars and former government officials are increasingly on the boards of food tech companies such as animal-free dairy and cell-based meat companies. Consumers will get a lot more information about the foods they eat by 2027 when a new barcode replaces the current UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode which is data-heavy – the current UPC bar code can hold up to 48 characters, the 2D ones can hold up to 7,000. Canadian doctors can prescribe free park passes. Food mascots: they convince us to spend and spend more. Chipotle to link executive compensation to environmental goals and goals such as increasing diversity. Track the supply chain with this dashboard.

Food pickup/grocery news…

The future of grocery e-commerce… a new report with data from online shopper surveys projects that within the next 5 years online grocery shopping will account for 20% of U.S. groceries. From the report are new online grocery habits: buying a wider variety of items (34%) and spending less time shopping (29%).

The state of food delivery costs: it’s more expensive than it used to be. Google Maps expands tracking/pickup time for 2,000 Kroger stores nationwide. Uber One is a yearly/monthly subscription service to get discounted rides for some rides, food, delivery and guaranteed pricing on rides and delivery targeted to frequent users. More grocers testing smart carts means quicker shopping and more shopper data collected.

Augmented/immersive reality…

Coca-Cola opens a holiday augmented/immersive reality store in Snapchat.

Social marketing/online recipe gaps…

Plant-based meat companies market to consumers in different ways including national ads, YouTube videos, social media, an online community of ‘mom’ ambassadors and more.

Going viral on TikTok…some ideas in a 35-minute podcast – hint: you have a VERY short window to capture someone’s attention.

H-E-B’s shoppable livestreaming cooking classes on FB began this past summer with a 12-hour event and continue weekly in a 1-hour format.

Snapchat’s new Food Scan scans ingredients and finds recipes in Allrecipes. Why is this important? Allrecipes is the world’s largest digital food brand reaching 23 countries in 12 languages. How can we raise awareness of online recipe ‘gaps’? Shoppable recipes and social media linking the public to online recipes makes it easier to find recipes that aren’t always the healthiest. Why? Online recipes categorized as ‘healthy’ may not provide lower fat, salt, sugar substitutions or in some cases, they provide substitutions for some ingredients and not for others. Here are 5 ways to make recipes healthier. I would add this tip: add more veggies to a recipe whenever possible. For some, suggesting nutrition guidelines when choosing recipes may be helpful but not all recipes provide nutrition information.

Coming to a restaurant, university, street near you…robots…

Where you’ll find (a few) robots in restaurant kitchens and other food-related places: White Castle, Buffalo Wild Wings, DoorDash. Workers needed, restaurants turn to robots. Robot food delivery at universities and on the street.

And a reminder that tech needs humans…

Some big restaurants are stopping online ordering/delivery at peak times – weekend mornings and evenings – due to staff shortages. This helps restaurants focus on dine-in customers.

Thought-provoking…

• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says review the Thrifty Food Plan w/cultural humility to address racial/ethnic disparities.
• A food stylist in The Sporkful podcast reminds us that diversity applies to food photography i.e. including non-white hands in food photos.
• Two cookbooks authors discuss: When did recipe writing get so…white-washed? is an interesting look at power, fonts and representing a culture.
• Chef David Chang called the ethnic aisle ‘the last bastion of racism’ in American retail. He makes an interesting point. Personally I find it confusing to have to hunt for some ingredients in the ‘regular’ aisle or the ‘international’ aisle (so named in my supermarket). In this day and age, Sriracha, curry pastes and coconut milk are but a few ingredients ubiquitous in recipes. As Chang notes, it goes deeper than that, placing some ingredients where they are less likely to be found makes them appear to be less acceptable. And this ‘segregation’ may hurt their sales as they compete for shelf space. A transcript of a video with Chang and the co-founder of a company offering meal kits with Southeast Asian sauces explores the evolution of ethnic foods in American culture. Real-world examples of how this plays out for companies selling their products.
• Giant Foods’ shelf labels identify products from women, BIPOC, LGBTQ, veteran-owned businesses.
• Stop saying ‘food deserts’…the term, according to CDC researchers originated in Scotland in the 1990’s. Meant to refer to a neighborhood with few healthy food options, a desert is naturally occurring, while a food desert arises from intentional public policies and economic forces. The term has cast a light on important food issues but it leaves out other factors. The food system has changed a great deal in recent years and research is often slow to incorporate these changes such as grocery delivery and more access points such as CSAs and community gardens.

Resources…

• Salud America’s toolkit declares racism a public health crisis.
• A health equity county report card.
• Voices for Healthy Kids racial equity message guide and 2020/2021 progress report on racial equity – click on states for accomplishments.
• Race, ethnicity and racism in the nutrition literature: 2020 update.
• Dr. Shiriki Kumanyika’s 2019 equity-oriented obesity prevention framework.
• Healthy Eating Research 2020 webinar/slides/references – Increasing equity in community-based nutrition research.
• Towards an equity competency model for sustainable food systems education programs.
• Food Dignity, a food equity movement.

Webinars…

• The Role of Racial Equity in Snap-Ed Part 1: Bringing Equity in the Conversation 1 hour 21 minute Sept. 24, 2021 webinar sponsored by ASNNA and UNC looks at how community engagement can advance racial equity within Snap-Ed; foster a culture within Snap-Ed of dialogue and activity to advance racial equity; slides.
• North American Food Systems Network Voices from the Grassroots webinars and archived webinars including best practices in diversity/inclusion training.
• Center for Regional Food Systems, Racial Equity in the Food System Workgroup webinars and other resources.
• Increasing Equity in Community-Based Nutrition Research (Healthy Eating Research .
• PSU Racial Equity webinars: Exploring Racial Equity and Access in Our Food System: History, Land Access and Race examines the long history of structural/systemic racism within U.S. food and agricultural systems – 1 1/2 hours
• Exploring Racial Equity and Access in Our Food System: Food Access, Equity and Farmers Markets explores how farmers markets and CSAs can transform food systems by becoming a driving force in equitable food access – 1 1/2 hours
• Exploring Racial Equity and Access in Our Food System: Racism in the Value Chain of Food and Beverage addresses current and historical inequities in starting a business in the food or beverage industry – 1 1/2 hours.
• More Inclusive Nutrition: Enhancing Your Practice Through Cultural Understanding (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member Interest Groups: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Indians in Nutrition and Dietetics, National Organization of Blacks In Dietetics and Nutrition, Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition, Religion) – 65 minutes.

And finally…

• Finding solace and sardines at the 99 cents only store shares one immigrant from Vietnam’s memories of the store’s limitless items, joy and family outings.

• Serving Sizes: now appear in larger, bold font. Serving sizes have also been updated to better reflect the amount people typically eat and drink today. A reminder that serving sizes are not a recommendation of how much to eat.
• Calories: now displayed in larger, bolder font to make the information easier to find and use.
• Nutrients: vitamin D and potassium are now required to be listed on the label. Calcium and iron will continue to be listed on the label, but vitamins A and C are no longer required since deficiencies of these vitamins are rare.
• Added sugars: have been added to the label and must be listed in grams and as % Daily Value, in most cases.
• % Daily Value: shows how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a total daily diet. Daily values have been updated, which may make the % Daily Value higher or lower on the new Nutrition Facts label.

The education campaign includes a wide-range of materials for consumers, health care professionals, and educators, including downloadable educational materials, continuing medical education videos, and  nutrition-based middle and high school curriculums. Health educators may be particularly interested in the Read the Label Youth Outreach Materials ,the Health Educator’s Nutrition Toolkit, and the Interactive Nutrition Facts label

• Read the Label Youth Outreach Materials: A portfolio of materials aimed at reaching kids (ages 9 to 13 years) and families to encourage the use of the Nutrition Facts label as an everyday tool for making smart and healthful food choices. It includes a customizable PowerPoint presentation with talking points, tips, handouts, and printable hands-on activities to help families learn how to look for and use the Nutrition Facts label. These materials are also available in Spanish.
• Health Educator’s Nutrition Toolkit: A resource to help educators teach consumers about the Nutrition Facts label and how to use the information to make healthier food choices. This toolkit offers a wide range of resources, including realistic tips on how to shop for and prepare food as well as order food when eating out to build a healthy diet. A 60-minute PowerPoint presentation and an accompanying pre- and post-test are also included in the toolkit and can be customized for the needs of specific audiences.
• The Interactive Nutrition Facts Label: An online tool that provides an overview of the label and each of its elements as well as an in-depth look at specific nutrients and their role in a healthy diet. Action steps are also provided throughout to help individuals make informed nutrition choices. Printable fact sheets can be downloaded individually or as an entire set.

You can use these materials to increase awareness, understanding, and use of the updated Nutrition Facts label. Help spread the word about the campaign, and the many educational resources, by using the Social Media Toolkit, which includes newsletter text, social media posts, videos, downloadable images, and fact sheets.

Why some food product lines are shrinking…

**Less is more looks at how manufacturers desire to trim product lines which had been discussed prior to the pandemic but COVID-19 may has accelerated this for some product lines. Companies want to offer the most popular items, improve supply chains and boost sales. The yogurt aisle is one such example – anywhere from over 306 varieties may be found in some stores or as many as 425 varieties. How many sell? One expert estimated 75%. There is some evidence that too many choices leaves consumers overwhelmed. Some stores may opt to remove some grocery items from stores and sell them online. Fewer items helps consumers get through the store quicker and allows staff to spend time on surface sanitation.

**Why you’re seeing less of your favorite foods on grocery store shelves is, in part, affected by consumers currently making fewer grocery trips. Some discontinued items include lightly salted Lay’s chips and about half of Progresso soup varieties.

**Fewer product options for Americans? include reduced fat Jif peanut butter and reduced sugar frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Restaurants, too, are streamlining menu items – for now, salads and bagels won’t be available at McDonald’s.

**What food may be scarce according to supply chain experts say that some specialty foods, especially imports from overseas, could be less available.

**Why brands like Oreo and Frito-Lay are cutting back on wacky flavors now sees fewer varieties of Oreo, Jif peanut butter and chips.

**Pandemic trims SKU lineups including reduced-fat and omega-3 peanut butter; Lightly Salted chips and multi-grain scoops; focus to be on Coke and Coke Zero; and there will be fewer Progresso soup varieties.

Restaurant also streamlining menu items…

Menu changes will likely look different as time goes on.

**These restaurant chains cut menu items during the pandemic including  McDonald’s salads, bagels, yogurt parfaits,  grilled chicken and All Day Breakfast; KFC potato wedges; Subway roast beef or rotisserie chicken options and others.

**6 ways menus will change due to Coronavirus includes using ingredients in more than one menu item and fewer customizable options.

**Restaurant menus getting smaller shares some examples including IHOP going from  a 12 page menu to 2 pages. Customers are OK with the changes.

Taking place August 7-9 in Scottsdale, Arizona, CMHC West will provide a deep dive into the modern-day practice of cardiovascular and metabolic medicine. Participants will take a thorough look at the latest research and clinical knowledge surrounding a variety of clinical areas including obesity and lifestyle medicine, diabetes management, kidney disease, heart failure, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and more. Additionally, with topics such as Managing Type 2 Diabetes When Cost is an Issue; Excercise: A Practical Approach; and How Much Can Prevention Can A Patient Take?, participants will be guided through some of the most pressing issues concerning one of the most consequential aspects of healthcare: the effective delivery of care. On the final day of the conference, participants will be led through the Complexities in Cardiometabolic Care Summit in which a panel of CMHC Chairs consisting of the field’s clinical leaders — including past president of the American Heart Association Robert H. Eckel, MD — will provide expert insight into real-life patient cases and discuss approaches to addressing the complexity of cardiometabolic care.

On October 21-24, CMHC will host the 15th Annual Cardiometabolic Health Congress in Boston. The conference will begin with a pre-conference on the Impact of Ethnicity and Race in Cardiometabolic Health covering the implications of ethnicity and race for risk assessment and management. The conference will officially launch with a timely FDA update review, as well as a keynote presentation by the renowned clinical educator Eugene Braunwald, MD, on the Evolving Paradigms in Cardiovascular Research and Care. Additionally, the conference will provide a unique and updated look on topics such as atherosclerosis, heart failure, and more.

Led by a faculty panel of the leaders in cardiometabolic health, this year’s CMHC events will provide clinicians with direct access to the latest research and clinical knowledge directly from the source. As a partner of the Cardiometabolic Health Congress, CMHC is offering members of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior a discount of $100 OFF each event using code Partner100 at registration.

Part of IDEAL’s small grants program, the Program Improvement Award is meant to fund important resources over the course of 12 months that can improve the quality of program design and implementation across the food and nutrition security community.

In order to be considered, applicants need to submit a concept paper before the published deadline. Only applicants whose concept papers are selected for further review will be invited to submit a full application package.

Concept papers we will be reviewed and scored in two rounds: the first is open now and will wrap up at 5 p.m. Oct. 25. The second round then immediately begins, running through 5 p.m. Dec. 13.

Read the full RFA by clicking here. You can find links to more information by clicking here.

• Behavior Change Potential
• Support of Knowledge Acquisition
• Skill Development
• Function
• App Purpose

In addition to these 5 scores, 2 additional scores are calculated based on the nutrition needs and age of the target audience. This means you decide if you are evaluating the app for use by children, teens and/or adults.

For more information on the development, validation and reliability testing of AQEL, please refer to the following paper: https://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/10/e163

A review of Dietary Approaches to Support Hypertension apps using AQEL can be found here: https://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(18)30089-7/fulltext

To access AQEL click here: App Quality Evaluation

If you are using AQEL to conduct research, please reference the following citation:

DiFilippo KN, Huang W, Chapman-Novakofski KM. A New Tool for Nutrition App Quality Evaluation (AQEL): Development, Validation, and Reliability Testing. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2017;5(10):e163 DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.7441

Animated video based on the English infographic