If you’re relishing the rise of fermented cucumber these days, hold on to your gherkins. Not only are pickles clutch for charcuterie, but the brine can bring you back to life. 
There’s a time and place for <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@morganchompz/video/7627558422073937165?embed_source=121374463%2C121468991%2C121439635%2C121749182%2C121433650%2C121404359%2C121497414%2C122349556%2C122221973%2C122122240%2C121351166%2C121811500%2C121960941%2C122122244%2C122122243%2C122122242%2C121487028%2C121679410%2C122258714%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%2C121885509%3Bnull%3Bembed_blank&amp;refer=embed&amp;referer_url=www.allrecipes.com%2Fwhat-are-kool-aid-pickles-12016646&amp;referer_video_id=7627558422073937165">Kool-Aid pickles</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DVuSXTlD7xj/">24-layer pickle cake</a> (that time may be never), but standard pickle juice can help your muscles recover faster than you can say “please pass the emergency cornichons.” 
This protocol played out in real time in front of nearly 70,000 people at Seattle Stadium during the World Cup. As the U.S. battled it out against Australia, field referee <a href="https://time.com/article/2026/06/26/does-pickle-juice-help-muscle-cramps/">Felix Zwayer</a> suddenly fell to the ground with a muscle cramp in the middle of the game. After a little stretching did nothing to quell the pain, Zwayer downed a shot of pickle juice and was back in the game. 
So was it some kind of miracle pickle-lixir? More like the right minerals at exactly the right time.
Muscle cramps can happen for a variety of reasons such as holding a position too long, pinching a nerve, or straining a muscle. But when you sweat out body-balancing electrolytes during exercise, your muscles freak out. That’s where pickle juice comes in. 
Pickle brine boasts concentrated amounts of <a href="https://www.verywellfit.com/pickle-juice-nutrition-facts-and-health-benefits-4164284">potassium and sodium</a>, both of which are essential for body function. Known as electrolytes, they serve as two key minerals that form an electric charge when mixed with body fluids, helping to regulate hydration and keep your cells nourished. Sodium and potassium, in particular, do the heavy lifting when it comes to <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html">muscle</a> function.  
Since the brine also has no protein or fat, it’s quick to digest. FIFA Official Zwayer may have chugged something similar to <a href="https://picklepower.com/">Pickle Juice</a>, which reportedly goes to work in 60 seconds.
Another factor may be the cheek-pinching flavor. If you’ve ever felt a pickle juice kick in the back of your throat, that’s precisely the characteristic this remedy leverages. Pickle Juice, the registered performance beverage, claims to interrupt the stressed-out nerve signals between your brain and your muscles (via zippy shock to your throat), thus lessening the pain of a cramp. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19997012/">Studies</a> show that it works.
If straight pickle brine isn’t exactly your jam, a more palatable <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a71871221/pickle-juice-recipe-recovery-drink/">pickle lemonade</a> offers the benefits with a refreshing twist. Providing sip-worthy recovery for runners and other athletes looking to replenish sodium more quickly than they would by drinking plain water, lemon and a little sweetener help the pickle juice go down. An added benefit? Unlike store-bought <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-really-hiding-in-your-electrolyte-drink?author=Jordan+Jantz&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=What%E2%80%99s+Really+Hiding+In+Your+Electrolyte+Drink%3F">electrolyte drinks</a>, a DIY recipe gives you more control over the ingredients you put in your body.
But this isn’t the only reason it might be time to swap that hot sauce in your bag for a jar of bread and butter chips. If you think the phrase “good for you” also applies to your soul, get ready because “pickle” is the flavor of the summer. 
Calling it a “pickle renaissance,” food trend spotter and author of the Snaxshot newsletter <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/14/us/pickle-flavor-summer-cec">Andrea Hernandez</a> says, “It’s not something that just feels gimmicky — it’s a major unlock for a category that has been sleepy for a while.” Contrasting the overdone mid-2000s bacon trend that was not-so-secretly <a href="https://www.salon.com/2023/01/31/heres-how-we-fell-in-and-out-of-love-with-bacon/">engineered by Big Pork</a>, she says the pickle rise was more of a grassroots initiative. Even snacks that were never cucumbers have gotten the pickle treatment.
There’s a world in which dill pickle-flavored popcorn, peanut butter, protein bars, jelly beans, pretzels, jerky, and canned tuna exists, and we’re already living in it. But more unexpected flavor pairings also seem to be fair game. 
Sam’s Club is so confident in the enduring popularity of its cake pops that it’s camouflaging <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Daygd-Ch3jQ/">“surprise” pickle pops</a> among fan-favorite pineapple and blue raspberry flavors. And <a href="https://www.smoothieking.com/stories/pickle-smoothie-at-smoothie-king-made-with-grillos-pickles/">Smoothie King</a> hopes to leverage the electrolyte craze with a pickle smoothie featuring fresh-blended Grillo’s Pickles spears. If that sounds weird, maybe the bananas and coconut water will help.
While pickles and ice cream may have been the pregnancy craving trope of the &#8217;80s, it’s now what you’d call a thing. Whether you <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1288412380088327">shave frozen pickles</a> on top of a scoop of vanilla, or concoct a pickled syrup, it’s the sweet and savory combo to erase all other pairings from your mind.
Over in the drinks category, pickle juice is popping up in <a href="https://parade.com/food/viral-pickle-margarita-recipe-review">margaritas</a>, and frozen pickles add dimension to a glass of <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/frozen-pickle-sauvignon-blanc-trend-11989639">white wine</a>. Despite being a fan of wine-flavored wine, I had to see what all the pickle fuss was about. It’s also not beyond my talents to slice up a few gherkins, freeze them, and drop them into a glass of sauvignon blanc. I actually loved the briny contrast to the herbaceous citrus of the wine, and my frozen pickles kept things chill without diluting the flavor like ice. Five out of five stars, would recommend. (Snacking on room temp, wine-soaked gherkins I forgot at the bottom of the glass? Maybe not.)  
I fully reject <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWrI7TakYjr/">pickle-flavored Oreos</a> and <a href="https://www.oakpark.com/2019/12/13/behold-the-peppermint-stick-in-a-dill-pickle/">peppermint stick pickles</a> with the ferocity of a toddler who refuses to eat her favorite foods when they touch. But for further proof of a heartily embraced variation on the theme, look no further than the pickle festivals and state fair offerings that remain unapologetic about brazenly expanding your dill-pickled horizons.
As some of us prepare to pay our respects to <a href="https://www.arlingtontx.gov/News-Articles/2026/June/Snooki-to-Become-Americas-Pickle-Queen-at-The-Big-Dill-in-Arlington">Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi</a>, the official pickle queen of the World’s Largest Pickle Party in Texas, the Minnesota State Fair hopes to tempt visitors with <a href="https://www.kaaltv.com/news/ranch-dressing-beer-dill-pickle-seltzer-minnesota-state-fair-unveils-dozens-of-featured-drinks-for-2026/">dill pickle seltzer</a>. Kentucky’s Dainty Fest already hosted a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBD_xdDg_K/?hl=en&amp;img_index=6">pickle juice-chugging contest</a> that was less about balancing electrolytes and more about crushing the competition.
Traveling festivals such as <a href="https://www.picklepaloozafoodanddrinkfest.com/">Pickle Palooza</a> offer mechanical pickle rides along with food creations like “Dilled Cheese,” “Dilly Cheesesteak,” and pickle candy. Pittsburg, Pennsylvania’s <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/07/15/picklesburgh-2026-guide">Picklesburgh</a> leveled things up with pickleball and pickle-bobbing contests for anyone who thinks too many pickles is never enough.
Maybe we’re tipping into oversaturation in this current pickleconomy, but until then, brine on.
***
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

GettyImages-2022372760

America’s Weirdest Food Obsession Comes With A Surprise Benefit

Food

Upstream

New York City democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled perhaps one of his loftiest promises yet on Monday, vowing that his grocery stores will be 30% cheaper than competitors and will sell apple slices that stop toddler tantrums. 
“The savings will last for the entire month. That means no weekly fluctuations or sticker shock at the checkout line — not for our seniors living on fixed incomes, nor for the parents who rely on a regular supply of apple slices to keep toddler tantrums at bay,” he said. 
Mamdani <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/07/mayor-mamdani-unveils-30--discount---including-all-produce--all-">said</a> the stores will have a “core set of goods which will include all fresh produce, meat, and seafood, along with 20 other essential items like cheese, milk, and bread.” The stores will set prices at the beginning of each month and will not change until the next month. The markets will not sell hot food to avoid competing with local bodegas. 
“Mamdani’s policies — from state run groceries to government-provided babysitting for parents’ night out — perfectly demonstrate how much Leftists want the government to co-parent your kids. Ironically, Mamdani’s obsession with the City parenting your children stems from his own childlessness — and we parents will stick to our own apple slices, thanks,&#8221; Daily Wire host Isabel Brown said.
The first of the five grocery stores, one in each borough of New York City, will open by the end of 2027 in Hunts Point in the Bronx at the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Facility. Mamdani has committed that the other four will be open by the end of his term as mayor. Mamdani predicts that New Yorkers will save $90 a month, which could translate to $1,000 per year. Another store will open in 2029 at La Marqueta in East Harlem, where former New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia placed a public retail market 90 years ago. 
The city will own or lease the land at each of the grocery stores and will pay for needed construction or renovations, but a third-party operator will be in charge of running the store. Mamdani’s administration is requesting proposals from third-party operations to run the grocery stores that the mayor says have “no plans to turn a profit.” 
Mamdani has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zohran-mamdani-quotes-ronald-reagan-as-he-rolls-out-socialist-campaign-promise?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zohran+Mamdani+Quotes+Ronald+Reagan+As+He+Rolls+Out+Socialist+Campaign+Promise">argued</a> that the city-owned grocery stores are meant to serve as a proof of concept for a larger government role in providing essential services. While announcing the second location, he pushed back on President Ronald Reagan&#8217;s famous line that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, &#8220;I&#8217;m from the government and I&#8217;m here to help.&#8221; Instead, Mamdani said the more frightening words are: &#8220;I worked all day and can&#8217;t feed my family.&#8221;
Critics cite failures of government-run grocery stores in places like Venezuela, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/10/29/452636462/the-nightmare-of-grocery-shopping-in-venezuela">where</a> stores suffered chronic shortages, empty shelves, spoiled food, and logistical breakdowns.

NYC Mayor Mamdani Holds News Conference On Municipal Grocery Store Announcement

Socialism’s Latest Fantasy: Apple Slices Stop Toddler Tantrums

Economy

grocery prices

New York City

Socialism

Zohran Mamdani

The U.S. food system has devolved into a massive, unintentional science experiment, and we&#8217;ve unknowingly become the lab rats. This isn&#8217;t something new, either. It&#8217;s been going on for well over a century. We have access to the most advanced medical technology, the most life-saving medicines, and more knowledge about germs and infection than at any other point in human history. So why is our health as a nation declining so rapidly?
Here&#8217;s a number that should stop you cold. In the 1930s, roughly 1 in 5 Americans had a chronic illness, and that count included things we don&#8217;t even tally anymore, like visual impairment. Today, without counting visual impairment at all, it&#8217;s closer to 3 in 5. That&#8217;s a jump of roughly 40 percentage points, and most of those chronic illnesses can be connected directly to food and lifestyle. That is not a coincidence, and it is not something that “just happened” to us.
I wanted to understand exactly how we got here, so I sat down with Steven Rofrano, CEO and co-founder of Ancient Crunch, the company behind Masa chips, tortilla chips made with whole-food ingredients and fried in grass-fed beef tallow. Steven is on the leading edge of making snack food real food again, and he doesn&#8217;t need a research budget to make his case.
“Go pick up some history book and just look at photos of people,” he told me. “You don&#8217;t need a doctor to tell you that someone with like 32 perfectly straight white teeth who never had braces and is like six foot two, who lives in the jungle of wherever … you don&#8217;t need a doctor to tell you that person&#8217;s healthier than the average person today. It&#8217;s just so obvious if you look.”
It really is obvious once you look back. Not that long ago, in the early 1900s, Americans were shopping at local mom-and-pop grocers within walking distance of home, stocked with local goods because refrigerated transportation didn&#8217;t exist to move food any real distance. There were butchers, milkmen, cheese shops. Actual specialists, not aisles. The “classic American diet” of that era, as Steven put it, consisted of staple carbohydrates like potatoes, corn, and wheat; fats like butter and pork; beef once it caught on in the mid-1800s; and whatever vegetables happened to be in season. That was it. Those were your options. “The additives that we are trying to avoid now … it just didn&#8217;t exist,” he said. “Citric acid? What citric acid? Red 40? What Red 40? There wasn&#8217;t any of this stuff.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4FKCGFHqZQ0?si=VqtU86cDWOFZ91Up" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Then the grocery stores got bigger, and bigger stores needed longer shelf life. That&#8217;s the moment preservatives, chemicals, and seed oils entered the American diet, and it wasn&#8217;t some accident of nature. It was three forces working at once: the Green Revolution of the 1960s, which used pesticides, GMOs, and fertilizers to massively increase agricultural output; a wave of new food additives designed to extend shelf life and cut costs; and a food system that rewarded whoever could sell the cheapest calories, regardless of what those calories did to the people eating them. Cheap food was, and still is, treated as a kind of God-given right in this country. The market gave us exactly what we asked for.
Nowhere is that clearer than in the story of seed oil, which now makes up roughly 30% of all American calories. It is by far the single biggest processed ingredient anyone eats, by volume, nationwide. And the origin story is almost too strange to believe. In the 1870s, a German immigrant invented a method for pressing oil out of cottonseed, which until then was just a waste byproduct of the cotton industry. Procter &amp; Gamble, the soap company, bought the process because they were looking for a cheaper alternative to the fats used in soapmaking. But the oil itself was, in Steven&#8217;s words, “kind of gross … foamy and smelled weird,” so it got shelved. Eventually someone figured out how to process it into a solid fat that resembled lard or butter at room temperature, and somebody at Procter &amp; Gamble had the idea to just sell it as a cooking fat instead of soap. That product became Crisco, marketed in the early 20th century as clean, modern, and “enlightened” at a moment when people actually associated processed and chemical with progress rather than danger. Liquid seed oils got a second life during World War II as machinery lubricant. When the war ended, the oil-seed producers were sitting on a mountain of surplus supply, and that&#8217;s when they started selling it as food.
What&#8217;s almost more disturbing than the ingredient itself is how it stayed unquestioned for so long. Steven pointed out that billions of dollars of industry-funded research over the past several decades have gone into cementing the idea that seed oils are good for you. Studies get funded on whatever someone has a financial interest in proving. Nobody is spending serious money studying whether kombucha is good for you, he noted, not because kombucha is bad, but because nobody profits from that research. The same imbalance applies here, at a much larger scale, and it should make you a little more skeptical of the “settled science” you see stamped on a cereal box.
Naturally, I asked Steven whether it&#8217;s actually possible to feed this many people without relying on cheap, unhealthy ingredients. His answer surprised me: current farming isn&#8217;t even optimized for total calories per acre, let alone nutritious calories per acre. It&#8217;s optimized for profit per farm, which is a completely different calculation. Regenerative farming, which rotates cattle and pasture and lets animals shape the land and cycle nutrients back into it instead of leaning on pesticides, can produce more healthy calories per acre than conventional monoculture. “It is relatively easy to conceive of a structure of managing farmland that could produce even more food than we&#8217;re currently producing. It would be healthier,” Steven said. “It just might not be as cheap or maybe not as profitable.”
So what do you actually do with all of this? Steven&#8217;s advice is refreshingly simple. Avoid seed oils and high-fructose corn syrup. “If you just avoid those two things, like 90% of the things that are bad for you will automatically, by default, get kicked out,” he said. His broader rule of thumb: if you can&#8217;t imagine an ingredient sitting in your great-grandmother&#8217;s cupboard, don&#8217;t eat it. You don&#8217;t need to know what maltodextrin or carrageenan actually is. You just need to know your great-grandmother didn&#8217;t either.
And on the cost question, because there&#8217;s always a cost question, Steven reframed it in a way I haven&#8217;t stopped thinking about. Most Americans now spend only about 10% of their money on food, a fraction of what our ancestors did. So increasing your food budget by 50% might raise your total household spending by only about 5%. At a certain point, you have to ask yourself what you actually want, and what you&#8217;re willing to trade for it. The answer to our modern health problems will not be found in convenience. It takes some sacrifice, and sometimes some money; what we have collectively been willing to sacrifice at the altar of convenience and cost is, intentionally or not, our own health, our futures, and our most valuable resource: our limited time here.
The good news is that the shift is already underway, and not just in my own kitchen. With huge credit to the moms of the movement, major grocery chains like Target are banning certain food dyes. Fast-food chains are advertising that they cook with tallow. Hershey&#8217;s has pledged to go back to using real chocolate. This isn&#8217;t a fringe, overprotective-parents movement anymore. It&#8217;s becoming mainstream, and if brands want to keep their customers, they&#8217;re going to have to get with the times.
I feel this shift in my own life, too. Eating foods that were completely normal for me just a few years ago genuinely tastes bad to me now. Same with my husband. It felt like a long process of rewiring our brains, but once you actually know and care what you&#8217;re eating, you stop being a passive consumer of whatever&#8217;s on the shelf or in the commercial in front of you. I look at supermarket shelves in a completely different light now, and it forces me to get creative with the whole foods that are actually available. It&#8217;s less convenient, yes, but it&#8217;s entirely possible. It may feel like an antiquated idea in 2026, but we can even grow some of our own food for close to free, on a balcony or in a backyard.
This is our health we&#8217;re talking about. How can we call ourselves a strong nation if we&#8217;re this sick? It&#8217;s not normal, and we need to stop pretending it is. We need to look for small ways to cut the excuses and take back control of our health in the most natural ways possible. Start by getting out of the rat race. Stop feeling like a drugged-up lab rat, and instead lean back into the traditions of our ancestors, for the sake of our health, our longevity, and our overall well-being. It&#8217;s worth it.

Getty Images

America’s Food System Turned Us Into Lab Rats. Here’s How It Happened.

Health

MAHA

Reagan Conrad

Seed Oils

Rejoice, all coffee fanatics. The experts have concluded that drinking up to five cups of coffee is not only healthy, but may decrease your risk of various heart problems.
On Monday, the American Heart Association published a paper <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001454">detailing</a> findings from a panel of experts on decades of research related to caffeine, especially caffeine found in America’s <a href="https://foodinstitute.com/focus/coffee-americas-most-popular-beverage/">favorite drink</a>. 
The group concluded that the safe level of maximum caffeine consumption rests around 400 milligrams daily — that’s up to five eight-ounce cups of regular coffee.
“Data are fairly consistent that moderate caffeine consumption, again studied primarily in the setting of coffee consumption, was associated with a lower risk of stroke,” the paper said, adding that caffeine consumption in coffee was associated with a lower risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The paper also said that “Randomized controlled trial data among regular caffeinated coffee drinkers showed that caffeinated coffee decreases the risk of atrial fibrillation occurrence but increases the frequency of premature ventricular contractions.” 
<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atrial-fibrillation/symptoms-causes/syc-20350624">Atrial fibrillation</a> is an irregular beating of the heart that can lead to blood clots, stroke, and heart failure. Premature ventricular contractions are irregular contractions in the lower part of your heart that give the feeling of your heart skipping beats. However, the premature ventricular contractions are mostly harmless.
In other words, coffee could potentially make your heart beat a little differently, but it could also prevent bigger beating irregularities down the road.
The experts did find some caveats with caffeine consumption. They determined that <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3346273/">CYP1A2</a>, the gene that creates the enzyme in your liver associated with metabolizing caffeine, is inherited, so caffeine tolerance and toxicity vary from person to person.
The experts found that “unfiltered coffee raises low-density lipoprotein cholesterol” — that’s the “<a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24391-ldl-cholesterol">bad cholesterol</a>” that can create plaque buildup in the arteries and cause heart failure or stroke. Caffeine could also cause an increase in blood pressure, which can pose a risk for individuals suffering from hypertension.
Although caffeine in the context of coffee has been seen to be beneficial, the paper stated that “Data on high doses of caffeine such as that found in energy drinks are limited and generally suggest cardiovascular harm.”
According to the CDC, heart disease was the number-one cause of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm">death</a> in the United States, taking the lives of 683,491 Americans in 2024. It might be that some of those people needed more coffee.

Screenshot 2026-07-21 at 4.19.26 PM

The Caffeine Debate Is Back. Is It Good For Us?

Coffee

nutrition

Olive Garden is betting America still has an appetite for unlimited carbs, bringing back its iconic Never-Ending Pasta Pass for the first time since 2019.
The popular promo always causes a sensation, and for good reason. Passholders get to gorge on 13 weeks of unlimited pasta, homemade sauces, and protein toppings along with unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks as part of the Never-Ending Pasta Bowl promotion. 
Beginning July 16 at 2 p.m. ET, Olive Garden addicts can visit <a href="https://pastapass.com/">PastaPass.com</a> and pay $100 to reap all the carb-tastic benefits. There are only 10,000 passes available.
The Never-Ending Pasta Pass debuted in 2014 and was an instant hit with restaurant goers, per <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/olive-garden-announces-the-return-of-its-iconic-never-ending-pasta-pass-302823110.html">PR Newswire</a>. A company rep said people have been asking for it ever since it was last available seven years ago.
&#8220;Guests still ask us about Never-Ending Pasta Pass, which speaks to the lasting enthusiasm and connection our fans have for it,&#8221; Jaime Bunker, Olive Garden&#8217;s senior vice president of marketing, said of the promo. &#8220;Bringing it back felt like the right way to recognize the loyalty of so many guests who have kept it top of mind all these years, while celebrating what they love most about Olive Garden – abundance and incredible value – all wrapped into one experience.&#8221;
Those who grab the $100 pass can load up on Olive Garden’s bounty beginning August 31 through November 22. The passes are non-transferable and require photo identification for use. The company noted that it can only be used for dine-in orders, and not for takeout or online purchases.
While many chain restaurants have been struggling due to rising food costs and people generally spending less on dining out, Olive Garden has remained a top performer in the space. However, it has been slipping and was dethroned by Texas Roadhouse last year as America’s number one dining spot. 
This was based on systemwide sales data from Technomic for the Top 500 largest restaurant chains in the U.S., as <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/steakhouse-unseated-olive-garden-america-144754310.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported by Yahoo</a> in 2025. 
Olive Garden had been in the top position since 2018. The nationwide chain recorded $5.2 billion in U.S. systemwide sales for 2024 and opened 15 new restaurants. It currently operates more than 900 locations in 49 states.

Olive Garden

Olive Garden Revives Wildly Popular Deal After Seven-Year Hiatus

Restaurant

United States

The internet has video after video of fruit and veggie hauls being dunked in baths of specialty produce wash. What was once a simple rinse under tap water has become a complicated routine fraught with questions about food safety, organic vs. non-organic, and contamination. And after year after year of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/fda-deadly-lettuce-recall-2061394">produce recall headlines</a>, it’s no wonder we’re obsessing over clean produce. 
Between pesticides, dirt, and bacteria, there’s a lot that can catch a ride on your produce, but that doesn’t mean the Instagram-chic method is the best one. If you’ve seen the aesthetic videos of rows of berries and peppers washed, diced, and tucked into the fridge, you’re not alone in wondering whether that’s truly the best way to prep produce. 
For starters, washing and cutting produce before storing can introduce moisture that grows mold as the produce sits in the fridge. That’s why this method requires eating washed produce soon or ensuring it’s dry and stored with a paper towel to absorb excess water. 
But even the process of washing the produce itself is muddled by mixed messaging and arguments over what method is most effective. For sturdier produce such as potatoes, carrots, or beets, a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Vegetable-Brush-color/dp/B00004OCL2/ref=sr_1_5?sr=8-5">produce scrubber</a> and tap water will clear away most of the dirt. When it comes to clearing away pesticides and bacteria, though, especially on more delicate produce like berries and lettuce, the answer is less clear. 
Leafy greens and herbs <a href="https://static.ewg.org/upload/pdf/EWG_FruitVegWashing_Tipsheet.pdf">can hide dirt and grime</a> in pockets and folds, so peeling or cutting open lettuce will help expose any areas that need extra cleaning. However, many lettuce mixes are labeled as “pre-washed” or “triple washed” and <a href="https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/FST/fst-478/fst-478.html">do not need to be rinsed again</a>. 
That aside, just about any produce can survive a gentle rinse. I’ve personally had luck washing delicate mushrooms — rather than just brushing them clean — and leaving them to dry longer or cooking out the extra water. Even produce with an inedible peel, such as avocado or melon, can transfer bacteria from the exterior to the interior on a knife’s blade, leading many food safety recommendations to advise washing all produce. 
Across the country, produce washes are hitting grocery store shelves, but these rinses are not necessarily safe to eat and <a href="https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/Guide%20to%20Washing%20Fresh%20Produce508.pdf">may get absorbed</a> into produce during use. Instead, rinsing produce in white vinegar is a safe way to kill bacteria; just follow up with a quick water rinse to get rid of the vinegar flavor and residue. 
Pesticides can be more stubborn to remove, but some studies <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-washing-with-water-enough-to-get-pfas-pesticides-off-fruits-vegetables/">suggest</a> that a 10-minute baking soda soak (1 teaspoon per cup of water) can help remove the pesticides on the surface of produce. There is also some evidence that rinsing produce in vinegar can help remove pesticides. However, neither of these methods is foolproof. 
<div id="attachment_1132305" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1132305" class="size-medium wp-image-1132305" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1497134529-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1497134529-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1497134529-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1497134529-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-1497134529.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Getty Images</div>
The unfortunate truth is that it’s impossible to remove all dirt, bacteria, and pesticides from fruit and vegetables. 
Instead, the most effective method is buying food that starts with less contamination. This means shopping from a local, trustworthy farm or looking for in-season foods. It also means sticking to foods sprayed with fewer pesticides or buying organic. Each year, the Environmental Working Group publishes the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php">Clean Fifteen</a> and <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php">Dirty Dozen</a> as buyer guides. The Clean Fifteen includes foods low in pesticide residue, and the Dirty Dozen lists the foods most contaminated with pesticides, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. When it comes to making grocery store decisions, the Dirty Dozen are best to buy organic and skip the pesticides altogether, and while the Clean Fifteen are still best to buy organic, they likely carry fewer pesticides if you’re looking to save a few bucks and buy non-organic. 
This year, pineapple, sweet corn, avocado, papaya, onion, frozen peas, asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, watermelon, mangoes, bananas, carrots, mushrooms, and kiwi top the Clean Fifteen. Meanwhile, spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, strawberries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, cherries, apples, blackberries, pears, potatoes, and blueberries landed on the Dirty Dozen. 
These lists vary year-to-year. The produce that tends to carry the most pesticides is often not protected by a thick peel: The leafy greens and berries on the Dirty Dozen will carry pesticide residue straight from their thin peels into our stomachs. 
In the end, though, the nutrients derived from fresh produce <a href="https://static.ewg.org/upload/pdf/EWG_FruitVegWashing_Tipsheet.pdf">outweigh</a> the risk from potential contamination that sticks on after a good scrub, wash, or soak. Aside from avoiding food on recall lists, staying away from obvious signs of mold or rot, and buying organic, there’s no way to know what produce is safe and what is contaminated. Instead, focusing on what is fresh, in-season, and nutrient-dense goes much further in the health department than any fancy produce wash. When it’s impossible to eliminate all risk, the best we can do is buy organic, rise away the dirt, and enjoy what is otherwise a healthy meal.
***
Jordan Jantz is the assistant editor at IW Features as well as a freelance writer, editor, and website designer.
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

Female hands washing spinach vegetables at the kitchen sink.

That Viral Produce-Washing Hack May Be Doing More Harm Than Good

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
The Make America Healthy Again movement has Americans taking second looks at everything from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-actually-hiding-in-your-healthy-grocery-store-food">ingredient lists</a> to pharmaceuticals, but the fastest way to get healthy is much closer to home: our own recipes. And it turns out that upgrading tonight’s dinner plan is much easier than finding the latest superfood or <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-ozempic-side-effect-thats-changing-americas-morning-coffee">protein concoction</a>. 
Here are the everyday ingredient swaps to make your regular rotation of favorites meet the MAHA mark.
Seed oil. By now, everyone has heard about the evils of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/seed-oils-the-hidden-toxins-in-vegetable-oil-making-us-sick-and-fat">seed oils</a> such as canola, soy, and “vegetable” oil: They’re potential <a href="https://www.eviemagazine.com/post/processed-oils-are-everywhere-destroying-causing-cancer-dementia">carcinogens</a>, hyper-processed, and as far from a real vegetable as possible. Fortunately, they’re easy to replace with another oil or fat. Shortening can be replaced with lard, butter, and — with a little troubleshooting — coconut oil, while liquid fats are easily replaced with olive oil or avocado oil. For the hardcore MAHA bakers, peanut butter, almond butter, or even applesauce are also easy one-to-one swaps for seed oil in baked goods, and though they will create a denser and less crispy finished good, your muffins, cookies, and pancakes will turn out extremely moist.
Deep frying. Speaking of seed oils, if you’re looking to ditch the extra oil calories altogether, then high-temperature roasting and air-frying are even better alternatives. For starters, there are no oil splatters and mess to clean up. Instead, it’s as simple as lightly spraying your French fries, chicken nuggets, or “fried” food of choice with a little avocado oil and roasting at 425 until cooked and crispy, flipping partway through. To cut out the oil completely, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or <a href="https://www.southernliving.com/parchment-paper-in-air-fryer-11942893">carefully line</a> your air fryer’s basket, being sure the paper’s edges do not reach up to the heating element. While roasting won’t have quite the same grease factor as conventionally fried, just think of how many more fries you can eat with the calories you’re saving — guilt free. 
White rice. With the advent of cauliflower rice, white rice has become a bit of a “bad” food, and while I’m not here to kick the grain when it’s down, it is an easy ingredient to replace with higher-fiber and higher-nutrient options. Brown rice is the obvious swap, and while it works perfectly in soups, rice bowls, and burritos, it’s not the only choice. There’s a whole world of other whole grains to explore: quinoa, barley, farro, and — technically not a grain, but still tasty — wild rice. If grains aren’t your carb of choice, then cubed and roasted potatoes are also an easy swap, with white and sweet varieties adding their own unique nutrients and flavors to stir fry, salads, bowls, and more. 
White flour. Like white rice, white flour is the more processed and lower-fiber version of its heftier sibling, whole grain flour. Whole wheat flour might ruin cupcakes or a fluffy white bread recipe, but in muffins, bagels, and sturdier breads, whole grain flours are a one-to-one swap for the classic “enriched wheat flour” many of us normally use. 
Sugar. While we’re trying to cut down on processed and high-sugar ingredients, white sugar is an obvious culprit in recipes from sauces to scones. For a move in the MAHA direction, swap out white sugar for a less processed cane sugar one-to-one in any recipe. Along the way, it’s also worth slowly reducing the amount of sugar in recipes since many taste just as good with a little less sweetener. For the committed MAHA cooks, honey and maple syrup are also natural alternatives to white sugar and may even have some <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-benefits-of-honey-how-to-incorporate-it-into-your-diet">health</a> <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10469071/">benefits</a>. 
Condiments. Even from-scratch recipes can call for ketchup, mayo, soy sauce, and other condiments. Whether it’s for a dressing, marinade, or side sauce, an otherwise healthy meal can be ruined by the corn syrup, seed oils, or MSG in our favorite condiments. Instead, reach for higher-quality options. Look for ketchup sweetened with sugar rather than corn syrup, avocado-oil mayo, and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, or look for certified organic or non-GMO options. 
More veggies. While not a recipe swap, bulking out the vegetable portions is one of the easiest ways to up the MAHA profile of your favorite recipes. There are plenty of tips online to “hide” veggies in everything from mac and cheese to brownies, but unless a picky eater is your challenge, it’s much easier just to embrace the veg. If stir fry is on the menu, pile in the cabbage and carrots. If burgers are for dinner, stack up the lettuce and onions. Or if soup is in season, double the carrots, celery, onions, or peppers. Most recipes are just as tasty with an extra cup or two of veg, so long as you also add a little extra broth, seasoning, or sauce as needed. As a bonus, this healthy hack will also stretch the more expensive ingredients, like meat, in a dish.
Among the sea of health tips and advice, there is always the latest and greatest trend. We’ve gone from low-fat to low-carb and corn-syrup crazy to anti-mystery corn ingredients. But the best diet advice is surprisingly simple: Eat real food. And as straightforward as it sounds, it truly is the healthiest way to make over your favorite recipes — with real, nourishing ingredients. 
***
Jordan Jantz is the assistant editor at IW Features as well as a freelance writer, editor, and website designer.

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Want To Eat Like MAHA? Start By Ditching These Pantry Staples

A recent study suggests that ultra-processed foods could be responsible for declines in attention and cognitive function.
The <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260608040017.htm">study</a>, which was published in Alzheimer&#8217;s &amp; Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment &amp; Disease Monitoring last week, analyzed over 2,100 individuals and found that ultra-processed food consumption was linked to worse attention and mental processing. Ultra-processed foods <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10260459/">add</a> artificial ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, whey protein, flavor enhancers, and chemical-based preservatives. 
The study showed that even modest increases in ultra-processed foods, as much as the equivalent of one bag of chips daily, had negative cognitive effects. 
&#8220;For every 10 percent increase in ultra-processed food a person consumed, we saw a distinct and measurable drop in a person&#8217;s ability to focus,&#8221; the study states. &#8220;In clinical terms, this translated to consistently lower scores on standardized cognitive tests measuring visual attention and processing speed.&#8221;
The study was led by Dr. Barbara Cardoso from Monash University, one of the top 40 research universities worldwide, in partnership with researchers at the University of São Paulo and Deakin University.
Other studies from <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/cutting-back-on-ultra-processed-foods-linked-with-lower-dementia-risk">Harvard University</a>, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39863327/">Framingham Heart Study</a>, and one from <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9857155/">Brazil</a> have shown that ultra-processed foods increase dementia and Alzheimer’s risk and overall cognitive decline. However, these studies analyzed people from general population cohorts, which include people with unhealthy diets. The new study from Monash University shows that even those with a healthy Mediterranean diet also suffer from the cognitive side effects of consuming ultra-processed foods.
&#8220;Food ultra-processing often destroys the natural structure of food and introduces potentially harmful substances like artificial additives or processing chemicals,&#8221; Dr. Cardoso said.
&#8220;These additives suggest the link between diet and cognitive function extends beyond just missing out on foods known as healthy, pointing to mechanisms linked to the degree of food processing itself,&#8221; she added.  

Ultra-processed foods make up large proportions of the diets of developed countries, consisting of the majority of the total dietary energy for the average person in America, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Most foods go through some sort of system of processing, whether that be for drying, crushing, freezing, bottling, refining, or pressing, and these processes are mostly benign as they do not add any extra sugars, oils, or fats, according to a study published in Public Health Nutrition, a Cambridge University Press journal. 
Ultra-processed foods, however, &#8220;are typically high-energy-dense products, high in sugar, unhealthy fats and salt, and low in dietary fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals,” the study adds. Ultra-processed foods often include fast food, soft drinks, salty snacks, frozen meals, and plant-based milks found in vegan products.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made the fight against ultra-processed foods a central part of his MAHA movement. In a &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHO-TrjKJtI">60 Minutes</a>&#8220; interview earlier this year, he called ultra-processed foods “poison” and stated they were the cause of America’s obesity. Kennedy has also instructed the HHS and the FDA to phase out artificial dyes, a major component in ultra-processed foods.

Bowl of Potato Chips on Brown Background

Some Of America’s Favorite Foods Could Be Accelerating Its Cognitive Decline

Fast food chain Chick-fil-A has launched its first non-chicken kids meal featuring one of customers’ favorite sides: macaroni and cheese.
The mac and cheese kids meal features a medium cup of macaroni and cheese, made with Chick-fil-A’s blend of Parmesan, Cheddar, and Romano cheeses.
The meal also includes a side, a drink, and a toy. The fast food chain — famous for chicken — first introduced macaroni and cheese as a been a side item for regular meals in 2019.
The new kids meal reflects customers’ requests for more flexible menu options for children who do not like chicken. A February Reddit thread was <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ChickFilA/comments/1rfm5up/its_been_years_why_havent_they_added_a_mac_cheese/">filled</a> with users excited about the idea of a macaroni and cheese kids meal.
“This really seems like a no brainer [sic] to me,” one user said. “I didn’t eat meat as a kid and would have loved to have this option.”
The kids meal is now available at participating locations for $6.75.
“My kids absolutely love their Mac and Cheese and one of [them] won’t touch the nuggets,” another Reddit user said. “I’d love to see them add a Mac and Cheese kids meal.”
This is the first time Chick-fil-A has offered a non-chicken entree in a kids meal. Its other options include regular or grilled chicken nuggets and chicken strips.
Customers can choose from sides including applesauce, a fruit cup, and waffle fries. Drink options include apple juice, chocolate milk, regular milk, and orange juice.
The new meal is being debuted alongside several new kids meal toys as well, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/fox-news-food-drink/chick-fil-a-launches-its-first-non-chicken-kids-meal-entree-mac-cheese-available-nationwide">according</a> to Fox Business. The toys include a Cow Case with foldable games, a Cow Kart cardboard racer, a keychain, and Hasbro Cow Games.
The kids meal was introduced as Chick-fil-A announced the return of seasonal summer menu items such as the pineapple dragonfruit lemonade, the honey pepper pimiento sandwich, and the peach milkshake.

Chick-fil-A Draws Conservative Criticism For Its Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Policy

The Latest Chick-fil-A Menu Move Has Nothing To Do With Chicken

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The meal delivery service HelloFresh made headlines last week for a vulgar ad it shared on social media in honor of Pride Month. Not to be outdone, its competitor company Blue Apron followed with an equally suggestive Instagram post.
“Official Statement: We know that for some, eating is a top priority this month. We respect that. And while eating out can be exciting, there’s something to be said for diving head first into a satisfying box at home. Happy Pride to everyone who appreciates a good box,” the company <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZYLUusgQ1V/">wrote</a>. The caption added, “Happy Pride. Comment BOX and we’ll DM you how you can eat ours.”
This was, of course, a thinly veiled reference to oral sex. It was likely an appeal to lesbians and a response to the HelloFresh post, which alluded to anal sex for gay men. 
Commenters on the Blue Apron post were either delighted or disgusted, with no in-between.
“Just cancelled my subscription,” one of the top comments says. 
“Why does everything have to do with sex,” a second commenter asked. 
“This is…. f***ing weird,” a third reaction said.
The Daily Wire reached out to Blue Apron, seeking comment.
The controversial social post came just days after meal kit delivery company HelloFresh shared an equally sexually charged social media post.
“We know that eating isn’t always a top priority this month,” the company wrote. “We respect that. But for those of you who are … prepping … we have an extensive lineup of high-fiber recipes available. Happy Pride.”
The post is a reference to anal sex and preparation for sexual activity. The company further amplified the “joke” by using a suggestive promotional code from a commenter. “Use code BOTTOMSUP for a Pride Month discount,” the company wrote, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hellofresh-crosses-line-with-repulsive-pride-month-ad-its-sickening">reported</a>.
Major food companies have used sexual themes during Pride Month marketing in the past. In 2022, the Uber-owned food delivery service Postmates launched a “bottom-friendly” Pride campaign developed with an anal surgeon that promoted specific foods for those preparing to engage in anal sex. 
Despite the backlash, these companies continue to cater to a very small percentage of their customers and virtue signal their fealty to Pride, even as other <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-replaces-pride-collection-with-all-american-nuclear-family">major retailers like Target</a> move away from rainbow-drenched displays in June.

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HelloFresh Rival Saw Grotesque Pride Ad And Said, ‘Hold My Beer’

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This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
When I was growing up, family dinner was the expectation. We didn’t sit down for breakfast together during the week (I’m pretty sure with having three children, my parents only ate coffee for breakfast), but we all knew we would gather around the table together in the evening. Whether we were eating at our house or at my grandparents’ house, most of the time it was going to be at the dinner table. My grandparents still have the dinner table I was accustomed to eating at. It’s a staple in their home. 
Wherever we were, we would all talk, laugh, and joke. It was rare that dinner was a serious affair. We had stories to share. The kids weren’t there to be seen and not heard; we were part of the whole shebang. I felt included and comfortable. Family dinners are a bright spot in my memory when I think about childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood. I’m happy to say that as a mom, I’ve continued with this tradition. 
Roughly half of the population regularly eat dinner as a family. According to <a href="https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/26302-family-dinner-poll-survey">research</a> from 2019, 29% of American families sit down and eat dinner together every day — almost a third of families! Another 23% reported eating dinner together four to six times a week. Sixty-two percent of parents with kids under 18 indicated they would like to have family dinners more often.
We want to be connected with our family. But why? What is so important about family meals? 
Let’s start with the stories. Researcher Robyn Fivush says it beautifully: <a href="https://narrative4.com/2021/11/23/building-resilience-through-storytelling/">Stories sustain us</a>. She has conducted research examining how the act of storytelling affects families. She has found children who have strong intergenerational sharing of stories happening in their family show higher levels of self-esteem, social competence, autonomy, sense of meaning, and fewer behavioral problems, which include depression, aggression, and anger. She identifies the act of storytelling as the catalyst; it is more than knowing the facts of what has happened to generations of your family. It is the bond of sharing the story that leads to these positive outcomes. It’s sharing the experiences. She goes on to explain that families who shared stories in a <a href="https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html">coherent and emotionally open</a> way with their adolescents found that those kids coped better with life events.
Family meals also act as a protective net around our children. A <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4325878/">meta-analysis</a> (really big review of a lot of research studies) found that family meals are especially beneficial for children and adolescents. The data showed sitting down to eat with family led to increased levels of self-esteem and performance in school. The meals together were also linked to fewer mental health issues (disordered eating, symptoms of depression, substance abuse, and violent behavior). 
When kids eat dinner as a family, they are more likely to develop <a href="https://experts.umn.edu/en/publications/family-meals-during-adolescence-are-associated-with-higher-diet-q/">healthy eating habits</a>: ingesting more fruits and vegetables, engaging in social eating, finding it important to sit down and eat rather than eating on the run, and eating <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10728109/">less fried food and drinking less</a> soda. Please don’t feed your kids a kiddie alternative. When kids eat what their parents eat, they are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1467-9566.12007?getft_integrator=sciencedirect_contenthosting&amp;src=getftr&amp;utm_source=sciencedirect_contenthosting">more likely</a> to have healthy diets overall. 
Want even more reasons to eat as a family? Doing so apparently increases <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cd.155">literacy</a>! By talking to our children at the dinner table, we expose them to more words that are considered “rare.” When we include children in the conversation, sometimes we have to explain things, and that’s how they learn. Family dinner is also a time for longer conversations. These involve more back-and-forth between family members and are excellent for learning. 
Family dinner is not only beneficial for children; there are benefits for adults too. Family meals lead to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666312001080?via%3Dihub">increased</a> intake of healthy foods, decreased consumption of fast food, and decreased negative eating behaviors. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743518301567?via%3Dihub">Data</a> show eating with your family is related to better mental health in parents. Having a lot of conversation or storytelling during dinner means we have to eat more <a href="https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/blog/benefits-family-dinner-adults/">slowly,</a> and this gives our brain a chance to register how full we feel, meaning its easier not to overeat. 
Now for the harsh part: The <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mcn.12428">data</a> show that eating in front of the TV removes that protective net from eating together. The healthy food goes out the window. The emotional atmosphere of dinner takes a hit too. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5138085/">Researchers</a> observed people’s family meals and found that when eating in front of the TV, people&#8217;s level of enjoyment was significantly decreased. If your family doesn’t have a dinner table and only eats together on the couch, that’s fine; simply leave the TV off while you eat so your family is able to engage with each other. 
Family dinners are great, but the atmosphere around the meal matters. If everyone is stressed and yelling at each other, that’s not going to lead to positive outcomes. It’s up to the adults at the table to cultivate a warm and engaging environment so the family can feel connected to each other.
From my experience as a mother and a therapist, I can report that eating together leads to a feeling of connection, especially when storytelling is tied in. Ideally, our family is the place where we feel comfortable and secure. Dinner time becomes a time for sharing emotional experiences and receiving empathy, problem-solving, or feedback from the people who love you. I personally am hoping it is a time for creating positive memories. Our brains learn from our experiences, so if we continually experience a positive environment with our family, then we are able to link those positive emotions with the family unit. 
My own basic rules are: put away phones and tablets, turn off the TV, sit down together, try the food on your plate, and participate in conversation. And everyone helps with clean-up. 
Set a goal for eating together three to four times a week because <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2816155?guestAccessKey=37e5a876-ccd7-4733-86b8-7b2915cac990&amp;utm_source=silverchair&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=article_alert-jamapediatrics&amp;utm_term=mostread&amp;utm_content=olf-widget_03292024&amp;adv=003546731412#249573015">research</a> shows positive outcomes from this baseline. Happy dinners, y’all!
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Gabrielle Frook is a licensed clinical professional counselor who has worked with children, adolescents, and adults, delivering evidence-based treatment for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. She writes her own <a href="https://theclinicianstea.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Substack</a> and has been published in <a href="https://medium.com/@gemfrook" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medium</a> publications.
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The Most Powerful Parenting Tool Doesn’t Cost A Penny

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Move over, refined sugar: there’s a popular new sweet treat in town, and it’s way healthier.
MAHA devotees and average folks just seeking out healthier alternatives are chomping down on an ancient snack that’s been enjoyed for thousands of years. The company Joolies California Superfruit noted that sales of dates in the United States were up 33% in 2025, per <a href="https://food52.com/story/28834-why-everyone-is-eating-dates-now">Food52</a>.
Native to the Middle East, dates are known for their rich, caramel-like flavor and high nutritional value. Based on these trends, that love for their natural sweetness is destined to continue. 
“It’s one of the oldest cultivated fruits,” Amanda Sains, vice president of marketing and founding team member at Joolies said. “It’s mentioned in the Quran, the Bible. It has this incredible history.”
Fox News reported that the market size for dates in America is projected to reach $1.6 billion by 2034.
Why the new obsession? It’s because of a general uptick in the use of natural, healthy sugars as Americans become more health-conscious and seek alternatives to processed foods and additives.
“While dates might be a newer trend for consumers, they&#8217;ve been the go-to ingredient among dietitians to sweeten smoothies and lower-sugar dessert foods for years,&#8221; registered dietitian Lisa Moskovitz told Fox News Digital.
&#8220;Not only are they super tasty and versatile, but they provide fiber, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients like magnesium and potassium,” she added.
Food52 reported that a big problem with selling dates in the past was the packaging and overall appearance, which could be a deterrent for some would-be customers. Companies have worked to upgrade packaging to make the sweet, chewy stone fruits more appealing. Also, dates are now being used in other foods, such as energy bars. It’s all working.
Another major reason for the newfound popularity is, predictably, TikTok. There are several trends circulating about how to cook tasty, healthy desserts with dates as the star ingredient.
“They’ve always been kind of misunderstood,” Sains told Food52. “They’re sweet, delicious, and so good for you, but they’ve been stuck in ugly packaging.”
The vice president also mentioned that dates are a lot more popular in other parts of the world. Now, the trend has hit the United States.
“When you travel to Morocco, Greece, the U.K., even Australia, you realize how much more normalized date consumption is,” Sains told the outlet. “You’ll see them at the checkout counter or in bowls at people’s homes. In the U.S., that just hasn’t been the case.”

Dates

America Has A New Favorite Snack, And It Goes Back Thousands Of Years

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