<p><i>This article is part of </i><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Upstream,</i></a><i> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.</i></p>
<p>***</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Can I read the ingredients list?”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That simple question is one I’ve awkwardly asked almost since I knew how to read. As a child, I grew up with an unfortunate host of food sensitivities that meant understanding labels had to become second nature as I navigated elementary school snacks and sleepovers. This was long before the days of shelf-scanning apps, label-busting influencers, and the MAHA powerhouse. Instead, all I had was a food-savvy mom, a memorized list of no-go ingredients, and my reading skills.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If a seven-year-old can stare unflinchingly at the unpronounceable words on back-of-packaging labels, any adult can navigate the grocery store with confidence. A bit of knowledge and patience is all it takes to judge a label faster than any app or ChatGPT can ask. Here’s how.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To start at the top of the label, it’s always worth glancing at the serving size information to see how much (or little) is one “serving.” A pint of ice cream may be two (or one) servings to some, but the label may disagree and demand four tiny portions. For those of us counting calories or cutting down on sodium, these serving sizes matter, but for those of us just concerned about ingredients, it’s just another handy data point.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, unless you’re counting macros, it’s safe to ignore the table of grams and daily percentages of protein and vitamins. The </span><a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9"><span style="font-weight: 400;">requirements</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> around which vitamins need to be reported are convoluted, and the percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Depending on your height, age, sex, and activity level, that may not be your </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">actual</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> caloric needs. Plus, many nutrient numbers are boosted by the addition of synthetic vitamins, particularly in boxed cereals or white bread.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Past the white box of numbers is where most of the key information hides. A quick skim of the “contains” or “may contain” list below the ingredients can reveal any major allergens, and most foods will proudly advertise if they are gluten- or dairy-free. However, the full ingredients list is where the dirty secrets of food manufacturing are buried.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even seemingly simple products can have a surprisingly long list of preservatives, fillers, and mystery components. By now, most of us have heard that long ingredient lists are a red flag, and we know that if we can’t pronounce an ingredient, it’s probably worth avoiding. However, even the pronounceable ingredients can have some spooky secrets.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Artificial flavors” is a natural bogeyman, with a host of lab-made combinations encompassed under such a vague term. But “</span><a href="https://thepaleodiet.com/what-do-natural-flavors-really-mean/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">natural flavors</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” and variations like “natural vanilla flavor” or “natural raspberry flavor” can be just as opaque when it comes to information on the actual contents or origin of the flavoring agent. And as the University of Wisconsin </span><a href="https://nutrisci.wisc.edu/2021/07/26/natural-and-artificial-flavors/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">explains</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, “the science of flavoring is so advanced that many artificial flavors actually have the exact same chemical structure as the naturally occurring ones.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food dyes like Red 40 or Yellow 5 have gotten ample press for their </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23026007/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">link to cancer</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and many of them are banned or require warning labels in </span><a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a63606676/food-dye-additives-united-states-vs-europe/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">other countries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Derived from petroleum (like gasoline), they have also been </span><a href="https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/spotlight/research/new-report-shows-artificial-food-coloring-causes-hyperactivity-in-some-kids"><span style="font-weight: 400;">linked</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to hyperactivity in children. Yet, even some natural dyes can have disturbing origins. </span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/carmine"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Carmine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is all-natural and has been used for hundreds of years to produce beautiful shades of crimson and pink in everything from fabrics to cosmetics. Today, you can find it in red-colored foods like </span><a href="https://www.yoplait.com/products/original-single-serve-strawberry"><span style="font-weight: 400;">strawberry yogurt</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Its source? The dried bodies of cochineal insects.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In short, skip the unidentifiable and unknown ingredients. We don’t have to know the name of every strange component to know what doesn’t sound edible.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond the names of food (and food-like substances) on the nutrition panel, the qualifiers that come with some ingredients are worth a second glance. For example, flour is rarely listed as a single-word ingredient. Instead, it’s typically paired with “enriched wheat” or “whole wheat.” Words like “whole,” “organic,” and “brown” signal a less processed component, while “white,” “enriched,” and any unfamiliar terms usually equal a food that Mother Nature wouldn’t recognize.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certainly, it’s an exercise in patience to pay attention to each word on the label, but food companies have ample incentive to keep their recipes a trade secret while conversely highlighting any high-quality inclusions. Each word can provide important information into what’s hidden or where the brand is stepping up their MAHA game. Even the parentheticals that give sub-ingredients of chocolate chips, spices, or “contains 2% or less of” can have a surprising number of strange substances.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, at the very end of the ingredients, manufacturers are </span><a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/how-gmos-are-regulated-united-states"><span style="font-weight: 400;">required</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to reveal if their product contains genetically modified organisms or bioengineered foods. Soy and seed oils are often the source of GMOs, and shopping certified non-GMO or organic will cut out the lab-made foods.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you’ve gone through the full list, take a closer look at the order of the ingredients. Each item is written in descending order of quantity, so if the first food is sugar, you’re in for a roller-coaster and crash after you indulge. As a bonus, this is also a handy way to know whether your purchase will be only a little spicy, very salty, or pack a punch of sour.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a slog to get through the text wall of hyper-processed mystery ingredients at first. But soon, key terms will start jumping out, and a skim will reveal just how honest the front-of-box advertising is. And in the end, checking labels is not about making perfect choices. It’s about choosing to be a more informed consumer. For food manufacturers to offer healthier options, we need to demand better options. That starts by voting with our wallets — and giving each label a leery look. </span></p>
<p>***</p>
<p><em>Jordan Jantz is the assistant editor at IW Features as well as a freelance writer, editor, and website designer.</em></p>


GettyImages-2063263155

What’s Actually Hiding In Your ‘Healthy’ Grocery Store Food

Food

MAHA

Upstream

<p><i>This article is part of </i><i><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream">Upstream</a>,</i><i> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.</i></p>
<p>***</p>
<p>There are few annoyances worse than when a nice young man flips around a tiny virtual tablet that reads &#8220;add tip&#8221; after he did all the work of rotating his body 75 degrees to grab you an $18 beer from a fridge.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s true: Tipping culture has gotten out of hand in the United States. I try to tip generously because I used to work as a delivery driver. I know the struggle of trying to scrape together some cash at the mercy of strangers who are tasked with making up the difference between the cost of living and your poverty base wage.</p>
<p>That only applies to actual services, though: waiting, bartending, delivery, etc. There are plenty of cases (such as the stadium beer kiosk) where the expectation of tipping is wrongly bleeding Americans dry.</p>
<p>And don&#8217;t get me started on communal tipping. I can&#8217;t think of anything more demoralizing than getting a fat tip due to your excellent service, only to be forced to pool it with the rest of your coworkers who didn&#8217;t do a thing to earn it.</p>
<p>My disdain for this excess of American culture changed, though, when I recently took a trip to Ireland.</p>
<p>In Ireland, like much of Europe, they don&#8217;t do tipping the way we do. You can tack on 5 to 10% for your waiter or bartender if the service is particularly good, but it&#8217;s not expected. And a service charge is often already included. You don&#8217;t get sideways looks for just paying the tab and leaving like you would stateside.</p>
<p>My initial reaction to this was relief. Finally, some simplicity in this life. The meals may be a bit more expensive because the labor cost is factored into price, but simply being able to pay and go without doing extra math and giving a performance review at the end of the meal would be nice.</p>
<p>Things began to change with each passing day. When we had our first sit-down dinner of the trip, I couldn&#8217;t help but notice how inattentive the waitstaff was. No refills of water. Twenty minutes passing by between being seated and having our order taken. Want to get some extra condiments on the side after the food arrives? Good luck.</p>
<p>I thought it may be an anomaly, but then the same experience kept repeating itself every single time we had dinner during the trip. I will say this didn&#8217;t extend to bartending service — I&#8217;m talking strictly about sit-down meals here — but without a single exception, the service was just dreadful, inattentive, and slow.</p>
<p>It was the type of experience that makes one pause and reflect on the bigger picture. I&#8217;m not saying that Europe&#8217;s poor table service is a direct consequence of a culture that stifles innovation and snuffs out the ambition of the individual for the good of the collective, but it is striking that we don&#8217;t have this issue in hyper-capitalist America.</p>
<p>Now, you may be thinking this was my fault somehow. Maybe my Americanness was an affront to the waitstaff&#8217;s European sensibilities. I don&#8217;t think so. I wasn&#8217;t acting visibly foreign, and the staff were very polite and personable in every interaction. I gathered no sense of disdain whatsoever — only indifference.</p>
<p>My only conclusion can be that these workers did not put an American-level effort in because they didn&#8217;t have to. There was no incentive to give me good service, so they didn&#8217;t. The system failed.</p>
<p>The experience has certainly changed my perspective on tipping culture. Yes, it remains excessive in certain American contexts. But there&#8217;s a wisdom to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton#Chesterton's_fence">Chesterton&#8217;s fence</a>: If something has been around a while, it just might serve a purpose you&#8217;ll miss when it&#8217;s gone.</p>


(Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

I Left America Mocking Tipping Culture. Europe Changed My Mind Fast.

Europe

Ireland

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s it like to enjoy dessert with your family uninterrupted? Fans of Halo Top are invited to find out.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ice cream brand is introducing a unique new product: the Silent (à la) Mode Spoon. This golden-hued utensil comes with an embedded NFC (near-field communication) chip that can be set to activate Do Not Disturb mode on both iPhone and Android smartphones. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The idea is to encourage users to unplug during dessert time without the constant dings and pings from social media — an issue that plagues family time these days. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Blending technology with indulgence, this tricked-out utensil connects to your smartphone with a simple tap, creating a seamless ‘phones down, spoons up’ experience,” the item description <a href="https://shop.ilovewells.com/product/halo-top-silent-la-mode-spoon-coming-may-15th/OKQWU6W7EZZLM6YHC6YSVLKM">reads</a>.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “Designed for easy setup, the spoon uses a discreet NFC connection that is compatible with most smartphones, including iPhone and Android devices. Once connected, you can quietly savor every spoonful of your favorite Halo Top flavor.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Silent Mode Spoon is being offered at the low price of $4.90, which, of course, is a nod to the fact that a full pint of Halo Top is only 490 total calories. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Setup takes just a minute and only has to be done once. iPhone users can use the &#8220;Shortcuts&#8221; app to scan the chip inside the Halo Top logo fastened to the end of the spoon, name the spoon once it&#8217;s detected, and create a shortcut that activates Do Not Disturb when the spoon touches your phone.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Android users will need to download the &#8220;NFC Tasks&#8221; app and connect the spoon. After that, your phone will automatically be set to Do Not Disturb when the spoon is tapped against it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The built-in chip means this spoon is hand-wash only. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A silent spoon is just the latest marketing gimmick aimed at disconnecting us from technology. Last month, Chick-fil-A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-made-my-parents-try-chick-fil-as-phone-free-challenge-but-i-didnt-see-this-coming">went viral</a> for promoting “chicken coops” to stash cell phones while eating meals in-store. If everyone at the table participates, then diners receive a free “Icedream” cone as a reward for staying present with fellow guests — and with their chicken sandwiches. </span></p>


Cell phone ice cream

The War Against Phones At The Dinner Table Just Got A New Weapon

cell phones

Ice Cream

Technology

United States

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Living on the East Coast has its perks, but one common complaint is the frustrating lack of access to In-N-Out, which is mostly located out west. But now there’s a solution.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In between filling out petitions to open more In-N-Out restaurants, hungry customers can head to McDonald’s and use a very specific hack to mimic the taste of the fast food chain’s uber-popular “Animal Style” burger. It’s about as close as East Coasters can get to In-N-Out without purchasing a plane ticket. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It all starts with ordering a Double Cheeseburger at McDonald’s. Next, the order should be customized to include Big Mac sauce, extra pickles, and grilled onions </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">on the burger, <a href="https://www.foodrepublic.com/2160907/mcdonalds-burger-in-out-animal-style-trick/">per </a></span>Food Republic. The outlet notes that this request works best during non-peak hours, as grilled onions are not a standard menu item at McDonald’s.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The customization doesn’t stop there. Hungry customers can also modify their French fries order at McDonald&#8217;s to be Animal Style. To achieve this hack, you’ll need to order an extra two slices of American cheese, grilled or raw onions, and Big Mac Sauce. It’s important to put the cheese on first so it melts, the outlet notes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like Chick-fil-A, In-N-Out has always been near and dear to conservative hearts. The fast-food restaurant is known for its conservative corporate culture, inspired by the Christian faith of its founders. In-N-Out, founded in 1948, has largely rejected modernization techniques used by other fast-food chains. It has a limited menu, fresh ingredients, and a commitment to quality. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Liberals have also criticized the company for donating to Republican political campaigns and for printing Bible verses on its packaging. However, calls for boycotts usually don’t work because their fans are too loyal. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company was also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donotcomply-praise-erupts-online-for-in-n-out-burgers-anti-vax-mandate-stand">praised by conservatives</a> in 2021 when it refused to enforce a COVID vaccine mandate for customers in San Francisco, temporarily closing a location and making it clear that it refuses “to become the vaccination police for any government.”</span></p>


In-N-Out burgers

A Simple Hack Brings In-N-Out To Every Hometown

Fast-Food

In-N-Out Burger

McDonald’s

Restaurant

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McDonald’s customers are annoyed by what the fast food company just pitched as a bargain.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a limited time, the McDouble will be available on the company&#8217;s &#8220;McValue&#8221; menu for $2.50. But social media commenters are pointing out that this “value” only highlights how much prices have increased in a short period, as the same sandwich once cost $1.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People were further incensed when McDonald’s discontinued its popular “Buy 1, Get 1 for $1” promo in late April. That’s been replaced by the “Under $3” menu that includes the McDouble and other items, many of which were included in the earlier promotion. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;Look, it was my go-to lunch for work every single day. Quick, easy and 5 bucks for lunch. That&#8217;s gone, so am I,&#8221; one commenter wrote. &#8220;No reason else to go. Might only be 1 person, but that&#8217;s one customer gone.&#8221; </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Anyone remember when McDoubles used to be 99 cents? It was only 10 years ago &#8230;&#8221; one Reddit user noted. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;All these were 99-cent items, then it [turned] into a &#8216;value&#8217; meal, then we have what we got now,” another commenter observed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;Thing was a dollar, they sell billions of burgers and I&#8217;m supposed to be impressed by 2.50?&#8221; a third agreed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McDonald’s pushed back against those criticisms, insisting that their offerings remain a great value.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;Our focus has always been on listening to our customers and meeting their needs,&#8221; McDonald&#8217;s USA said in a statement, </span><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/mcdonalds-2-50-mcdouble-sparks-backlash-americans-say-fast-food-no-longer-cheap"><span style="font-weight: 400;">per</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Fox News Digital.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;That&#8217;s why McValue was built as a flexible platform designed to evolve with them. The under $3 menu delivers on what they&#8217;ve told us matters most: consistently great prices on their favorite items and the freedom to order what they want, when they want — no bundling required.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The fast-food chain is also facing backlash for continuing to phase out its self-serve beverage stations, which many dine-in customers valued for free refills. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As confirmed in 2023, McDonald’s will be transitioning away from self-serve beverage stations in dining rooms across the U.S. by 2032,” the company said in a </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcdonalds-continues-to-phase-out-popular-restaurant-feature-nationwide"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> this week. “The change is being rolled out over 10 years, and is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant.&#8221;</span></p>


The McDonald’s Menu Change Sparking Nostalgia For The 99-Cent Era

Economy

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said the solution to shrinking portion sizes is simple: just ask for more.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The exec addressed the issue during an appearance this week on Yahoo! Finance. Customers have been complaining for months that fast food burgers are smaller, pre-packaged snacks have less food, and burritos from Chipotle aren&#8217;t as stuffed as they used to be. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you want more, you should ask for a little more,” the fast food exec said. “I promise you, there&#8217;s never a team member on that line that is going to say no to you.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We will continue to put heaping spoonfuls of food in bowls and burritos,” Boatwright continued, adding that the company is focused on both portions and food quality. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It has always been our brand ethos, and it is still to this day,” he insisted. “We serve big, beautiful bowls and burritos. No questions asked.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The CEO further pushed back on claims that Chipotle employees were “skimping” on portion sizes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I tell my team all the time, ‘put as much food in that bowl and burrito as you possibly can,'&#8221; he told Yahoo! Finance. “‘I want the consumer to tell you, &#8216;it&#8217;s too big.'&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We&#8217;re about abundance, we&#8217;re about value,” he went on. “Value equals benefit over price.” The exec also claimed to be “absorbing” the cost of inflation rather than passing it on to customers. He told the outlet that Chipotle is pleased to offer “an affordable price point for all walks of life, and we&#8217;re for everyone. We want everyone to have access to wholesome, nutritious food.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commenters were skeptical that restaurant workers would be willing to increase portion sizes without charging them extra. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Save this video [for] every time you walk in,” one commenter wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He said if you want more, they will give you more, but will also charge you more,” another comment said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Bro … have you been to Chipotle,” a third person chimed in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Straight lies they will 100% charge you double each time you say more,” yet another commenter agreed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others brought up the common complaint that delivery portions are rumored to be much smaller than those being served inside the restaurants, a problem that wouldn’t be solved by Boatwright’s suggestion to &#8220;ask for more.&#8221;</span></p>


Chipotle

The Chipotle Phrase That Could Get You More Food For Free

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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Costco just changed how it sells bagels, and not everyone is happy about it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previously, the big-box retailer offered its Kirkland Signature brand bagels in two six-packs for $5.99, with no option to split the packs and purchase only a half dozen if they didn’t need so many. This led to many complaints, as customers reported that the freshly made bagels went stale or moldy before they could be consumed, </span><a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/07/lifestyle/costo-changes-bakery-rule-after-years-of-customer-complaints/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">per</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The New York Post.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now Costco is rolling out a new option: eight bagels for $4.99. While it’s a welcome change for shoppers who prefer fewer bagels at once, customers with some basic math skills can’t help but notice that the price was reduced by $1, but the quantity of bagels was reduced by four. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“No more bagels going bad before you can finish them,” the popular Instagram account @costcobuys said of the change. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I never buy them for home because I don’t want 12 bagels, so I love the single pack option!” one commenter said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Yay!!! 8 pack!! For ppl who don’t own a hotel,” another agreed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But not everyone was happy. Many commenters said they didn’t mind the 12-pack because even if it was too many, they could freeze the extras.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Why would I want one bag with more for more money&#8230; That is the stupidest math ever,” one person observed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So they removed choice and quantity. Good job,” another complaint read.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Costco has been making several notable changes lately, including amending the legendary $1.50 hot dog deal. Shoppers can now opt for bottled water as part of the combo, rather than being limited to a fountain soda alongside the oversized hot dog. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s the first major tweak to the $1.50 deal in more than 40 years, dating back to its debut in the 1980s, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/costco-adjusts-its-legendary-1-50-hot-dog-deal-for-the-first-time-in-decades">reported</a>.</span></p>


Costco

Costco Finally Fixes A Major Bakery Complaint From Shoppers

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Are New York bagels and pizza about to deflate?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new bill moving through Albany could change how some of the state&#8217;s most iconic foods are made, but supporters say the impact on quality will be insignificant.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The proposed legislation, called the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, would ban potassium bromate, a flour additive often used to improve dough texture, which has been linked to cancer in some studies. The bill cleared both the state Assembly and Senate in late April and now heads to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul&#8217;s desk. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">   </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While the use of food additives to enhance the shelf life, taste, or texture of various commercial food products is nothing new, the science behind the health effects of increased consumption of such additives is shedding new light on just how dangerous some of them can be,” the bill memo says, </span><a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/06/us-news/new-york-could-ban-common-ingredient-found-in-pizza-and-bagels-over-health-concerns/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">per</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The New York Post. “This legislation protects New Yorkers from three of the most pervasive and harmful food additives.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D), one of the bill’s sponsors, </span><a href="https://people.com/new-york-senate-passes-bill-to-ban-potassium-bromate-11967407"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> People it addresses gaps in federal oversight.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “Our federal food safety system has major gaps that expose people to unnecessary health risks when they eat food in our country,&#8221; he said. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;I love New York pizza in particular, but the Italians seem to be doing just fine making pizza for the last more than three decades now without potassium bromate.&#8221; </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;The retailers and restaurants will have plenty of time to use up their stock of flour and get alternatives,&#8221; he added. The outlet noted that small businesses have three years to comply once the proposal becomes law.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;This is not gonna harm any retailer. It&#8217;s not gonna harm anybody who wants a good bagel,&#8221; Kavanagh added. &#8220;We don&#8217;t think this is gonna have any meaningful effect on people&#8217;s ability to make food they wanna make or buy food they wanna buy, and we don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s gonna have any meaningful effect at all on the affordability of food.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another co-sponsor of the bipartisan bill insisted that the measure would not affect the quality of the food.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Any substance that is linked to cancer has no place in our food, period,” State Sen. Cordell Cleare (D) said. “Other countries have banned potassium bromate without any diminution in the quality of flour-based products and the same will happen in New York.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If signed into law, the bill would also force companies to disclose all ingredients, including listing any that qualify as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) food ingredients. Kavanagh said the bill would remove &#8220;secrecy around chemicals that are added to our food,” adding that greater transparency will help consumers make more informed choices. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The proposal is similar to efforts in California and aligns more closely with regulations already in place in the European Union.</span></p>


pizza

A Major Pizza And Bagel Ingredient Could Soon Be Banned

Kathy Hochul

New York

Pizza

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Millennials are rejoicing as a staple of their childhood will make a triumphant return this summer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pizza Hut just announced that their “Book It!” summer reading program, which encourages kids to read more books in exchange for free pizza, will be making a comeback. The restaurant announced the news on social media last week.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;SUMMER OF STORIES IS BACK!” the post caption said, adding that enrollment begins today, May 1. &#8220;Get ready to turn reading time into pizza time! This summer, keep your kids&#8217; reading, learning, and loving books… all while earning FREE pizza.&#8221;</span></p>
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<p><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The free program will reward young readers who hit their milestones by providing them with digital Reading Award Certificates, which are redeemable for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut. Students can earn up to one free pizza per month.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The promo is available for students in grades preschool through 6th, but commenters insist it should be extended to adults, too.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Millennials need an adult version! Some of us are still readers because of this program!” one reaction said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Can us Gen X and millennials get this back for us!!! Us big kid need pizza too,” a second person echoed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Thank you so much for bringing this program back! I have a 1st grader who we&#8217;ve been expressing the importance of reading so having this program as an incentive is helpful,” another person said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are so excited! The nostalgia that our kiddo gets to participate!” another person wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Book It! program began following a 1984 initiative from President Ronald Reagan calling for more businesses to promote education. It was created by Arthur Gunther, the president of Pizza Hut at the time, and marketing executive Bud Gates, per The New York Times. More than 70 million children have participated in the program, resulting in 1.5 billion free pizzas being given out as rewards.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The summer reading Book It! Promotion will run from June 1 until August 31. Parents can sign kids up through the BOOK IT! App.</span></p>


Pizza Hut

Millennials Celebrate A Childhood Staple Making A Comeback

Books

Children

U.S.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Costco is making a rare change to its legendary $1.50 hot dog combo, but don’t worry: it’s a good one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The price isn&#8217;t going up, staying true to the founder’s commitment to keep the famously cheap meal intact. Instead, Costco shoppers can now opt for bottled water as part of the combo, rather than being limited to a fountain soda alongside the oversized hot dog. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&#8217;s the first notable tweak to the $1.50 deal in more than 40 years, dating back to its debut in the 1980s, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/shopping/deals/membership/2026/04/28/new-costco-hot-dog-combo-deal/89841410007/">according to</a> USA Today. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This upgrade is seen as a major plus at a time when fast food chains are being accused of reducing portion sizes, at least according to people posting viral videos online about “shrinkflation.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Costco, by contrast, has built a reputation around holding the line on its food court staple. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">CEO Ron Vachris recently reiterated that commitment, saying the $1.50 combo will “not change as long as I’m around.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The promise echoes the stance of co-founder Jim Sinegal, who was famously adamant that the price never increase. Former CEO W. Craig Jelinek once recalled suggesting a price hike, only to be swiftly shut down. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I came to (Sinegal) once and I said, ‘Jim, we can’t sell this hot dog for a buck fifty,&#8221; Jelinek said, </span><a href="https://www.delish.com/food-news/a34111722/costco-hot-dog-combo-story/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">according to</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Delish. &#8220;We are losing our rear ends.’ And he said, ‘If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.’ That’s all I really needed.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While haters like to point out that the deal is only available to Costco members, with memberships starting around $65 annually, the combo remains one of the most iconic bargains in retail.</span></p>


Costco hot dog deal

Costco Adjusts Its Legendary $1.50 Hot Dog Deal For The First Time In Decades

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prego – as in the pasta sauce company – has a new marketing strategy that involves customers recording their dinner conversations using a small device they place on the table.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Campbell&#8217;s-owned company announced the debut of its “Connection Keeper” on Monday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This pasta-lid-shaped device is meant to serve as a “simple, screen-free way to capture the real conversations that happen around the dinner table.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With just the press of a button, families can record meaningful moments and relive them later – without phones, screens, or distractions getting in the way,” the promotional <a href="https://www.campbells.com/prego/the-connection-keeper/#HowItWorks">web copy</a> says.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sit down with your loved ones. Place the Connection Keeper on the dinner table and press to record. No setup needed,” it goes on, noting that the device has no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or AI features. It’s meant to help families disconnect, PR reps for Prego say. It’s a joint effort with the national nonprofit StoryCorps.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Everything now is AI, and everyone has their phones on the table,” Elyce Henkin, a managing director of StoryCorps studios and brand partnerships, </span><a href="https://www.wired.com/story/prego-has-a-dinner-recording-device-capiche/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Wired. “It interrupts the conversation and the flow. We wanted to get rid of that and go back to the basics and have everyone talking to each other.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens after these fascinating dinnertime conversations are captured, you might be wondering? Beginning May 4, users can “easily and safely” upload recorded content to an online portal set up by StoryCorps, to be stored for future listening. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then what?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Prego notes, “The recordings are designed to help families preserve the authentic sounds of time spent together, creating a personal archive to revisit for years to come. Families will have the option to preserve their recordings private within the StoryCorps archive or share them publicly as part of a special Prego Collection.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s also a chance that shared recording could wind up preserved forever. As StoryCorps says in the </span><a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prego-partners-with-storycorps-to-transform-the-everyday-dinner-into-cherished-family-memories-302746573.html#:~:text=About%20StoryCorps,%2C%20and%20best%2Dselling%20books."><span style="font-weight: 400;">press release</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> announcing this promo, they are known to preserve the recordings in their archives at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, “the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered.”  </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Connection Keeper Bundle will be available for $20 beginning April 27. </span></p>


Prego

Your Dinner Could Be Spying On You

News

Surveillance

<p><i>This article is part of </i><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Upstream,</i></a><i> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.</i></p>
<p><i>***</i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two massive cultural trends have begun to reshape American conservatism.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first is that conservatives are becoming “crunchy.” Not long ago, natural-health advocacy seemed to belong to a small but vocal tribe of stereotypically left-leaning, organic-loving, non-deodorant-wearing activists. But after the Fauci fiasco of 2020, culminating in today’s MAHA movement, things have changed. Regular moms are baking sourdough, raising backyard chickens, and avoiding vaccines and seed oils. Conservative men, once content to guzzle Diet Coke and microwave Hot Pockets, are now experimenting with carnivore diets and cold plunges.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second trend is more surprising: the apparent halt of decades of secularization and a renewed openness to religion. Poll after poll suggests increases in church attendance and religious interest, particularly among young people and men. Some commentators suggest that this movement may even be accelerating as a result of the “Charlie Kirk Effect.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Taken together, these two trends have created a cultural moment for something that would have sounded strange not long ago: health advice rooted in Scripture — especially dietary advice. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many Christians are now asking a simple and reasonable question: </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does the Bible tell us how we should eat?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The answer is not as straightforward as many people assume.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bible is not a nutritional field manual. Attempts to treat it as one almost always lead to cherry-picking verses from the broader biblical story to support whatever health trend happens to be in vogue. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Take the so-called “Garden of Eden” diet. In this approach, whatever foods were available to Adam and Eve in the Garden are considered ideal, while meat and other animal products are ruled out. Of course, this arrangement lasts only until the great flood, after which God explicitly gives the animal kingdom into the hands of mankind. Still, the argument goes: If plants were God’s original design for humanity, then a plant-based diet must represent the gold standard.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another approach points to the Jewish dietary laws as the pinnacle of biblical nutrition advice. God gave Israel detailed food regulations: no pork, no shellfish, no camel, and certainly no deep-fried rattlesnake or vulture stew. Surely, some argue, the diet prescribed for God’s chosen nation must represent the healthiest way to eat.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then there’s the &#8220;what would Jesus do?&#8221; approach to nutrition. If Jesus was a first-century Mediterranean Jew, and if Christianity is about following Jesus, then perhaps Christians should adopt a Mediterranean diet as well. Jesus presumably ate fish, bread, olive oil, dates, pistachios, and perhaps milk, honey, curds, and other delicacies of the ancient Near East. As it happens, many of the world’s so-called “Blue Zones,” regions famous for longevity, follow a broadly similar pattern of eating. The conclusion seems obvious: If it worked for Jesus, it must work for us.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Add in the “Daniel Fast” and a handful of other biblical trends, and almost any modern health movement can find some scriptural support and some reason to believe it represents God’s gold-standard advice even today.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But while the Bible contains many diets and countless references to food, the real question is this: What does the New Testament say about the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Christian</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> diet?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In reality, it says surprisingly little (at least directly). What guidance it does give is fairly simple. We should receive food with gratitude (1 Timothy 4:4). Our dietary choices should not create unnecessary division among believers (Romans 14:1–3). And our freedom should never lead others into sin (Romans 14:13–21 and 1 Corinthians 8:9).</span></p>
<p>These instructions remain relevant, but they address a different set of concerns than the ones that dominate modern conversations about food. In the early church, the central questions were theological and communal: Could Jewish and Gentile believers eat together? Should Christians observe Old Testament dietary laws? Would certain foods create scandal among new converts?</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, our questions look different because our problems are different. Modern societies face an unprecedented wave of chronic disease: diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, alongside rising infertility, autoimmune disorders, and autism. At the same time, the food environment itself has become increasingly complex. Grocery store aisles are filled with engineered “food-like substances,” while a booming health industry promotes countless supplements and restrictive diets. Amid this complicated landscape, many well-meaning people find themselves caught somewhere in the middle.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet the Bible’s relative silence about our modern diet questions does not leave Christians without guidance. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When read in its proper context, the entire story of the Bible, Old Testament included, ultimately points to Jesus Christ, “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). And it is only when we understand food in relation to Him that a truly Christian approach to eating begins to come into focus.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bible may not give us a diet plan. But it does give us something far more important: a framework for understanding the body, health, and food themselves. And Jesus is at the center of that framework.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Start with the body. Christianity does not treat the body as a disposable shell or a temporary “earth suit.” The Son of God took on human flesh (John 1:14), lived in a real human body, and rose again in a glorified body (Luke 24:39). In doing so, Christ affirmed the goodness and future of embodied human life. Our bodies are not incidental to who we are; they are a visible expression of our personhood and a gift through which we live, work, worship, and serve one another.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next comes health. During His ministry, Jesus was often known as the Divine Physician, healing the sick and restoring the broken. Yet these miracles were never simply demonstrations of medical power. They were signs pointing to the restoration of the whole person in the kingdom of God. The theologian Karl Barth once defined health as “strength for life,” and it’s a worthwhile pursuit — so long as Christ Himself animates our lives.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Christ does something even more striking: He describes Himself as food. In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). Our daily need for food is not accidental. It constantly reminds us that we are dependent creatures, sustained by gifts we did not create. In the deepest sense, our hunger for food points beyond itself to our deeper hunger for God.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Put these truths together and a distinctly Christian picture of nutrition begins to emerge. The body is affirmed and redeemed, health is reoriented toward faithful living, and food itself becomes a sign pointing us back to the Creator who sustains all life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not yet a diet plan, and it is not meant to be. It is a way of seeing. A Christian approach to nutrition begins not with a list of approved foods, but with a vision of reality shaped by Christ Himself. Only within that vision can the science of nutrition be properly understood and applied.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a cultural moment obsessed with both health trends and rediscovered faith, Christians don’t need to invent a “biblical diet.” What we need is a Christ-centered approach to nutrition. When we start there, the question is no longer simply, &#8220;W</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">hat should we eat?&#8221;</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> but, &#8220;H</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ow can even the ordinary act of eating reflect the goodness and wisdom of the God who made us?&#8221;</span></p>
<p>***</p>
<p><em>Andy Felton writes about the intersection between nutrition and theology and is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nourished-Design-Christ-Centered-Approach-Nutrition/dp/B0F7GJDK4K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2C15C0A5QG41Q&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7CaR8DykxETvy9V8QhFu-eVzuelbIBFxJMBx6qKD4Vs.4lZrjLTYTpH9RP7S8FV6gwnchZWmmb5fi7m-OasofFI&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Nourished+by+Design%3A+A+Christ-Centered+Approach+to+Nutrition&amp;nsdOptOutParam=true&amp;qid=1776793991&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=nourished+by+design+a+christ-centered+approach+to+nutrition%2Cstripbooks%2C82&amp;sr=1-1">&#8220;Nourished by Design: A Christ-Centered Approach to Nutrition.&#8221;</a></em></p>


The Feeding Of The Five Thousand

Why Some Conservatives Are Opening The Bible Before Deciding What’s For Dinner

Health