The Culinary Scoop

Many consumers are stocking up on potatoes during these uncertain times, and it’s important to make the most of these purchases. Heidi Alsum Randall, a potato farmer and mother from Wisconsin, provided the following thoughts: 

“We know many people are spending more time in their homes right now, looking for ways to prepare easy and nutritious meals for themselves and their families. We are hearing from grocery retailers that people are stocking up on potatoes. That makes perfect sense to us as potatoes are a nutrient-dense vegetable with a long shelf-life.

Potato farmers, packers and processors are doing what it takes to keep potatoes supplied to grocery stores and restaurants around the country. Now more than ever, we are committed to our life’s work – raising food for families here and around the world.”

Here are some tips from America’s potato farmers on how to purchase, store and prepare potatoes at home:

The brand will connect fans across the country with their favorite gaming and celebrity personalities for a chance to win $50,000 and free Chipotle for a year

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced the 2020 Chipotle Challenger Series (CCS) will feature online Qualifying and Finale competitions throughout 2020. To promote the series further, Chipotle has added an official team partnership with 100 Thieves’ Matt “Nadeshot” Haag, and Brooke “BrookeAB” Bond, as well as TSM’s Myth and fan-favorite streamers Jack “CouRage” Dunlop and JERICHO. The Finale on April 25^th will be broadcast on Twitch and YouTube.

The Chipotle Challenger Series first launched last year at DreamHack in Dallas, TX and will now be virtual in 2020 with an online tournament that gives every fan across the U.S. the opportunity to join the competition and prove their skills in some of the world’s most popular games. The official game for the first series will be announced Monday, April 6^th when the registration portal opens. Finale champions will win $25,000 cash and $25,000 to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts, as well as an exclusive card that grants winners a year of free Chipotle.

A $100,000 donation from seven wineries in E. & J. Gallo Winery’s premium wine division will support GuildSomm’s mission to deliver educational content to the Sommelier community. The donation is a joint contribution from J Vineyards & Winery, Louis M. Martini, Orin Swift, Pahlmeyer, Talbott Vineyards, Whitehaven and William Hill Estate Winery. In addition to this initial commitment, Gallo will also be supporting other local efforts as future needs emerge during these challenging times.

“GuildSomm is incredibly grateful to the Gallo family and these wineries for their generous support,” said Geoff Kruth, President of GuildSomm. “In such a challenging time for the industry, this will help us continue our mission to provide high-quality educational resources and a robust community for wine professionals.”

siggi’s will award three nutrition professionals $20,000 each for the execution of innovative community nutrition programs

siggi’s, the pioneer of lower sugar yogurt with simple ingredients, announced today the launch of siggi’s starters, a grant program aimed at supporting nutrition professionals seeking to develop innovative programs to bolster community nutrition and wellness.

A recent survey conducted by siggi’s found that lack of funding is the #1 reason that prevents nutrition professionals from starting their own venture.  More than half of the registered dietitians polled have considered starting their own business, revealing a key gap in supporting nutrition professionals seeking to make an impact in their communities. siggi’s will award $20,000 grants to three recipients to help a community nutrition idea get off the ground or support an existing community nutrition program. siggi’s will also provide ongoing entrepreneurial mentorship that connects grant recipients to helpful resources and expertise as they execute their initiatives.

Health and Hunger Relief Organizations Invited to Apply for Emergency Grants to Aid Efforts in the Wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation is activating $1.25 million in emergency funding to support health and hunger relief organizations on the frontlines of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) response.

This includes a $250,000 donation to the Boston Resiliency Fund which was established by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to provide essential services to Boston residents whose health and well-being are most immediately impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation brings joy to kids battling hunger or illness. Many of the Foundation’s grantees, which include health and hunger relief organizations, are seeing a huge uptick in the volume of clients they serve and are facing unprecedented and costly challenges in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Emergency grants from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation are meant to provide flexible funding for organizations so they can apply for the support they need.

Propels Family Meals Movement as Americans Celebrate National Nutrition Month

A new study published in The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB) builds on years of previous research studies and demonstrates the value of family meals.  This study showed that more frequent family meals were associated with better dietary outcomes and family functioning outcomes.  While Americans celebrate the month of March as National Nutrition Month, these findings underscore the myriad benefits advanced by family meals advocates over the past few years and punctuate the official launch of the Family Meals Movement.

There are two notable findings to this study:

1. Family meals improve fruit and vegetable consumption – overwhelmingly, studies showed a positive relationship between family meal frequency and fruit and vegetable intake when examined separately, but also when fruit and vegetable intake were combined.
2. Family meals improve family functioning – nearly all the studies included in the systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between family meal frequency and measures of family functioning. Family functioning is defined as family connectedness, communication, expressiveness, and problem-solving.

Southern Living Announces Its South’s Best Survey Results Revealing Readers’ Favorite Cities, Towns, Hotels, Restaurants, Shopping and More Across the South

4 Rivers Smokehouse in Winter Park, FL Wins for Best BBQ; Alewife in Richmond, VA Tops the List of Best New Restaurants

 Meredith Corporation‘s (NYSE: MDP) Southern Living announced today the winners of its fourth annual South’s Best Awards, recognizing readers’ favorite Southern destinations and experiences. In-depth coverage of the winners appears in the April issue of Southern Living, on sale March 20. To see the full results, visit: https://www.southernliving.com/souths-best

This year’s survey results reveal the best Southern Bars, BBQ Joints, Catfish, Cities, Hotels, Neighborhoods, Restaurants, Scenic Drives, Stores and Towns.

Highlights of Southern Living’s 2020 South’s Best Awards survey results are as follows:

CITIES
South’s Best Cities Overall – The Top 10

1. Charleston, SC
2. Savannah, GA
3. Nashville, TN
4. New Orleans, LA
5. Austin, TX
6. Asheville, NC
7. Alexandria, VA
8. Atlanta, GA
9. Richmond, VA
10. Tallahassee, FL