6/3/25: 'Tater Hate; Gas Station Snacks; Raw Chicken: Fast Track to Salmonella; Are you in Danger from Mono & Diglycerides?; Beanless Coffee: What Could Go Wrong?; Bonanza of Botulism; WIC Statement
Because EVERYBODY Eats
Remember when this raw chicken thing was a fad a few years back? Evidently it hasn’t gone away. 🤢
🙏🏽Wouldn’t you like to support this newsletter with a paid subscription? This helps us do events like Mini Meet Ups (See photo BELOW ⤵️) and provide semi-annual honorariums to moderators.
🫱🏼🫲🏼Build Up Mini Meet Up @ ASN
See any familiar faces?
from Jackie S. - “Thank you so much for coordinating this today – it was great to meet everyone, and I appreciated the Build Up Dietitians pen - - which I will use with pride as I write in my “Nutrition is a Science, Not an Opinion” notebook.”.
🗣️WIC Statement
“President Trump’s proposed FY26 budget would roll back WIC's fruit and vegetable benefits to pre-2021 levels, before USDA’s science-based increase.
These cuts would drop breastfeeding moms from $54 a month to just $13. Young kids would see their benefits go from $27 to only $10 per month.
These cuts jeopardize early nutrition and maternal health.”
Full statement: National WIC Association Condemns Trump’s Proposed Cuts to WIC’s Fruit and Vegetable Benefits | National WIC Association
⛽Top Gas Station Snacks
America‘s Favorite Gas Station Snacks, Mapped
❓🤔What’s your favorite snack when you make a stop?
☕ Beanless Coffee? (What Could Possibly Go Wrong?)
Best Coffee Substitute? We Gave "Beanless" Brands a Try - Bloomberg
“…emerging category of products made with ingredients such as chickpeas, barley and even bread. Sources like green tea supply the caffeine hit….With coffee prices already rising due to drought and new US tariffs, alternatives like these are slowly starting to pop up in cafes, office canteens and supermarket blends…”
See below⤵️ - something to be aware of…if there is mixing of regular coffee and an alternative like barley going on …are people with allergies and celiac disease going to know that this is a possibility?
🥔Substack Pick: Respect for POTATOES
The No Longer So Humble Potato Demands Respect
🥫Substack Pick: Food History-Botulism deaths & home canning
Substack: Not common, but sometimes deadly - Just Add Data
The story of what killed 13 people after a dinner for family and friends in Grafton, North Dakota in 1931.
📝Substack: Mono-& Diglycerides
Why Does the Wellness Industry Hate Mono- and Diglycerides?
from Dietitian Brittany Raftis
Do you have patients/clients asking you about mono- and diglycerides? Canadian RD Brittany Raftis takes a comprehensive look at the scare tactics vs the science.
Bottom Line: “There’s no need to fear or avoid foods solely because they contain mono- and diglycerides; doing so oversimplifies the science and ignores how these ingredients are used. That said, it’s worth paying attention to how often they appear in your diet and considering ways to reduce your exposure if they show up frequently.”
🛒LinkedIn Pick: Post from Jade Lain, UK Marketing Manager
“propaganda im not falling for:
1. “high protein” ready meals with little more than 20g (I know we can do better)
2. ultra-processed = evil. nuance please.
3. tiktok health fads promoting extremes. food is about balance and moderation
4. endless criticism of “imperfect” health or sustainability launches. not everything gets it right first time. but progress over perfection, always.
propaganda I absolutely am falling for 😍✅
1. seasonal drops & limited editions. something about it just brings me joy, even if it’s dripping in novelty
2. the coffee in food trend. mocha ice cream? iced latte chocolate? YES x3
3. street food style anything. bonus points if it reminds me of eating in the sun on holiday
4. biscoff flavoured anything. literally anything. if it’s biscoff I’m SOLD
I know I’m not the only one falling for seasonal sweets and biscoff everything… what’s got you in a chokehold right now? Or what's got you rolling those eyes? 🙄👀”