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Tag: Food & Drink

  • PepsiCo cuts prices of Cheetos, Doritos and other snacks


    PepsiCo is lowering the prices of its Cheetos, Doritos, Lays and other snack brands by up to 15%, saying it wants to bring “relief” to consumers facing an affordability crunch.

    The food and beverage company said the price cuts — announced just before this weekend’s Super Bowl game — are an effort to respond to the financial strain facing many consumers, who conveyed that “rising everyday costs are making their daily decisions harder.” 

    The new pricing will start rolling out across the U.S. this week, according to PepsiCo.

    The move comes amid a pullback in demand from consumers after PepsiCo instituted a series of price hikes. In the fourth quarter, PepsiCo increased beverage prices by 7% in North America, while its snack prices were up 1%. Food manufacturers like PepsiCo are also contending with the impact of appetite-suppressing weight-loss drugs, which are hurting demand for snacks. 

    Which snacks are getting cheaper?

    PepsiCo said it will lower the suggested retail price on each of the following snacks by up to 15%, while noting that retailers can further lower the cost:

    • Cheetos
    • Doritos
    • Lay’s
    • Tostitos

    Why is PepsiCo cutting prices?

    PepsiCo Foods U.S. CEO Rachel Ferdinando said the move is part of the company’s wider push to make products more affordable for consumers. 

    “We’ve spent the past year listening closely to consumers, and they’ve told us they’re feeling the strain,” she said in a statement on Tuesday. “Lowering the suggested retail price reflects our commitment to help reduce the pressure where we can.”

    No other changes are being made to the snacks. Packaging and quantities will remain the same, the company noted. 

    PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a call with Wall Street analysts on Tuesday that the company tested price cuts in some markets last year and found that it boosted sales. 

    “Volume return is pretty good, and that’s what the category needs,” Laguarta said.

    Edited by

    Alain Sherter

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  • Chew on this: U.S. food prices are still up 19% since 2022

    Although inflation has cooled markedly since U.S. prices surged during the pandemic, high food costs continue to give consumers a stomachache. 

    Food prices, which outpaced overall inflation for much of last year, rose in December at an annual rate of 3.1%. That remains significantly above the 2.7% for all goods, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data. On a monthly basis, food prices rose 0.7% last month — the largest jump since September 2022.

    “December’s CPI report reinforces that price pressure is edging higher across key consumer product categories that matter most to consumers,” Rob Holston, EY Global and Americas consumer products leader, said in a report. 

    CPI tracks the rate at which prices rise over time. But consumers’ perception of food costs is more likely to be influenced by the prices they see on the store shelves. People pay for groceries on a more regular basis than other expenses, with a trip to the supermarket a frequent reminder that food is pricier than it used to be, said David Ortega, a professor and food economist at Michigan State University.

    “We come into contact with food prices much more than we do other prices in the economy,” he told CBS News.

    The rise in food prices in Tuesday’s CPI reading is being driven by certain food categories like beef and coffee, which have hit record highs, according to Ortega. CBS News’ price tracker shows that overall food prices have jumped nearly 19% since January 2022. 

    Just a few of the staple items that have gotten more expensive, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis:

    • Ground coffee cost $9.05 per pound in December 2025 (up from $6.78 December 2024)
    • Boneless sirloin steak cost $14.03 per pound in December 2025 (up from $11.67 in December 2024)
    • Romaine lettuce cost $3.47 per pound in December 2025 (up from $3.03 in December 2024)
    • A 12-ounce can of orange juice frozen concentrate cost $4.82 in December 2025 (up from $4.29 in December 2024)
    • Bananas cost 66 cents per pound in December 2025 (up from 62 cents per pound in December 2024)

    Multiple factors explain the rise in food costs, ranging from constrained beef supplies to tariffs and bad weather for coffee.

    President Trump cut tariffs on certain foods in November in an effort to rein in prices, although experts say any price relief won’t be immediate.

    One boost for shoppers: eggs. The price of a carton of eggs has soared in recent years because of the ongoing outbreak of avian flu, but has since cooled, dropping nearly 21% on an annual basis in December. A dozen eggs cost shoppers $2.71 in December 2025, down sharply from $6.23 in March of last year when prices peaked, CBS News’ price tracker shows.

    Higher restaurant tabs

    It’s not just grocery runs that are denting Americans’ budgets. Dining out is also getting costlier. The Labor Department’s measure for this, known as “food away from home,” in December rose at an annual rate of 4.1%, compared with 2.7% for inflation overall. 

    Joe Hannon, general manager of inventory and purchasing at Restaurant365, a cloud-based management platform for restaurants, attributes the higher prices to rising labor and utilities costs.

    “Operators aren’t raising menu prices because of a single spike, but because multiple costs are staying higher at the same time, squeezing margins that were already thin,” he told CBS News in an email. “That’s why menu prices have continued to rise faster than overall inflation, even as some headline numbers begin to cool.”

    Ortega agreed, adding that an increase in the number of people dining out since the COVID-19 pandemic is also putting upward pressure on menu prices.

    “When you have increased costs and then strong consumer demand, that’s a recipe for prices to increase,” he said.

    Edited by

    Alain Sherter

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  • Woman chokes to death on mochi rice cake as fatal New Year’s trend continues in Japan

    A woman died and six other people were hospitalized in Tokyo after choking on mochi, a chewy rice cake that in recent years has killed and hospitalized hundreds of people in Japan, where it is often eaten to celebrate the new year.

    Seven elderly men and women were hospitalized after choking on mochi in the first three days of 2026, Japan Today reported, citing the Tokyo Fire Department. One of them, a woman in her 80s, died after choking on daifuku — mochi stuffed with sweet fillings — at her home in Tokyo’s Minato Ward about an hour after midnight on Jan. 1, the department said.

    Authorities in Japan warn the public every year about the choking hazards of mochi, a thick cake made from sweet rice that’s traditionally served to ring in the new year. Last January, two people died and seven other people were hospitalized after choking on the treat.

    Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the risks presented by the doughy cake, and Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations. Over the past five years, 338 people have been rushed to the hospital after choking on mochi or other foods, and over 90% of them were aged 65 or older, according to statistics updated last month by the Tokyo Fire Department. More than half of those hospitalizations — 177 — have occurred in January and December, when mochi is most often served.

    Authorities have offered tips for avoiding mochi-related incidents, including chewing slowly, cutting the cake into small pieces, and moistening your throat with tea or soup before eating it.

    Mochi is a staple of the Japanese New Year’s holiday menu and is often eaten in a savory soup called ozoni. Emily Anderson, a curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, told “CBS Sunday Morning” that New Year’s Day is the biggest holiday in Japan, and the rice cake is an integral part of celebrating.

    “Eating mochi is a really important part of the most important family-oriented day,” she said.

    Mochi on a plate in Japan on December 29, 2021. 

    Lars Nicolaysen/picture alliance via Getty Images


    But the glutinous cakes can easily get stuck in people’s throats, restricting breathing — and sometimes causing death.

    In 2022, four women choked to death on the rice cakes and 12 other people were hospitalized. In 2015, nine people were believed to have died taking part in the annual culinary tradition.

    In 2001, a woman reportedly saved her father’s life when she used a vacuum cleaner to dislodge mochi from his throat.

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  • Ground beef recalled in 6 states over possible E. coli contamination

    An Idaho-based company is recalling ground beef in six states over concerns that it may be contaminated with E. coli.

    The recall, announced Saturday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, affects 2,855 pounds of ground beef sold by Heyburn, Idaho-based Mountain West Food Group to distributors in the following states: 

    • California
    • Colorado
    • Idaho
    • Montana
    • Pennsylvania 
    • Washington

    The recalled product, a 16-oz.vacuum-sealed package of grass-fed ground beef, has a label that says “Forward Farms”; a use or freeze by date of 01/13/26 and “EST 2083” printed on the side of the packaging, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

    FSIS said it discovered the issue during routine testing, when sampling results revealed the presence of E. coli O26, a strain of the bacterium that can cause diarrhea and vomiting, and, in more severe cases, a severe infection.

    No illnesses have been reported thus far. Anyone who is concerned about a potential illness should contact their health care provider, FSIS said.

    Consumers who have purchased the recalled ground beef are advised to throw it away or return it to the place where they purchased it, the agency said.

    Edited by

    Aimee Picchi

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  • When grocery stores reject produce they describe as imperfect, this company steps in

    Monticello, Florida — Not every satsuma mandarin grown at Florida Georgia Citrus — a family farm in Monticello, Florida — is the orange of a grocery store’s eye. 

    “That’s what we call an imperfect piece of fruit,” owner and operator Kim Jones said as he showed CBS News a larger, almost pear-shaped satsuma that would be rejected by grocery stores. 

    The farm harvests about 7 million pounds of produce per year. But what Jones cannot sell gets sorted into separate bins, where he only has a few weeks before determining what must be thrown out.

    The crates, filled with hundreds of oranges, are just a small portion of the more than 20 billion pounds of produce that U.S. grocery stores reject each year because they say they are imperfect, according to ReFED, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing food waste. 

    An estimate from Missouri-based nonprofit Kanbe’s Markets pegs that amount at a value of more than $17 billion in food waste annually.

    This comes as food prices have skyrocketed over the last three years. A $100 grocery bill in early 2022 is now more than $118, according to the CBS News MoneyWatch price tracker.

    Abhi Ramesh noticed a problem with the system seven years ago.

    “The whole grocery ecosystem’s been built around making sure everything’s perfectly uniform on the shelf,” Ramesh said, noting that the discarded fruits present “an opportunity.”

    Ramesh launched Misfits Market in 2018, an online grocery store that buys rejected produce from farmers and packages it in four warehouses across the country.

    “When people think about food waste, they think, oh, is it stuff rotting in a landfill?” Ramesh said. “But that’s not it. It is the apple that wasn’t shaped perfectly…At the same time, you have millions of folks all across the country that don’t have access to healthy, affordable food.”

    The online grocery store hasn’t yet turned a profit, but Misfits says it has so far saved 200 million pounds of food from being trashed by shipping it to customers across the country.

    Jojo Cheng says she started shopping at Misfits about four years ago, where she’s been able to take advantage of the often-discounted rejected produce.

    “I find stuff is usually like 15% to 20% off on Misfits versus in the regular grocery store,” Cheng said. “…And you can also get items that you wouldn’t typically see at, like, your local grocery store.”

    Cheng says that she now tends to buy most of her groceries online.

    “This helps reduce food waste in grocery stores and helps with farmers as well,” Cheng said of Misfits.  

    Back on the farm, Jones says that any idea that helps save food from being thrown out is a plus.

    “You peel all that off and you wind up with a juicy piece of fruit,” he says of one rejected satsuma. “…It’s still got a good flavor.” 

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  • Why is eggnog a seasonal drink?

    By the numbers, there’s a good chance you’ll be offered some eggnog this season. Some love it, some don’t — but numbers show, according to Smithsonian Magazine, Americans drink 15 million gallons of it annually. 

    Atop the Four Seasons Hotel is the Nordic Village and a seasonal bar.

    “We make our eggnog house-made,” bartender K’leia Coates said.

    She made it using six egg yolks, one cup of sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon. Some people add liquor, while others don’t.

    According to the Smithsonian Magazine and Britannica, eggnog has British roots. In the 13th century, monks whipped eggs and figs. The British Elite started making a version with sherry. In the 1700s, George Washington served his own version at Mount Vernon.  

    As for the holiday, timing, cream and alcohol were seen as luxury ingredients that would invite prosperity for the new year. 

    At Tim and Tom’s Speedy Mart in St. Paul, the seasonal appeal of the drink got them wondering.

    “They tried to sell it out of season. January went by, February went by and we were just selling cases and cases of it,” Ted Spreigl said. “It’s been a hit. So we sell about 500 quarts a year. The most popular is they put it in their coffee in the morning, they use that instead of creamer.”

    The sales, he says, are worth toasting.  

    “I am the eggnog king, apparently,” Spreigl said.

    Another theory on why eggnog is served during the holidays is that, traditionally, it’s served warm for cold nights. 

    Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

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  • Instacart to end AI price tests for retailers following investigation

    Instacart said Monday that it would halt the use of an AI-powered tool that allowed retailers to charge customers different prices for identical items on the grocery delivery platform.

    “Effective immediately, Instacart is ending all item price tests on our platform,” an Instacart spokesperson told CBS News in an email statement. “Retailers will no longer be able to use Eversight technology to run item price tests on Instacart.”

    The announcement comes after a recent investigation by Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative, an nonprofit advocacy group, found evidence that retailers such as Albertsons, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market and Target were testing the AI pricing system. 

    The organizations based their findings on data gathered from more than 400 volunteers during online shopping sessions in September. During one test conducted for a Safeway in Seattle, the price for a box of Wheat Thins varied by as much as 23%. 

    Retailers will continue to set their own prices on the delivery website, and they may still offer different prices at different brick-and-mortar locations, Instacart said Monday in a blog post.

    Instacart acquired Eversight, an AI-enabled pricing platform, in 2022, and began offering pricing software to retail companies in 2023. 

    Instacart claims the AI pricing tests did not include customers’ personal, demographic, or user-level behavioral characteristics. The decision to end the use of its pricing tool was made in response to feedback from Instacart customers, a company spokesperson said Monday.

    Reuters reported on Dec. 17 that the Federal Trade Commission was probing Instacart over its AI pricing tests. The FTC decined to comment on the report, but said in a statement that it was “disturbed by what we have read in the press about Instacart’s alleged pricing practices.”

    The FTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Instacart shelving its AI pricing technology.

    In a separate case last week, Instacart agreed to pay $60 million in customer refunds to settle federal allegations of deceptive practices after the FTC accused Instacart of falsely advertising free deliveries and not clearly disclosing service fees.

    Edited by

    Alain Sherter

    The Associated Press

    contributed to this report.

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  • Here’s why Madison, Minnesota is known as the “Lutefisk Capital of the Country”

    With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the “Lutefisk Capital of the Country.”

    The moniker is a source of pride for many in Madison, Minnesota.

    “Mayor Maynard Meyer, Madison, Minnesota … yeah, that’s a mouthful,” said the town’s mayor, Maynard Meyer. 

    “What does lutefisk taste like to me? I’d rather not say on the air,” said Madison Mayor Maynard Meyer. 

    His name may be a tongue twister, but when it comes to lutefisk his feelings are pretty clear.

    Despite not being a fan, he has no problem promoting the Scandinavian delicacy. In the early 80’s the Olsen Fish Company in Minneapolis noticed that this little town in western Minnesota was buying more lutefisk per capita than anywhere else.

    “Somebody clamped on to that and said we could be the ‘Lutefisk Capital of the USA,’” said Meyer.

    That’s how Lou T. Fisk was born. He’s a 25-foot-long fiberglass codfish that’s been sitting in Jacobson Park since 1983.

    More than once Madison has had its “Lutefisk Capital” title challenged by other towns. And when that happens, their response is: your town doesn’t have Jerry Osteraas.

    Every November, Madison has a lutefisk-eating contest. And every November, the 79-year-old typically wins.

    “Out of 52 years, I’ve lost five times,” said Osteraas.

    This year he tied two other lutefisk-loving competitors. They ate 11 pounds of fish in one hour.

    The competition starts in the kitchen. That’s where VFW cook Emily Hansen says she plugs her nose and goes to work.

    “To test it to make sure it’s done, the fork needs to go through,” said Hanson, who has been baking lutefisk for 30 years. “If we get it over done, it gets jelly like.”

    In one of the rare contests Osteraas lost, he blamed the fish.

    “I got a dang bone stuck in my tooth and I couldn’t get it out,” said Osteraas. “Now I bring my needle nose pliers with.”

    He eats his lutefisk with butter. Others use salt and pepper. Some like it plain. Others don’t like it at all. But even if you don’t eat lutefisk in this town, you’re still a fan.

    “I see people from out of town taking pictures near the lutefisk statue all the time. Hopefully they leave with a good impression of our town,” said Meyer.

    Lutefisk is typically dried cod that is rehydrated in a lye solution and soaked in water before it’s served.

    Madison holds its annual lutefisk-eating contest during Norsefest, which is the second weekend in November.

    John Lauritsen

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  • Thanksgiving could cost less, some side dish prices went up


    Thanksgiving is about a week away.

    The overall price of a Thanksgiving meal might be cheaper than last year. This year, American Farm Bureau Federation says the average cost for a 10-person meal is just over $55. 

    That’s down almost $3 from last year.

    This cost analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation showing the cost of turkey in stores has dropped. The Farm bureau analysis showing $21.50 for a 16-pound bird.

    Many retailers are offering Thanksgiving deals on turkey which is typically the most expensive part of the meal. 

    The other items that are ringing in a little cheaper: cubed stuffing, fresh cranberries and a dozen dinner rolls.

    A few sides did rise in price. 

    That’s frozen peas, whipping cream and three pounds of sweet potatoes will cost $4.

    “Definitely noticeably higher for sure there are many things on sales seasonally right now but definitely feel it,” said shopper Katie Harich. “Prices are really high, way higher than they used to be.”

    Ashley Grams

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  • Ultra-processed foods linked to higher risk of precancerous polyps, new study finds

    Eating ultra-processed foods could lead to an increased risk of being diagnosed with precancerous colorectal growths for women under 50, according to new research.

    A study, published Thursday in JAMA Oncology, looked at health outcomes for 29,105 nurses under 50 who underwent at least one colonoscopy. Participants were followed from June 1991 until June 2015 and filled out questionnaires about their eating habits every four years. The researchers looked at two forms of precancerous polyps: adenomas and serrated lesions.

    Women who had an average of three ultra-processed food servings per day had a 3% risk of a precancerous polyp, while women who had an average of 10 or more ultra-processed food servings per day had a 5% risk, according to the study. 

    Only about 5% of adenomas are cancerous, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but about 75% of colorectal cancers start as these growths. The study did not find any links between ultra-processed foods and serrated lesions. 

    “You do see an increase in risk with more servings of ultra-processed food products,” said CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder, the editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News. 

    Ultra-processed foods account for more than half of the average American’s diet, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even though most dietary guidelines recommend restricting them. Ultra-processed foods have also been linked to dozens of other health issues, including diabetes, sleep issues, heart trouble and early death. 

    Study participants who ate more ultra-processed foods also had a higher body mass index, and were more likely to have a history of smoking, according to the research. They also tended to have lower levels of physical activity and consume fewer nutrients like fiber and Vitamin D.

    “I don’t know if there are any good ultra-processed foods,” Gounder said. “Clearly the more you’re eating, the worse for your health, the higher the risk for various complications.” 

    Ultra-processed foods don’t have a set definition, but they often include packaged foods and beverages, items made without many whole ingredients, and less obvious products like condiments and sauces. Study participants who had diets higher in sugars and artificial sweeteners, as well as packaged savory snacks, had higher rates of adenoma development. 

    The federal government has said it is planning to define ultra-processed foods, Gounder said. In the meantime, a “good rule of thumb is: if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on the package, it is probably an ultra-processed food,” she said.

    Researchers are still working to determine exactly how ultra-processed foods affect the body. 

    “We think that the ultra-processed foods are changing your microbiome, so those are the bacteria in your gut. So that causes increased inflammation, it can cause increased permeability of the gut wall,” Gounder said. “And then secondly, we know ultra-processed foods are associated with an increased risk of obesity and diabetes which we also know increase the risk of various cancers, including perhaps colon cancer.” 

    Edited by

    Sarah Lynch Baldwin

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  • A 107% U.S. import tax on Italian pasta could make your favorite spaghetti pricier — or hard to find

    Americans may soon be paying more for their favorite Italian pasta brands — or even have trouble finding imported spaghetti — as the Trump administration eyes a new import duty on 13 of Italy’s largest pasta exporters.

    The proposal, published by the Commerce Department in September, would add a new 92% antidumping duty after a U.S. government probe found that some Italian pasta brands, including La Molisana and Pastificio Lucio Garofalo, were selling their products below U.S. market prices. Combined with the existing 15% tariff on European Union imports, the total duties on Italian-made pasta could rise to 107%.

    That would represent one of the Trump administration’s highest import duty rates on any product, according to the Wall Street Journal, which earlier reported on the pasta dispute.

    If the anti-dumping duty goes into effect, the impact on American consumers would be substantial, according to Phil Lempert, food industry analyst and editor of SupermarketGuru. Some Italian pasta makers may simply stop exporting their products to the U.S., while others might raise their prices, he added. 

    “You don’t have enough domestic manufacturing to fill up those shelves,” Lempert said. “So you’re going to walk into the pasta aisle and you’re going to see it half empty.”

    White House spokesperson Kush Desai told CBS News, “Italian pasta is not ‘disappearing.’” 

    He added that the antidumping duty is a proposal and that it is not yet final. “The pasta makers still have several months to continue participating in this review before this preliminary finding becomes finalized,” he said.

    Yet some Italian pasta companies are preparing to pull out of U.S. stores as soon as January because of the threat of the new antidumping duty, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

    Which pasta brands could be affected?

    The antidumping duties — a type of federal tariff applied to imported products sold in the U.S. for less than their market value — would impact 13 Italian pasta makers, including La Molisana and Garofalo, according to a U.S. Department of Commerce publication. The companies did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.

    • Agritalia
    • Aldino
    • Antiche Tradizioni Di Gragnano
    • Barilla 
    • Gruppo Milo 
    • La Molisana
    • Pastificio Artigiano Cav. Giuseppe Cocco
    • Pastificio Chiavenna
    • Pastificio Liguori 
    • Pastificio Lucio Garofalo
    • Pastificio Sgambaro
    • Pastificio Tamma 
    • Rummo

    What comes next for Italian pasta

    Desai, the White House spokesperson, told CBS News that the companies in question failed to adhere to multiple data requests from the Commerce Department as part of a long-running probe into Italian pasta makers that has been ongoing since the mid-1990s.

    Desai added that there’s no “hard date” for when the duties would take effect. 

    The Commerce Department and International Trade Administration did not immediately respond to CBS News’ requests for comment.

    American pasta makers have long accused their Italian rivals of unfairly undercutting them on price. But the Commerce Department’s proposal may mark a tipping point for Italian exporters that rely heavily on the U.S. market.

    Last year, the U.S. imported pasta from Italy valued at $684 million, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, which offers global trade data.

    Edited by

    Aimee Picchi

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  • LomaBonita Market expands, brings Hispanic flavor to Richfield

    Shopping carts are rolling down the aisles of a Richfield grocery store for the first time in years. LomaBonita Market opened on Saturday, filling over 50 thousand square feet that previously housed a Rainbow Foods. 

    “It’s special because I think this place has been empty for 7 years,” said Porfirio Castillo.

    Castillo and his brothers are the ones bringing life back to the once-vacant building on West 66th Street. Castillo says they’ve been eyeing the space for years and had applied more than once in hopes of bringing their brand in. 

    “Two years ago we got a phone call, they said we’re ready,” Castillo explained. “I think it’s just the perfect time from God.”

    Inside, customers can find a taqueria, cremería, paleteria, carnicería and soon a tortillería.

    LomaBonita’s tortillaria will open in about two weeks, making fresh corn and flour tortillas on site. Castillo says they’re hoping to partner with local Minnesota farmers to provide the ingredients. 

    Though the brothers own five other stores, this one feels different to Castillo. 

    “This is the first one that we are opening that, we just imagine, dream, and finally there you go,” he said. 

    Argelia Montano drove over from Saint Paul to check out the store and ordered an aqua fresca. 

    “I’m so excited to see the Latino and Hispanic community growing,” she said.

    Castillo says his family moved to the US from Mexico several decades ago and opened their first shop, a bakery in Crystal. 

    “That’s the way we started, 20 years ago, really small business,” Castillo said.

    Now, he says they’ve had the opportunity to grow and combine ideas from each brother. 

    Ashley Grams

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  • Food writer Anna Ansari releases new cookbook inspired by international travel



    Food writer Anna Ansari releases new cookbook inspired by international travel – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    Food writer Anna Ansari’s new cookbook “Silk Roads” shares the recipes she has enjoyed on her travels around the world.

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  • Go behind the scenes with the culinary team fueling fans each game day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

    At Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to the Atlanta Falcons, beyond the game on the field is a high-powered team feeding thousands of fans.

    Deep inside the stadium, the pregame cooking starts before dawn – hours before kickoff.

    “Everything we do is in bulk, high volume,” said executive chef Matt Cooper. “So if we’re doing brisket, it’s 1,000 pounds of brisket, 1,000 pounds of pork butts, a couple thousand pounds of mac and cheese.”

    The culinary team consists of about a dozen chefs and 300 cooks, all led by Cooper, who said it takes about one week to produce the food for one game.

    The meals for the approximately 71,000 fans range from $2 hot dogs to a high-end tomahawk steak and thousands of pounds of wings.

    The culinary team consists of about a dozen chefs and 300 cooks to prepare for game day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

    CBS News


    Each game comes with a one-time only signature dish.

    “Once they’re gone, they’re gone and then next game, we come up with another wow item,” Cooper said.

    The unique dishes have included ones like the “Rack O Ribs Volcano.” It’s a full rack of St. Louis style ribs, stuffed with a pound of fan favorite macaroni and cheese on a bed of potato chips in a box that looks like the stadium.

    1761316973355.png

    The “Rack O Ribs Volcano” is a full rack of St. Louis style ribs, stuffed with a pound of fan favorite macaroni and cheese on a bed of potato chips in a box that looks like the stadium.

    CBS News


    Only 100 of the signature dishes were available at a recent game for $35.

    The stadium uses Levy Restaurant Group, which feeds fans at 10 NFL stadiums – each one boasting at least one signature food experience. 

    In Baltimore, Ravens fans get crab-shaped pretzels with stadium made crab dip. At Ford Field in Detroit, there’s the spin, dash smash burger combo, served with tater tots and Lions blue Sour Patch Kids. At a Carolina Panthers game, there’s the masked bandit sandwich.

    Top ranked stadium for food

    Mercedes-Benz stadium was voted as #1 for best NFL stadium food by USA Today readers and is consistently ranked by fans as being among the best food options in the NFL.

    “We want to make sure that everybody has a great time, specifically when it comes to food,” said Dietmar Exler, the stadium’s chief operating officer. 

    “We want to offer the right food for everybody, at the right price. … If you’re a guest … in our house, it wouldn’t be fair. Just because you’re in a stadium, you shouldn’t be paying more.”

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  • Wholesale turkey prices soar ahead of Thanksgiving. Here’s what’s behind the surge.

    Turkeys aren’t known for flying but their prices are soaring ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

    A September outlook report from the United States Agriculture Department estimates that wholesale prices for frozen turkeys will be $1.32 per pound this year, a 40% increase from 2024’s average of $0.94 per pound. 

    The wholesale price is what retailers pay to buy items in bulk. Retailers then decide how much they want to charge consumers. 

    The reason the birds — traditionally the centerpiece at the Thanksgiving table — are getting more expensive comes down to supply. The number of available turkeys has shrunk in recent years amid slightly weakened demand and avian flu outbreaks, according to USDA data. 

    More than 3 million turkeys have been impacted by bird flu outbreaks this year, including over half a million this month alone, USDA data shows.

    That translates to less turkeys: USDA forecasts that farmers raised around 195 million turkeys in 2025 compared with 200 million in 2024, a 3% decrease. To be sure, the number of turkeys in supply has been sliding over the last decade. In 2016, farmers raised around 245 million turkeys, roughly 50 million more than today’s supply.

    Deals abound

    Amid the rise in wholesale turkey prices, several companies are floating deals in an attempt to win over budget-conscious customers. 

    Walmart announced Tuesday that it is offering Butterball turkeys for $0.97 per pound this year. The retailer also said its 10-person meal deal will cost under $4 per person. Grocery chain Aldi has offered a similar deal, at $40 for 10 people.

    Retailers typically use turkeys as a loss leader,” David Ortega, a professor and food economist at Michigan State University, told CBS News. “That is they price them very competitively, sometimes even below cost, to draw shoppers into stores ahead of Thanksgiving.”

    Both deals represent a decrease in the average cost for a Thanksgiving meal from 2024, which was $58 for 10 people, according to a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Frozen turkeys that year accounted for a large share of Americans’ holiday grocery bill, at an average retail cost of $25 for a 16-pound bird.

    Despite the surge in wholesale turkey prices in 2025, Bernt Nelson, an economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation  doesn’t expect consumer prices to increase much. 

    “We see that uptick right now in the wholesale price by about 40%, so we’ll definitely see some price increases there, but I don’t think they’re going to go a whole lot higher above where they are at,” he said on a Farm Bureau podcast. 

    “Higher wholesale prices for turkeys are likely to translate into somewhat higher prices at the grocery store, but the increase consumers see will probably be smaller than what’s happening upstream,” Ortega explained. 

    In other welcome news for shoppers, CBS News’ price tracker shows that prices for Thanksgiving dinner ingredients like butter, milk and potatoes haven’t budged much compared with prices the same time last year. 

    Edited by

    Anne Marie D. Lee

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  • Extended interview: Danny Meyer



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    New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer sits down with “CBS Saturday Morning” as Union Square Cafe celebrates 40 years in business.

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  • Cannabis drinks are having a moment even as Americans consume less alcohol

    Americans are still cracking open cold ones, but what’s inside their cans is changing.

    More people are now reaching for cannabis beverages, nonalcoholic drinks infused with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main ingredient in marijuana that makes you feel high. Some varieties also include cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical compound found in marijuana or hemp that proponents say helps relieve pain, anxiety and other health symptoms. The drinks come in different forms including seltzers, juices, sodas and teas. 

    Consumer demand for cannabis beverages is growing as Americans drink less booze. According to a July Gallup survey, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol fell to 54%, the lowest level since 1939, when the polling organization first started tracking people’s drinking behavior. More Americans also believe even moderate alcohol consumption is unhealthy, the poll found. 

    Hundreds of brands small and large now hawk cannabis beverages, many promising to help take the edge off in social settings. 

    “There’s a replacement factor going on between THC beverages and wine and beer and distilled spirits,” said Beau Whitney, chief economist at Whitney Economics, an Oregon-based consultancy focused on the cannabis and hemp industry. 

    THC beverage sales in the U.S. are expected to grow from $1.1 billion last year to nearly $5.6 billion by 2035, according to Whitney Economics.

    “The remarkable growth and innovation we’re seeing in the hemp-derived beverage space is a clear sign of consumer enthusiasm and entrepreneurial success,” Michelle Rutter Friberg, director of government relations at the National Cannabis Industry Association, told CBS News in an email.

    Potential health impacts, side effects 

    Several THC beverage brands market themselves as nonalcoholic alternatives and say their drinks contain zero calories and zero sugar. Doctors, however, warn that cannabis beverages can come with side effects.

    Whether smoked or ingested as an edible or drink, cannabis can affect the brain, heart, lungs and mental health, CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder said, adding that the drug can trigger anxiety, paranoia, elevated heart rate and, in rare cases, psychosis.

    Potential short-term effects of cannabis include issues with memory, focus and coordination, said Gounder. 

    “People may have trouble remembering new information, paying attention or moving smoothly,” she said. “This can slow reaction time, cause slurred speech, and raise the risk of car crashes by 30%-40%. The effects depend on how much cannabis is used, how it’s taken and how used to it someone is.”

    Heavy or long-term intake of the drug, especially in teens, can lead to lasting issues with memory, attention and decision-making, said Gounder. Long-term use, she added, can also lead to cannabis-use disorder, which is a clinical term for addiction, defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as when users are unable to stop using cannabis even though it’s causing them health and social problems.

    Some heavy users may also develop severe nausea and vomiting, Gounder said. Those most at risk are pregnant individuals, teens, and people with mental or heart conditions, she added.

    The potential effects of a cannabis-infused drink can be felt in as little as 15 to 20 minutes, compared with 30 to 90 minutes for an edible, according to Dr. Staci Gruber, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, in a recent article on the school’s website. 

    “If you are interested in trying it and it is legal for you to do so, be mindful about controlling the experience until you know how a particular product affects you,” Gruber said.

    Target eyes THC segment

    The U.S. has a patchwork of regulations governing the sale of cannabis products, with states offering varying degrees of restrictions, including minimum-age requirements. THC beverages can be legally sold in 44 states in total,  37 of which allow sales outside of the marijuana dispensary systems according to Whitney. In those areas, the beverages can commonly be found at restaurants, bars, grocery stores and liquor stores.

    Cannabis beverages have even caught the attention of major retailers like Target. The Minneapolis-based chain confirmed to CBS News that it is testing the sale of THC beverages at certain Target liquor stores in Minnesota. While other retailers, such as Total Wine & More, already sell cannabis beverages, Target is the first big-box player to explore the THC beverage market.  

    “At Target, we’re always exploring new ways to meet our guests’ evolving preferences and needs,” a spokesperson said.

    Whitney Economics estimates there are 500 to 750 brands marketing cannabis drinks. Of those, roughly 30 are sizable labels with national distribution, while the rest are regional and local brands, according to Diana Eberlein, chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives Retailers, a group that represents stakeholders in the hemp and alcohol industries.

    Better-known names in the space include Cycling Frog, which makes THC seltzers and edibles; Cann, which markets itself as a “social beverage”; and Nowadays, which employs the motto “the future of drinking is here.”

    Mainstream alcohol brands are also testing the waters. Beer makers Lagunitas Brewing Company and Pabst Blue Ribbon have come up with their own THC-infused beverages.

    Whitney and Eberlein said the cannabis drink sector is growing most rapidly among women in their 30s and early 40s who are looking for more accessible, and less caloric, alternatives to alcoholic beverages.

    “They still want to have a beverage, but they don’t want the high amount of calories. They don’t want the alcohol, they don’t want the sugar, and they don’t want to have a hangover the next morning,” Whitney said. “They’re replacing their evening glass of wine with THC beverages.”

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  • Some protein powders and shakes contain high lead levels, Consumer Reports finds

    Consumer Reports says it tested 23 brands of protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes, finding that about 70% of the products it tested contained more lead in a single serving than its experts recommend people ingest in a day.

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  • Domino’s is serving up a fresh look for the first time in 13 years. Check out the redesign.

    Domino’s Pizza is getting a makeover that includes a short new jingle by singer-songwriter Shaboozey and a brighter look.

    The brand refresh, which the restaurant chain announced Wednesday, is the first update to Domino’s look in 13 years. It includes newly designed aprons and hats for store employees, as well as a promotional T-shirts, set to arrive in November. Revamped pizza box designs will be rolled out immediately, according to a company spokesperson. 

    Tying the refresh together is a new font called “Domino’s Sans” and more vibrant versions of company’s blue and red colors, which will appear across Domino’s branding online and in stores. 

    Domino’s will launch new optional T-shirts for team members as well as aprons and hats.

    Domino’s Pizza


    The new look is part of Domino’s effort to connect with younger audiences “across an ever-changing consumer landscape” the spokesperson told CBS News.

    As part of the refresh, the pizza chain also unveiled a new jingle called “Dommmino’s,” stretching the brand name to include “mmm.” Customers can hear it at the end of Domino’s new promotional video, which features singer Shaboozey, the Grammy-winning artist behind the popular track “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Shaboozey also collaborated with Beyoncé for two songs on her 2024 album Cowboy Carter.

    The company’s new pizza boxes will feature the Domino’s logo more prominently, set against either a blue or red background. Its stuffed crust pizza will be packaged in a black box with a metallic logo.

    A sampling of Domino's new packaging, which will feature brighter colors and a different font.

    Domino’s new packaging will feature brighter colors and a new font.

    Domino’s Pizza


    “Most companies rebrand themselves when they’re struggling, but after years of category-defying growth, this refresh is about continuing to push to be the best version of ourselves,” Kate Trumbull, Domino’s executive vice president and global chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

    Founded in 1960, Domino’s has 21,500 stores globally. The company has benefitted heavily from the use of its mobile ordering system. According to it’s website, Domino’s generates more than 85% of sales via digital ordering channels. In its July earnings report, the company posted a 4.3% increase in revenue from the same quarter in 2024.

    Brand redesigns don’t always work out in companies’ favor. In August, Cracker Barrel announced a new logo and store refresh that sparked public backlash, tanking the chain’s value by nearly $100 million. The company ultimately decided to shelve its remodeling plans.

    Mary Cunningham

    Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at “60 Minutes,” CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.

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  • Dozens of new foods available at Grand Casino Arena for Minnesota Wild season




































    Sneak peek at Grand Casino Arena’s food for Minnesota Wild season



    Sneak peek at Grand Casino Arena’s food for Minnesota Wild season

    02:06

    It’s a tasty start to the Minnesota Wild season over at Grand Casino Arena. 

    Ahead of Saturday’s home opener, the arena showed off some of its newest foods Tuesday.

    In all, there are about 40 new items including chocolate mint and scotcharoo flavors of the edible cookie dough. They’ll also have pierogis and plenty of fried food as a nod to the Minnesota State Fair.

    If you tried the deep friend ranch at the fair and loved it, you’re in luck. It’ll be available at the arena. 

    Grand Casino Arena’s executive chef said he was trying to pay homage to Minnesota staples. 

    “It’s important to me because it’s important to the fans. I’m here for the fans, I’m here for that experience. All of my 22 years of cooking, is relevant sometimes,” said Rosson. “It’s more important to get feedback and give people what they want to see.”

    12-taste-of-the-wild-broll-charest-00-00-3615.jpg

    WCCO


    A popular item returning is the Lavender Haze drink, which made its debut when the Minnesota Frost had their championship run in the spring. 

    Puck drop against the Columbus Blue Jackets is at 7 p.m.

    Beret Leone

    Beret Leone is a native Minnesotan who joined the WCCO team as a reporter in September 2022 – and she’s thrilled be back home in the Twin Cities! Beret grew up in Chaska and graduated from Bethel University.

    Beret Leone

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