Latest news with #OrganicValley
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Entrepreneur
Cottage Cheese Makers Can't Keep Up With Demand
Health influencers made cottage cheese so popular that companies are struggling to produce it fast enough. Once thought of as a kitschy diet food, lumpy bumpy cottage cheese is seeing an unprecedented rise in demand thanks to health influencers on TikTok. CNN reports that "young, protein-hungry consumers have whipped up new recipes and posted them online," creating a buzz that brands and manufacturers are struggling to satisfy. Related: Dubai Chocolate TikTok Popularity Causes Pistachio Shortage John Crawford, SVP of client insights for dairy at the market research firm Circana, told the news outlet that for decades, cottage cheese was considered "your grandparents' food," but "TikTok changed all that." Cottage cheese sales in the U.S. jumped 20% year over year, according to data from Circana. That follows an approximate 17% increase in 2024 and 2023. Cottage cheese is high in protein, low in sugar, and "appropriate for a GLP-1 diet," reports CNN. And has led to a slew of recipe videos that have gone viral on TikTok, like this one for "strawberry cheesecake ice cream." "Organic Valley Cottage Cheese is selling faster than we can make it," Andrew Westrich, marketing manager at Organic Valley, told CNN. Sales increased more than 30% in the first half of 2025, he says. Good Culture went so far as to post an apology to consumers who are having a hard time finding their products on grocery store shelves. "[D]emand has been WILD," they wrote, promising that they "are working around the clock to get us back in stock." Is this just another chapter in the fad diet life of cottage cheese? Crawford doesn't think so. "It is not a fad when you are seeing double-digit growth in both dollars and in volume, quarter over quarter over quarter, for two years," he told CNN.
Buzz Feed
06-07-2025
- Health
- Buzz Feed
Best & Worst Hot Dogs Ranked By Nutritionists
OK, so hot dogs aren't the world's healthiest food, but admit it: If they weren't on the menu at summer barbecues, it'd feel like losing a friend. Fortunately, with a growing number of healthier hot dogs hitting supermarket shelves, it's become possible to indulge and still go easy on your body. You just need to know what to look out for. First things first: 'Avoid traditional or ballpark-labeled hot dogs,' Nicole Avena, a New York-based nutrition consultant, told HuffPost. 'These are usually the highest in sodium and contain the most additives and preservatives.' All processed meats are a health risk ― they've been linked to certain types of cancer, like colorectal cancer, because of the way they're preserved. But there are a few types of meat that offer less risk than the standard beef hot dog, Avena said. Look for a label that indicates whole beef, turkey or chicken, as opposed to mechanically processed and separated meats. Another important factor is sodium content. 'Choose hot dogs that have less than 400 mg (or less than 20% of the daily value) of sodium per serving,' said Gretchen Zimmermann, senior director of cardiometabolic care for Vida Health. (The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day.) Other indications of a higher-quality hot dog are if they're uncured and nitrate- and nitrite-free, and have minimal ingredients. 'Overall, uncured chicken or turkey hot dogs would be a better option, because they're usually lower in saturated fat and less processed than beef,' Avena even if the label says 'uncured,' 'no nitrates added' or 'all natural,' it doesn't mean these options are necessarily healthier. Natural preservatives, such as celery powder and celery salt, may sound better, but there's no evidence they're safer, so it's still best to minimize your intake. The same goes for veggie dogs: Choose dogs with minimally processed ingredients, such as tofu, instead of heavily processed soy protein concentrate or isolate. 'An occasional processed veggie dog isn't likely to be harmful, but these soy ingredients haven't been well-studied, so there are still some concerns about their safety,' said Samantha Cassetty, nutrition expert and co-author of Sugar Shock. To save you time scanning nutrition labels, here are the healthiest and the least healthy store-bought hot dogs, according to nutritionists. A healthy beef option: Organic Valley Uncured 100% Beef Hot Dogs 'The Organic Valley hot dogs boast healthy ingredients like organic grass-fed beef, organic spices, garlic and onion powder (although celery powder is used as a preservative),' Zimmermann they're uncured, this makes them your best bet for avoiding high amounts of carcinogens -- and compared to traditional dogs, they're lower in calories, sodium and saturated fat. A healthy beef option: Applegate Naturals Do Good Dog Uncured Beef Hot Dogs Applegate Naturals Do Good Dogs are made with regeneratively sourced beef that's 100% grass-fed. They use just four simple ingredients: beef, water, salt and spices.'You are what you eat, and a healthier diet for the animal you're consuming means a healthier diet for you too,' said Marissa Meshulam, a registered dietitian based in New York City. An unhealthy beef option to avoid: Ball Park Brand Prime Uncured Beef Franks Even though the packaging says 'uncured,' it only takes one glance at the nutrition facts to know these hot dogs aren't the best Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting calories from saturated fat to less than 10% of one's total calories per day to promote heart health. 'A 2,000-calorie diet would equate to less than 20g of saturated fat per day,' Zimmermann said. 'The Ball Park Prime Uncured Beef Franks provides nearly half that amount in one serving.' Even before the bun, ketchup and other salty condiments and accessories are added, these hot dogs pack a whopping 710mg of sodium in one serving, as well as 230 calories, 20g of fat, 9g of saturated fat, 2g of carbohydrates and 9g of protein. Bottom line: Yikes. A healthy pork blend: Applegate Naturals Natural Stadium Beef and Pork Hot Dogs 'Applegate Naturals uses antibiotic-free beef and pork to make these without any preservatives — just natural spices and herbs,' said Amy Shapiro, a New York-based registered dietitian. The franks contain no fillers and no added nitrates or nitrites (except for those naturally occurring in sea salt and celery powder). A healthy pork blend: Seemore La Dolce Beet-a Pork Sausages The pork used to make these sausages is animal welfare-certified, and the dogs themselves are minimally processed. 'Plus, the brand adds fresh beets, garlic and fennel, which further boosts the nutrient content,' Meshulam are no preservatives or phosphates, and the only nitrates or nitrites are those that naturally occur in cultured celery powder and sea salt. An unhealthy pork blend to avoid: Kayem Beef & Pork Hot Dogs These dogs contain a boatload of fat and sodium, as well as corn syrup and dextrose (two types of added sugar), mystery flavorings and preservatives. 'This can indicate the company uses pork byproducts to produce their product, not lean pork or beef,' Avena said. A healthy turkey option: Organic Valley Uncured Pasture-Raised Turkey Hot Dogs These turkey hot dogs are made using meat from animals that have been humanely raised, and the hot dogs are free from fillers and potentially harmful salt sources like sodium nitrates and nitrites, Zimmermann said. They also contain 20% less sodium than the leading organic brand. A healthy turkey option: Applegate Natural Uncured Turkey Hot Dog The turkey dogs from Applegate Farms are as clean as it gets — the turkey is organic and humanely raised with no antibiotics, and the hot dogs themselves contain no fillers or preservatives. 'They simply contain organic turkey and organic spices and herbs,' Shapiro said. 'They're a lean and light option, coming in at 70 calories each with under 4g of fat.' An unhealthy turkey option to avoid: Ball Park Brand White Meat Smoked Turkey Franks Ball Park's turkey franks contain mechanically separated turkey, which, 'to keep it simple, means the meat isn't coming from a good part of the turkey,' Meshulam said. 'It's more likely ground-up bone paste.' They're also loaded with sodium, at almost 600mg per dog. ('That's more than I recommend in a full frozen meal,' Shapiro said.) A healthy chicken option: Applegate Organics Great Organic Uncured Chicken Hot Dog 'This is an excellent choice for a hot dog with just a handful of ingredients, including organic chicken, water, sea salt and spices,' Zimmermann said. 'There are no artificial or naturally occurring nitrate or nitrite sources either, like celery powder, making it one of the best summer grilling hot dog options.' A healthy chicken option: Bilinski's Mild Italian Chicken Sausage with Bell Peppers The line of chicken sausages by Bilinski's are another excellent summer grilling option. 'Not only are they made with only organic chicken breast, water and spices, they're pretty lean,' Meshulam said. The brand's mild Italian option has only 2.5g of fat per dog (0.5g of that being saturated fat) and 13g of protein. An unhealthy chicken option to avoid: Gwaltney Original Chicken Hot Dogs While Gwaltney's chicken dogs are lower in fat, they contain mechanically separated chicken, which means 'you're not just eating chicken meat, but also tendons, veins and skin,' Shapiro said. On top of multiple sodium sources in the ingredients, this hot dog uses 'natural' flavors, which may contain unknown chemicals added during the manufacturing process. 'The word 'natural' isn't regulated by the FDA and can mislead consumers,' Zimmermann said. 'Overall, the high sodium content and long list of ultra-processed ingredients make this chicken dog a no-go.' A healthy vegetarian option: Upton Naturals Updog Vegan Hot Dog This vegan hot dog alternative has a texture similar to meat. 'It contains 19 grams of protein from vital wheat gluten or seitan (the main protein of wheat),' Avena said. 'The limited ingredients and preservatives make it a great meat-free hot dog option.' A healthy vegetarian option: Jack & Annie's Jackfruit Sausages Many 'not dogs' out there contain iffy ingredients (like soy protein isolate), inflammatory oils (canola) and lots of stabilizers and additives to make them taste good. 'While they're 100% better for the environment, they're still very processed products and may not be that much better for your health,' Meshulam said. Instead, go for a real plant-based protein (like tofu, beans or legumes). Jack & Annie's Jackfruit Sausages, for instance, are made with a base of jackfruit — a plant that eats like your favorite meat — and prepared with natural seasonings. An unhealthy vegetarian option to avoid: Lightlife Smart Dogs To make these non-meat dogs taste like meat, Lightlife uses a lot of processed ingredients, including soy protein isolate, 'a very processed and broken-down form [of] soy I tell my clients to avoid,' Shapiro said. 'They also use three different sweeteners, soy and canola oil, guar gum and xanthum gums, too — so many ingredients that cause inflammation in the body.' What if your favorite hot dog is one of the 'unhealthy' options listed above? If any of your go-to dogs made the 'steer clear' list, it doesn't mean you have to ghost them. 'Going to barbecues and eating less healthy foods are part of living a joy-filled life,' Cassetty advice? If you feel that no family barbecue is complete without a Ball Park frank in your hand, then have one and enjoy. Just don't make hot dogs a way of life.'The occasional hot dog at a barbecue when you're otherwise eating a mostly healthy diet isn't going to wreck your health,' Cassetty said. 'So pick the one you'll enjoy and be mindful of your diet as a whole.'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local cow competing in national competition for happiest
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A cow from a local farm needs your vote to be crowned the happiest cow. Organic Valley, a dairy company, is holding 'Happy Cow Showdown' to identify the happiest cow from its company in America. Daisy the Holstein cow is one of eight contenders, and is from Settlage Family Farm in St. Marys. Why are porch lights blue in Ohio? The Auglaize County cow is described as having a peaceful lifestyle. 'Just like her namesake flower, she can often be found planted in lush organic pastures swaying in the breeze,' said Organic Valley. Three rounds of voting will be active for the contest. Voting Timeline Number Advancing May 1-11 Top Four May 12-28 Top Two May 19-27 Most Votes Wins One tree will be planted by the company for every 10 votes cast, up to 1,000 votes. To vote for your favorite cow, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
4 Expensive Grocery Stores Only the Rich Can Afford To Shop At
If it feels like your grocery bill has gone up exponentially over the last few years, that's because it has. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices have risen nearly 24% from 2020 to 2024. Check Out: Read Next: To cut back on costs, many Americans are being mindful about where they shop and opting for discount or low-cost grocery chains. Yet for some grocery chains, being out-of-budget for the average shopper is part of their renown. Here's a look at some of the most expensive grocery chains in the U.S. where only the rich can afford to shop. Right now Erewhon is only located in Southern California, but it's gone viral nationwide for its high prices. Hailey Bieber's famous Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie sells for $20, but if you want a really elite strawberry experience, you can purchase a single berry from luxury Japanese fruit vendor Elly Amai for $19. If you want to do a whole grocery haul at Erewhon, you can easily spend $1,000 on your cart, Vanity Fair reported. Learn More: Whole Foods announced that it was reducing prices on 25% of its products in 2024, but it still boasts hefty costs compared to some other grocery stores. For example, a 24-ounce package of organic chicken bone broth costs $12.79 at Whole Foods while a comparable product sells for $8.49 at Sprouts. Like Erewhon, the Gelson's chain of supermarkets is only located in Southern California. Established in 1951, the first location was created to 'provide discerning consumers with an extraordinary grocery shopping experience' — and that shopping experience costs a pretty penny. The chain was rated a 1 out of 5 by Consumer Reports for its price competitiveness, the lowest possible score. A single organic avocado will set you back $3.99 at Gelson's, while you can get a four-pack of organic avocados for $6.39 at Target. The first The Fresh Market store was opened in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1982, with the goal of bringing a European-style food market to America. Today, the grocery chain has 166 locations in 22 states. It was rated a 1 out of 5 by Consumer Reports for its price competitiveness. The store does seem to sell its products at a premium — 64 ounces of Organic Valley Omega-3 DHA, Whole Organic Milk sells for $7.69 at The Fresh Market, while other chains sell the same product for $6.89. More From GOBankingRates 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early 12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines Sources Mashed, '14 Most Expensive Grocery Chains In The US' U.S. Department of Agriculture, 'U.S. food prices rose by 23.6 percent from 2020 to 2024' Vanity Fair, 'How Erewhon Became Everyone's Favorite Grocery Store Hot Spot' Fortune, 'Whole Foods is cutting prices and ditching its 'Whole Paycheck' aura to appeal to inflation-weary shoppers' Consumer Reports, 'Grocery Store & Supermarket ratings' This article originally appeared on 4 Expensive Grocery Stores Only the Rich Can Afford To Shop At Sign in to access your portfolio
