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 What's On Your Plate
Evan Lutz of Maryland-based Hungry Harvest makes his pitch to the Shark Tank investors on Friday night's episode. The company rescues ugly and surplus produce that might otherwise have landed in the landfill, and sells it to subscribers instead. It also donates a significant amount of produce to groups that feed the hungry.

Evan Lutz of Maryland-based Hungry Harvest makes his pitch to the Shark Tank investors on Friday night's episode. The company rescues ugly and surplus produce that might otherwise have landed in the landfill, and sells it to subscribers instead. It also donates a significant amount of produce to groups that feed the hungry. Tyler Golden/ABC hide caption

toggle caption Tyler Golden/ABC

Food For Thought

Ugly Fruit Is Ripe For A Close-Up, As 'Shark Tank' Takes On Food Waste

A Maryland-based start-up is selling imperfect and surplus fruits and vegetables via subscription. It's co-founder will try to persuade investors food waste is good business tonight on ABC.

The MyPlate icon is the visual centerpiece of the USDA's advice for healthy eating aimed at the general public. Scientists and other public health advocates had called for adding a water symbol to the icon, but that didn't happen.

The MyPlate icon is the visual centerpiece of the USDA's advice for healthy eating aimed at the general public. Scientists and other public health advocates had called for adding a water symbol to the icon, but that didn't happen. USDA hide caption

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Eating And Health

Uncle Sam Just Told Us To Drink Water, Not Soda. You Might've Missed It

Scientists had asked the USDA to add a water symbol to MyPlate when it updated the Dietary Guidelines. It didn't happen. Instead, there's stronger language to opt for H2O instead of soda.

Extra-high amounts of sodium can be hidden in savory snacks like popcorn served at movie theaters and other concession stands.

Extra-high amounts of sodium can be hidden in savory snacks like popcorn served at movie theaters and other concession stands. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

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Eating And Health

We Eat Too Much Sodium Because Companies Keep Dumping It In Our Food

A study finds that nearly all Americans — regardless of age, race or gender — consume more sodium than recommended. The CDC says food companies need to work harder to cut it in their products.

Eat This, Not That: The U.S. government's latest Dietary Guidelines call on Americans to eat more vegetables and fruits, more seafood and whole grains, and to cool it on foods high in sugar, refined grains, sodium and saturated fats.

Eat This, Not That: The U.S. government's latest Dietary Guidelines call on Americans to eat more vegetables and fruits, more seafood and whole grains, and to cool it on foods high in sugar, refined grains, sodium and saturated fats. Morgan McCloy/NPR hide caption

toggle caption Morgan McCloy/NPR

Eating And Health

New Dietary Guidelines Crack Down On Sugar. But Red Meat Gets A Pass

An advisory panel had recommended telling Americans to cut back on red and processed meats. But that controversial advice is missing from the update to the government's official nutrition guidelines.

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A daguerreotype of Jack-Be-Little Squash, an heirloom variety from plant conservationist Amy Goldman's farm in New York's Hudson Valley.

A daguerreotype of Jack-Be-Little Squash, an heirloom variety from plant conservationist Amy Goldman's farm in New York's Hudson Valley. Jerry Spagnoli hide caption

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For Foodies

In 'Heirloom Harvest,' Old-School Portraits Of Vegetable Treasures

by Morgan McCloy

A leading expert of the daguerreotype started photographing a gardener's collection of heirloom vegetables 15 years ago. They've published a book to honor the unusual varieties in the collection.

Chipotle Mexican Grill founder and CEO Steve Ells, shown here in an interview with The Associated Press last month, says the company intends to become a leader in food safety.

Chipotle Mexican Grill founder and CEO Steve Ells, shown here in an interview with The Associated Press last month, says the company intends to become a leader in food safety. Stephen Brashear/AP hide caption

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Producers

After Chipotle Outbreaks, Will 'Food With Integrity' Still Resonate?

Chipotle's rise was fueled in part by its image as a healthy, ethical choice. After foodborne illnesses sickened hundreds, analysts say it won't be easy for the chain to win back customers' trust.

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Cattle carcasses hang on hooks inside a cooler at the JBS beef processing plant in Greeley, Colo. JBS employs some 3,000 workers at this plant. The company is looking into ways to automate the art of butchery.

Cattle carcasses hang on hooks inside a cooler at the JBS beef processing plant in Greeley, Colo. JBS employs some 3,000 workers at this plant. The company is looking into ways to automate the art of butchery. Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Producers

World's Largest Meatpacking Firm Wants To Test Out Robot Butchers

by Luke Runyon

Cutting meat is hard, hazardous work, and it still takes thousands of workers to run a modern beef plant. But protein powerhouse JBS is looking for ways to automate the art of butchery.

The FDA worries that the same alkaline treatment that gives corn masa its distinctive aroma and flavor might also prevent folic acid from remaining stable in masa. The agency is currently reviewing test results looking at the question of stability.

The FDA worries that the same alkaline treatment that gives corn masa its distinctive aroma and flavor might also prevent folic acid from remaining stable in masa. The agency is currently reviewing test results looking at the question of stability. Verónica Zaragovia for NPR hide caption

toggle caption Verónica Zaragovia for NPR

Eating And Health

Why Tortillas May Hold The Key To Healthier Babies

by Veronica Zaragovia

In the U.S., pastas and breads come with a dose of folic acid, a B vitamin that prevents severe neural tube birth defects. But it's not allowed in corn masa, a staple for many Hispanic women.

Ingredients at a Sweetgreen restaurant in Washington, D.C.

Ingredients at a Sweetgreen restaurant in Washington, D.C. Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Eating And Health

Vegetables Likely To Take More Of Your Plate In 2016

Will we still be eating kale? What's changing in food as we begin 2016, and what can we expect?

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Stock graphic of people eating at a table
iStockphoto

Food For Thought

At This Dinner Party, Talking About Death With Strangers Isn't Taboo

WBUR

by Deborah Becker

Grieving can be isolating for young adults. A fledgling nonprofit invites 20- and 30-somethings to share their grief, with strangers, over a meal.

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Researchers have been studying the links between TV viewing and mindless eating for years. The news isn't good for our waistlines.

Researchers have been studying the links between TV viewing and mindless eating for years. The news isn't good for our waistlines. iStockphoto hide caption

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Eating And Health

Netflix And Chew: How Binge Watching Affects Our Eating Habits

by Susmita Baral

Lots of research suggests munching while watching TV promotes mindless eating. Overall viewing time is a key factor. But the genre of what you are watching may also influence how much you consume.

Seeing double after toasting? Just wait for the hangover that's coming, thanks in part to those bubbles in sparkling wine.

Seeing double after toasting? Just wait for the hangover that's coming, thanks in part to those bubbles in sparkling wine. Chris Nickels for NPR hide caption

toggle caption Chris Nickels for NPR

Food For Thought

Want To Avoid A Hangover? Science Has Got You Covered

Champagne and other booze flow freely on New Year's Eve. But if you want to wake to a new year without the side effects of alcohol, don't fret: We've got science-based tips for avoiding that headache.

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Jean Kristeller's 10-week program in The Joy of Half A Cookie is designed to curb overeating, help you feel your hunger and trust your taste buds.

Jean Kristeller's 10-week program in The Joy of Half A Cookie is designed to curb overeating, help you feel your hunger and trust your taste buds. iStockphoto hide caption

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Eating And Health

'The Joy Of Half A Cookie' And Other Mindful Mantras For Weight Loss

by Jean Fain

A leading mindful eating researcher has a new book that lays out a plan for how to curb overeating, trust your taste buds and get deep satisfaction from the quality, rather than quantity, of food.

Cage-free chickens in a barn near Hershey, Pa., get to roam and perch on steel rods (but they don't go outside). In September, McDonald's said it would buy only cage-free eggs, inspiring several other food companies to follow suit.

Cage-free chickens in a barn near Hershey, Pa., get to roam and perch on steel rods (but they don't go outside). In September, McDonald's said it would buy only cage-free eggs, inspiring several other food companies to follow suit. Dan Charles/NPR hide caption

toggle caption Dan Charles/NPR

Food For Thought

The Year In Eggs: Everyone's Going Cage-Free, Except Supermarkets

Egg producers who for years said they couldn't give up cages for egg-laying hens made the switch to cage-free in 2015. Big egg buyers, including McDonald's, Nestle and Subway, made commitments, too.

Clockwise from top left: General Mills, Nestle, Dunkin Donuts, Panera, Tyson Chicken and McDonald's, among other big food companies, made commitments in 2015 to change the way they prepare and procure their food products.

Clockwise from top left: General Mills, Nestle, Dunkin Donuts, Panera, Tyson Chicken and McDonald's, among other big food companies, made commitments in 2015 to change the way they prepare and procure their food products. Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty; Justin Sullivan/Getty; Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg/Getty; Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty; Paul Sakuma/AP; Ulrich Baumgarten/Getty hide caption

toggle caption Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty; Justin Sullivan/Getty; Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg/Getty; Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty; Paul Sakuma/AP; Ulrich Baumgarten/Getty

Food For Thought

The Year In Food: Artificial Out, Innovation In (And 2 More Trends)

From big food companies simplifying ingredients, to the U.S. government's new goal to reduce food waste, to a public image crisis for Chipotle, 2015 has been a big year for food.

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Ayesha Mumtaz inspects food during a raid on a backyard sweets factory in Lahore, Pakistan. Her campaign to clean up the kitchens and food factories of Pakistan has earned her the nickname "The Fearless One."

Ayesha Mumtaz inspects food during a raid on a backyard sweets factory in Lahore, Pakistan. Her campaign to clean up the kitchens and food factories of Pakistan has earned her the nickname "The Fearless One." Philip Reeves/NPR hide caption

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Foodways

Lahore's Food Safety Czar Declares 'War' On Unhygienic Food

In poorly regulated Lahore, Pakistan, Ayesha Mumtaz is a relentless enforcer of food-safety rules who strikes fear into local eatery owners. But some restaurateurs say she goes too far.

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