As the holidays approach you may have more time to read, listen or watch online so this post provides some suggestions. Unfortunately, the news doesn’t stop for the holidays so in this post you will read about the latest in SNAP & the shutdown, how some retailers cheaper holiday meals rely more on private in-house brands, California defines ultra-processed for school meals after their legislation passes, and how, in some locations, there are penny shortages…read how McDonald’s is addressing these for cash-paying customers and more. Weight-loss drugs continue to make inroads in America as Medicare/Medicaid will cover them for those with high BMI and certain health conditions and how GLP-1 drugs continue to shape our food shopping and more.
What’s Trending
The food landscape continues to evolve in surprising ways. GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Zepbound are reshaping grocery aisles and menus, with retailers and restaurants offering “GLP-1-friendly” options and even one retailer now including a filter for online shopping. Penny shortages highlight the ongoing shifts in how paying cash may mean paying more at retailers like McDonald’s. Meanwhile, the holidays are shining a light on affordability—many major retailers are rolling out lower-cost meals featuring more private-label items. From school cafeterias to supermarket shelves, policy and innovation are intersecting in real time, setting the stage for how we’ll eat, buy, and think about food in 2026.
A CURATED LIST OF MUST-READ CONTENT
In the News…
Timely news to know: The chaos of funding SNAP benefits during the shutdown continues (and will likely change again when you read this post). Some retailer holiday meals are cheaper because they have private-label items. After legislation passes, California defines ultra-processed for school meals. Depending on where you live, you may pay more at McD’s if you pay cash. If you’re on Medicare/Medicaid, weight loss drugs to be covered in 2026 for some who qualify.
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- The SNAP chaos continues
- Retailer holiday meals are cheaper…more private in-house items may be why
- SNAP discounts during shutdown
- California defines ultra-processed foods for school meals
- Paying cash @ McDonald’s? You may pay more at some locations (A sign shows how this works)
- Medicare/Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs
GLP-1 in the news…
A round-up of GLP-1 news: Helping restaurants offer GLP-1 ‘friendly’ offerings, an online grocer now has a GLP-1 ‘friendly’ filter, a new survey finds the obesity rate falls – is GLP-1 having an impact? and Walmart will offer discount Zepbound.
Snapshots…
McDonald’s is losing low-income customers, cost of living by state and category and a ranking of states by how much food they waste. And if you thought there were way too many ways for people to access food online, here comes one more…ChatGPT!
Long reads, online viewing/listening…
First up on longer reads include McAtlas, a beautiful 415 page dive into McDonald’s across the globe with photos, history and pictures/descriptions of cultural foods on the menu. Online deeper dives look at how we got to the current focus on protein, food choice architecture, trust and behavior change, food packaging, who owns your health data and more. If you are looking for some short videos – past and present – that capture wide-ranging nutrition-related subjects from the National Food Museum. Lastly, 3 interesting podcasts: Buy Now Pay Later is a very interesting look at BNPL and the observation about how it targets young women; the 2nd podcast explores the culture of Costco which reminds us that many places people shop for food may have a cultural resonance for them; and a 3rd podcast is an interview with Dr. Marion Nestle.
CLICK HERE FOR RELATED NEWS
- McAtlas
- How we lost the plot on protein
- Nudging healthier habits: food choice architecture explored
- Building trust to support behavior change
- Food for thought: which processed foods deserve a spot on your plate?
- The impact of regenerative agriculture
- A look at food packaging
- Who owns your health data?
- Short videos – National Food Museum
- Buy Now Pay Later and how it targets young women, KQED’s Forum, Oct. 23, 2025
- What does Costco mean to you?, KQED’s Forum, Oct. 30, 2025
- What to Eat Now author, Dr. Marion Nestle, November 11, 2025