Lunch, Lattes, and a Touch of Tartrazine

When in doubt, eat your neighbor’s lunch.

KEVIN HEARNE
American fantasy author
1970—
Trapped: The Iron Druid Chronicles

As the school year and autumn begin in the northern hemisphere, musings keeps step with the season.

This edition of musings looks at school lunches around the world and something to consider before putting those chips into your kiddo’s lunch box. Concluding our look at the news, we delve into America’s love of pumpkin spice.

Along with the weather, What’s Cool stays with our autumnal themes featuring lunch and a nod to football with some fun for mom.

Staying with the ladies, What We’re Reading includes Kristin Hannah’s bestseller, The Women, and Brittany Spears blockbuster memoir, The Woman in Me.

Feeding Littles Lunches is our cookbook offering. And for kids we’ve included a message from home and a humorous hug.

Finally, this issue’s recipe turns to Canada and Francine Lizotte (a.k.a., Club Foody). What better way to top off an autumnal feast than a slice of pumpkin pie along with some spice in your latte!

What’s Wonderful and Weird

Out to Lunch

Anyone following me on social media or this site knows I have a special connection to nutrition and kids. As a teacher I saw firsthand the power of feeding students. Consequently, it should be no surprise that I support organizations addressing hunger.

While the U.S. needs to do more to assure children receive three nutritious meals a day, other countries’ approach to school lunch surprised me. Having lived in Europe, I knew that students in some places simply go home for lunch. However, finding that only five countries in the world offer free school lunches was unexpected. Likewise, discovering the three countries without a national lunch program at all was even more of a surprise.

Learn how New York City led the way in providing school lunches. And see how some countries use school lunch as a lesson in civics as well as nutrition in this trip around the lunchrooms of the world.

A Touch of Tartrazine

How many of those school lunches packed with love will also be packed with chips? Doritos on your child’s menu? Chowing down on these tasty treats while watching your favorite team on tv?

That bright, orange Doritos glow comes courtesy of a chemical called tartrazine. Researchers found that adding water to the substance then dabbing it on mice turned their skin translucent.

Great (I guess) if you’re interested in seeing rodent innards in action. But—Hello—tartrazine is in a variety of foods, drugs, and cosmetic products that you and I use. No worries though. We are assured that the chemical is perfectly safe for rodent and human alike.

Wanna know what happens when you slather tartrazine on yourself? Read on, my friends. Read on.

A Latte Love

My love for coffee is no secret, though my preference is espresso or Turkish—black no sugar. Not so for many if not most folks, who’d rather have something added to their favorite blend.

Call it an addiction or a devotion, but Starbucks’ “Liquid Lab” created something of a monster when it concocted pumpkin spice latte (PSL) in 2003. Despite pumpkins being harvested in autumn, the coffee chain releases PSL earlier every year it seems.

But there’s “a latte” history that precedes Starbucks’ PSL along with an American love of pumpkins.

In case you didn’t know, pumpkins were originally an American (South and North) plant. Today they’re grown on every continent other than Antarctica. And in the North American colonies, pumpkins quickly became the stuff of pies and puddings. Spiced up with ginger, mace, nutmeg, and allspice, recipes for a pie and puddings appeared in American Cookery—the first cookbook written by and published in the American colonies.

Savor a sip as you relish this read and learn how the annual release of PSL may just need its own holiday on the calendar.

What’s Cool

Dye-ing for Some Snacks

Meanwhile, if the dye in Doritos doesn’t dissuade you, stock up and throw Cheetos into the mix. This pack of 40 individual snacks is perfect for that lunch box and isn’t orange the perfect seasonal color?

These individual bags are also great if you’re tailgating or snackin’ in the stands of your favorite football team.

Football Moms

In the same vein, show mom, your wife, or whatever football gal in your life some love this season. These high-quality, personalized tees can be designed with the name of a favorite team and come in several styles.

Want to sport the number of your favorite player—whether pee-wee or pro? You can with FLOCHIL tees! Not into football? No worries! Just visit the FLOCHIL store for other great gift ideas!

What We’re Reading

Nonfiction

From Mouseketeer to pop phenom, Brittany Spears has led a life shaped by the tabloids, family, and random others. The Woman in Me finally gives the narrative and ownership to her own story back to Spears. Moreover, she speaks with honesty and humor creating a testament to her resilience in the face of arguable manipulation and cruelty.

The critically acclaimed memoir has sold over 2 million copies. A #1 New York Times bestseller, it was named 2023 Book of the Year by Elle, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, NPR, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, among other publications.

Fiction

Critically acclaimed author, Kristin Hannah’s, The Women creates a powerful story with one undeniable theme: Women can be heroes!

Set in the chaos of the Vietnam War itself and the ensuing U.S. anti-war protests, The Women is a story of friendships forged in the heat of battle. Patriotism, idealism, courage, sacrifice, and resilience intertwine in the journey of protagonist “Frankie” McGrath from combat nurse to reviled veteran.

In addition, its portrayal of a nation divided resonates given the current political climate.

A #1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times lists, The Women is both an inspiring story and a painful reminder of how a nation can so often forget its heroes and its values.

Cookbook

Keeping with our theme of school lunches, this edition’s cookbook selection is Feeding Littles Lunches. But this New York Times bestseller has great ideas for feeding the big ones in your life, too.

With recipes and tips to make lunches quick, easy, and delicious, Feeding Littles Lunches includes swaps for picky eaters and special diets. For example, the book includes modifications for nine of the most common food allergies.

If packing lunch is one of your least favorite parental chores, this is one recipe book you can’t do without!

For the Kiddos

And why not pack a little extra love with those lunches! Lunch Box Jokes for Kids is this edition’s treat for the little ones in your life.

More than chuckles, these colorful cards are designed to create encouragement and inspiration. Easy-to-read jokes and puns are featured on the front on these durable cards. And the uncoated backs provide a perfect place for you to write a reminder that you care.

School can be intimidating for younger students. A laugh along with a personal word or two from home is one more way to fuel academic success.

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

DOUGLAS ADAMS
English author, screenwriter, essayist, humorist, satirist, and dramatist
1952—2001
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 

What We’re Eating

Pumpkin Pie and Coffee Creamer

Given my Balkan roots, as a child I associated pumpkins with jack-o-lanterns—not pie. Like Francine Lizotte, my appreciation for this delicious dessert came a bit later.

That being said, Francine’s Club Foody take on two fall classics—pumpkin pie and coffee creamer—are perfect for tackling autumn’s chill.

Savor both along with the changing seasons and the kickoff to the holidays!

This article includes quotes from Ian Makay’s Food for Thought: The Pleasures of the Table: Primi Piatti.

How About YOU!

Did you come across an interesting or strange slice of life in the news? Found a favorite new read? Discovered a new kitchen gadget, cookbook, or recipe you love, love, love?

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Read! Enjoy! Always remember to Savor Life’s Flavors!