food

Dr. Curtis Chan, a dentist in Del Mar, Calif., loads up a truck with 5,456 pounds of candy to deliver to Operation Gratitude during the Halloween Candy Buyback on Nov. 8 last year. Chan personally collected 3,542 pounds of candy from patients.

Health & Safety

Cash For Halloween Candy? Dentists' Buyback Program Is Booming

11:04am November 04, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

If you're like many parents, by tomorrow morning you'll be facing a candy glut. One possible solution? Sell it to a dentist participating in a program that sends candy care packages to troops.

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Modern Farmer has a particular fondness for stories about anything having to do with goats.

With Style And Silo, 'Modern Farmer' Melds Agrarian With Urban Hip

10:42am November 04, 2014

by Dan Charles

Modern Farmer is less than two years old but it's already won a National Magazine Award. "We're making fun of ourselves, in a way, because we don't know anything about farming," says the editor.

Join NPR on Tuesday night for a virtual election party. Host your own party and invite your friends.

Election Night Eating: A Tasting Menu For What's At Stake

1:56pm November 03, 2014

by The Salt Staff

NPR's politics team is hosting an election night party Tuesday. But you can't have a party without good grub. So we've put together a menu inspired by the politics in play.

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory say their new genetic toolkit to improve tomato yield without compromising flavor can be used in all varieties, from plum to cherry.

Science

A Non-GMO Way To Get More, Tastier Tomatoes

12:33pm November 03, 2014

by Joe Palca

Farmers want tomato varieties that yield more fruit. Consumers want tastier ones. How to resolve that tension? A new genetic toolkit could help growers maximize the best of both worlds.

To turn acorns into something edible, you've got to crack the shells, pick out the nut meats, weed out the bad ones, dry them and grind them into meal.

Science

Nutritious Acorns Don't Have To Just Be Snacks For Squirrels

10:04am November 02, 2014

by Deena Prichep

Despite acorns' wide geographic range and long culinary history, few people eat them. But some fans say they're an untapped nutritional resource — if you're willing to do the work to process them.

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Proponents of the taxes say that if the measures pass, the money would be directed, in San Francisco, toward childhood nutrition and recreation and, in Berkeley, into the city's general fund.

Soda-Makers Try To Take Fizz Out Of Bay Area Tax Campaigns

10:35am October 31, 2014

by Sarah Varney

Voters will decide on a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks in Berkeley and a 2-cent-per-ounce tax in San Francisco. But the soda industry's lobbying group has spent millions blasting the measures.

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Elaborately decorated skulls are crafted from pure sugar and given to friends as gifts. The colorful designs represent the vitality of life and individual personality.

Decoding The Food And Drink On A Day Of The Dead Altar

12:22pm October 30, 2014

by Karen Castillo Farfán

The Mexican tradition celebrates the dead and welcomes their return to the land of the living once a year. Enticing them to make the trip is where the food, drink and musical offerings come in.

Confused about all the different sustainability ratings out there? The simplest option may be to shop at your local farmer's market.

Apps Aim To Guide You On 'Sustainable Food' (Whatever That Means)

12:04pm October 30, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Consumers who care about how their food is produced have a growing number of apps they can turn to at the supermarket. The problem? Nailing down just what sustainability means when it comes to food.

The headquarters of Monsanto, near St. Louis, Mo. Monsanto is the world's largest seed supplier.

Science

Monsanto Hired This Guy To Help It Win Over Millennials

11:08am October 30, 2014

by Eliza Barclay

Vance Crowe, 32, has a tough assignment: reach out to millennials, many of whom are skeptical of GMOs. Crowe says the company can do a better job of listening to their concerns.

Science

VIDEO: You Don't Know Jack-O'-Lanterns

9:54am October 30, 2014

by Adam Cole

Explore the guts and glory of pumpkin science with Skunk Bear's latest video.