Albertsons Companies’ Post

The towering burger and ballooning bagel have withstood public health campaigns, but a new movement to shrink servings is finally gaining traction. Portion sizes in American restaurants shot up in the 1980s and never came down. The average serving of spaghetti and meatballs doubled. Bagels ballooned into six-inch-wide monstrosities. Burritos started to weigh more than a Harry Potter hardcover. Nutritionists and policymakers haven’t had much success fighting portion creep, which has been linked to health problems associated with obesity. Attempts to legislate soda sizes were shot down. Calorie counts on menus have largely gone ignored and might even be harmful. Even celebrity-dusted public health campaigns from the White House didn’t move the needle much. But today, a combo plate of economics, demographics and climate science may accomplish what years of official hand-wringing could not: loosening the grip that super-size restaurant portions have on the national diet. Americans are not likely to break up with endless pasta bowls and half-pound burgers overnight. But the relationship has shifted significantly. More than 75 percent of customers say they want smaller portions for less money, according to the 2024 National Restaurant Association report on the industry.

The closure of two Save A Lot grocery stores in southern Dallas shows often overlooked pillars of health: #nutrition and #food security. Without access to affordable, fresh food the health disparities gap widens. That’s why it’s critical we shift the health system to address food deserts as part of a holistic approach to #healthequity. With food insecurity on the rise, the role of community organizations, policymakers, and health advocates becomes ever more critical. Solutions must go beyond the immediate and tackle the root causes of food insecurity, including promoting policies that ensure long-term access to nutritious, affordable food options. Everyone, regardless of their zip code, has access to the food that nourishes and sustains. #HealthNotJustHealthCare https://lnkd.in/gwxy-mN2

Why would resource constrained households favor "unhealthy" foods? Interesting piece from Supermarket News and Dinesh Gauri examining the causation behind SNAP spending on so-called "hedonic" foods, often higher in things like sugar and salt. WHY? Decision science 101 tells us that food and beverage are core enablers of emotional self-regulation. In other words, humans can create huge impact on how we feel - emotionally - based on what we eat or drink. Our longitudinal database shows that resource-constrained households feel forces like inflationary pricing with the most potent impact. When you're struggling, negative things like economic pressure have a hugely emotional impact, and you react in similarly-emotional ways. And feel-good foods are a sure-fire way to feel better, fast. So, the insights here are correct that "cravings" are behind many of these purchase decisions, but it goes much deeper. We've seen shopper desire to "feel good now" continually grow since 2019, and this is at the center of many purchase decisions at all levels of the socio-economic scale. #consumerinsights #foodandbeverage #shoppermarketing https://lnkd.in/gPNNTRSJ

In the fight against food insecurity, one of the biggest challenges is not just providing food—but ensuring access to healthy and nutritious options. Over 3.1 billion people worldwide are unable to afford a balanced diet. In rural and urban food deserts, people struggle to access fresh produce, whole grains, and other essentials that promote long-term health. At EETZ Rescue, we’re working to change this. Our app connects surplus food directly to nonprofits, ensuring that nutrient-rich meals—rather than processed or low-quality options—reach those in need. By bridging this gap, we not only fight hunger but also improve the health and well-being of underserved communities! #FoodInsecurity #FoodRescue #EndHunger #EETZRescue

We all know groceries can be expensive. According to the USDA, a moderate grocery budget for a family of four is nearly $1,200 a month. As families try to make ends meet, and cover the cost of housing, utilities, medicine and more, there is often not enough left to buy the food they need to stay healthy and full. So, TEAM Project MANNA helps to support our local food pantries by providing healthy options, such as produce, meats, dairy, eggs and more. That way, when a family stops by a food pantry, they can build upon healthy habits and select foods that can sustain them - benefitting their energy levels, moods and more. https://lnkd.in/eCXKi-UX

"How much should I be spending on groceries?" I get this question ALL the time, and you're going to hate the answer..."It depends." Every month, the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service releases a chart showing what Americans spent on "Cost of Food at Home at Three Levels," weekly and monthly, and for how many people of what age. By doing some simple addition, you can find out where your household stands! It's always 1-2 months in arrears, so they just released June 2024. Here's a screenshot, and the link is in the comments!

“Telling Americans to eat less and exercise more only blames the victim. The food industry produces that addictive burger and soda that override willpower, driving your body to gain weight. Toxic foods like that create an astounding amount of secondary consequences for humans, the environment, and the economy…Up to 40% of our food is wasted in the field, in transport, in the retail environment, in restaurants, by food service companies, and in our homes and sent to landfills…A recent study found that your risk of death from heart disease was 31% higher if you consumed 2 sugar-sweetened beverages a day. Every extra drink caused the risk to go up by another 10%…The other big problem with the soda industry is that as taxpayers we pay for 31 billion servings of soda to the poor through SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), or food stamps. That is $7 billion a year, the biggest line item in SNAP, which accounts for almost 10% of the ‘food’ purchased by SNAP recipients…Soda is one of the very few things that has been proven to cause obesity.” Mark Hyman, MD

"How much should I be spending on groceries?" I get this question ALL the time, and you're going to hate the answer..."It depends." Every month, the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service releases a chart showing what Americans spent on "Cost of Food at Home at Three Levels," weekly and monthly, and for how many people of what age. By doing some simple addition, you can find out where your household stands! The report is always 1-2 months in arrears. Here's a screenshot of the most recent available month...the link is in the comments!

Here’s another example of the food industry hoodwinking the public, when will it stop? It’s been reported that some supermarkets are using fake farm brands, which is just another glaring example of how the food industry continues to deceive the public. From TV ads to billboards and supermarket shelves, we’re constantly bombarded with imagery that makes us believe we’re buying wholesome, local, farm-fresh products. The reality is that much of this food comes from industrial U.S. style mega-farms or is imported from overseas. We hear doctors and public health officials telling us that we need to take responsibility for our own health, and while I wholeheartedly agree, it’s not that straightforward when the food industry is given so much power. The truth is, governments continue to allow these corporations to flood our shelves with chemical-laden, ultra-processed foods that are harmful to our health. Many of us might find ourselves thinking, “Surely, this wouldn’t be allowed. Surely, they wouldn’t put profit over people’s wellbeing.” But sadly, the reality is PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE! We’re up against a food system that prioritises profit over health! Every day, I see how food companies use misleading labels, deceptive branding, and marketing tactics to trick consumers into thinking they’re making healthy choices. In my practice, it’s clear we are being set up to fail, and it’s time to demand better. This is why my initiative, Food for Thought: The Ultimate Children’s Pathway to Healthy Eating for Life’ is so important. I want to ensure the next generation is better equipped to navigate the food landscape and make informed, healthy choices. It starts with education and challenging the status quo of how food is marketed and produced. If you ever find yourself questioning the safety and transparency of the food on your plate, remember these three words: PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE! Always dig deeper, read the labels, and demand better for yourself and your family. RESPECT Your Future by Nourishing Today™ #FoodIndustryTruth #ProfitBeforePeople #RealFood #FoodForThought #SupportLocalFarmers #HealthyEating #FunctionalMedicine #RespectYourFutureByNourishingToday #health #responsibility #hrakthandwellbeing #HealthAndWellness #Truth #childrenshealth

Cold storage, food processing/packaging development is more than just building warehouses—it’s about understanding food at its core. As policymakers and consumers push for fewer preservatives and more natural foods, the food industry faces a growing challenge: how to maintain quality and shelf life without relying on chemical additives. This isn’t just a regulatory shift—it’s a fundamental change in how we store, transport, and preserve food. To truly innovate in cold storage, you need to understand what’s inside the corrugated box. Whether raw or processed, every product has unique biological traits and packaging requirements that impact temperature control, humidity, and airflow. Designing cold storage without this expertise is just building a box—it’s not solving the problem. Without deep knowledge of food biology and packaging technology, you’re just building cold space. To design and create real cold chain solutions, developers must think beyond refrigeration and logistics—they need to engineer environments that actively protect food integrity and maximize efficiency. Our team blends innovative thinking with hands-on food industry experience, ensuring that cold storage facilities are built for the future of food. If your business is adapting to this shift, let’s connect. #ColdStorage #FoodLogistics #SupplyChainInnovation #ColdChainSolutions #FoodBiology #PackagingTechnology #NaturalFood