The first New Year's celebration dates back 4,000 years to Julius Caesar, then emperor of Rome, who declared Jan. 1 a national holiday. He named the month after Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates who had two faces, one looking forward and one looking back. Ever since, cultures around the world have commemorated the ending of one year and the beginning of another with special foods, music and other rituals. If New Year’s Eve had an official carol, it would easily be “Auld Lang Syne.” Every year, just after the clock strikes midnight, people around the world join hands and sing this beloved song. And New Year’s resolutions? People have actually been pledging to change their ways in the new year for an estimated 4,000 years. The tradition is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. The age-old custom of breaking one’s newly formed resolutions within several months is also said to have originated shortly thereafter. In modern times, nearly half of all Americans report making New Year’s resolutions. The top resolutions being to lose weight, get organized, to spend less and save more, to stay fit and healthy, and to quit smoking. But while nearly 50% of all Americans make resolutions, 25% of them give up on their resolutions by the second week of January, according to statistics. An estimated 1 billion people around the world also watch as a brightly lit ball in New York City descends down a pole atop the One Times Square building at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The world-famous celebration dates back to 1904, when the New York Times newspaper relocated to what was then known as Longacre Square and convinced the city to rename the neighborhood in its honor. At the end of the year, the publication’s owner threw a raucous party with an elaborate fireworks display. When the city banned fireworks in 1907, an electrician devised a wood-and-iron ball that weighed 700 pounds, was illuminated with 100 light bulbs and was dropped from a flagpole at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Lowered almost every year since then, the iconic orb has undergone several upgrades over the decades and now weighs in at nearly 12,000 pounds. In more recent years, various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

In 2025, the flexitarian lifestyle is one of the most popular trends among foodies, health coaches, and those looking for new ways of eating. While it’s not entirely accurate to say that flexitarianism is "back in style," its popularity is definitely stabilizing and continuing to evolve. It offers a more flexible approach to vegetarianism, or a plant-based diet, where followers can still enjoy the benefits of loading up on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and whole foods, without having to ditch animal products such as steaks (who doesn’t like a juicy burger?), seafood, dairy, and poultry entirely. This flexible approach to eating less meat still delivers big wins for heart health, weight control, cancer prevention, and the planet, without forcing folks to go vegan. It’s fair to say we are all accustomed to diets that “prohibit” certain meals/ingredients because of their impact on the body. The usual suspects are sugar, carbohydrates, and meat among others. But more often than not, a middle-ground between the extremes can work really well for some people or, in this case, a lot of people. It’s no secret that the success of a diet, or eating plan, is directly related to how it blends into a person’s daily lifestyle because, in the end, we want this new healthier habit to become that – a lifestyle. The flexitarian diet has risen to popularity entirely because of this – it is practical and easy to follow. It's good for your health because it has been shown to improve markers of metabolic health, lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. It helps you meet your nutrient needs, such as recommendations for vitamins and minerals that support health, including vitamins A, C, E, K and folate and the minerals potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese. It's flexible and easy to follow, without rigid rules, so eating out is doable and that includes alcohol. Whether you're transitioning for health, environmental, or ethical reasons, this balanced approach to plant-based eating makes it easier to stick with long-term. And let’s face it, we all want to improve our way of living without having to make too many sacrifices. And if there’s an option that allows us to do just that, we are sure to take it! Enter… The Flexitarian Lifestyle.

The following is an excerpt from an optimistic article published in the Santa Barbara Independent on February 21, 2008

Regenerative Agriculture has the power to change the world. Its practices can actually reverse climate change by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide and improving soil’s water-holding capacity. The farming industry currently contributes to billions of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year, degrades farmland with harmful tilling and over grazing methods, and wastes huge amounts of water, energy and other vital resources. The rapid degradation of global soils led the United Nations to warn us that the world’s remaining topsoil would be gone in 60 years, if we don’t act. That means less than 60 harvests left before the earth can no longer feed the planet and support our ecosystems. Fact #1: Regenerative agriculture minimizes the physical, biological, and chemical disturbance of the soil. Fact #2: Increases plant diversity. Plant diversity helps build healthy soils to better trap water and nutrients. Regenerative farms vary crop rotations, plant multiple species of cover crops together, grow diverse forage in pastures, and maintain permanent vegetation. A way to naturally defend against pests and diseases, while improving soil health and the ecosystem. Fact #3: Soil can draw down 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide–equivalent greenhouse gasses every year. Fact #4: RA helps maximize water use efficiency and improve water quality, helping to protect and restore clean water in nearby water sources like streams, rivers, and lakes. Fact #5: RA captures substantial amounts of carbon from the air and stores it in the soil, helping mitigate the effects of climate change. Fact #6: RA sequesters atmospheric carbon dioxide, reversing industrial agriculture’s contributions to climate change. Fact #7: RA’s holistic grazing practices can restore grasslands (30% of the earth’s surface is grassland), and 70% of those grasslands have been degraded. Fact #8: Regenerative practices such as no till farming and cover cropping are reducing erosion and water pollution, and in turn, producing healthier soils. Fact #9: Regenerative Agriculture produces nutrient-dense foods that are free from chemical contaminants. Fact #10: In a white paper titled “Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change”, the Rodale Institute states that “we could sequester more than 100% of current annual CO2 emissions with a switch to widely available and inexpensive organic management practices, which we term 'regenerative organic agriculture.'” In addition, research has found that consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for sustainable products, with some reporting a willingness to pay significantly more for goods that meet specific environmental criteria. Farmers, in turn, are being led into organic and regenerative farming practices by consumer demand. It’s where the money is!

Early in 2022, the Ecdysis Foundation, led by Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, Director/CEO of Blue Dasher Farm, launched the 1,000 Farms Initiative, with the goal of a long-term intensive study of farming practices on farms across the U.S. The aim of this initiative was to analyze the benefits of a shift to regenerative agricultural practices at a time when companies, consumers, catalyst organizations, and even governments, are encouraging change on farms in response to wicked problems like climate change and emissions, biodiversity threats, and pollution impacts. The South Dakota-based nonprofit issued an invitation to US farmers for participation, with the hope of including 350 farms from several of the 10 delineated eco-regions across the US in year one, and an additional 500 during 2023. Much to the team’s surprise, interest outpaced expectations. "We've had farmers actually register to be a part of this study from all over the world. Africa, throughout Europe, Australia, and South and Central America. We ended up having more than 1000 farms register to be a part of this first study," said Lundgren. Regenerative farming has now become more than just a buzzword—it’s a movement transforming the way we produce food. By prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, regenerative agriculture seeks to restore ecosystems and reverse the damage caused by conventional farming practices. Today, many major American, forward-thinking companies are partnering and innovating to support their farmers as they adopt and scale regenerative farming practices. Walmart, for example, is focusing its regenerative-farming investments on critical commodities such as wheat, soy, corn, rice and, recently, cotton. By partnering with the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative (MRCC), they will work together with 30,000 farming operations to advance regenerative farming practices across 30 million acres in the Midwest. PepsiCo has also announced a new 2030 goal, to deploy regenerative farming practices across 7 million acres—an amount roughly equivalent to the global land footprint needed to supply crops for all their company’s products. This is only one of their many current iniatives. “Farmers are critical to our business. We envision a world where food is grown in a way that revitalizes the earth, supports farmer livelihoods, feeds a growing population and innovates how ingredients are grown. PepsiCo aspires to protect biodiversity, all while seeking to support a positive future for farmers, communities and our planet. By joining forces with different partners across the value chain, we aim to empower farming communities through education, upfront investment in outcomes, peer coaching and cost-sharing – and hopefully inspire others to join the effort.” ~ Jim Andrew, EVP, Chief Sustainability Officer for PepsiCo

What's on the plate of the person sitting next to you? It turns out that trying a bite is no longer a problem! Sharing food is the new trend. Today, it permeates all levels of society. Whether its vegan snacks or exquisite appetizers at luxury restaurants, sharing food is everywhere today. One possible reason for this is the agony of choice in a huge menu offering. Having to decide on a single dish from an abundance of dishes can be difficult. Much more tempting is the possibility to taste different appetizers and then talk about them. In modern societies, groups of friends are increasingly taking the place of family and fixed partner structures, but the longing for family closeness and the warmth of a nest remains and is shifting to the restaurant. In a world often characterized by haste and individualism, this trend offers a soothing alternative. The idea of eating together not only promotes conviviality but also creates a special atmosphere in which guests can get closer and exchange ideas. It is a trend that encourages conscious consumption, as meals can be enjoyed more intensely in company. This “New Sharing” revolutionizes the traditional concept of individual enjoyment and opens up exciting possibilities for restaurateurs who want to offer their guests a unique experience. With specially designed sharing platters and "shareable dishes", everyone at the table can discover and enjoy the different flavors together. Implementing shared dining in restaurants, however, requires a rethink in terms of menu design, table arrangements and tableware. The selection of dishes must be varied and shareable in order to promote the experience of community. It is also important to arrange the tables in such a way that they offer sufficient space for the diverse bowls and platters that are central to this trend. From modern bistros and ethno-culinary restaurants to tapas bars and sushi joints, this trend is finding a place in a variety of gastronomic concepts. Whether in urban centers, tourist hotspots, or idyllic rural areas, sharing food connects people and creates a sense of community that is extremely attractive to many guests. For restaurateurs, the rethinking and redesigning can be a worthwhile investment in 2024. Events like family style dinners offer the opportunity to be different from the competition and offer guests an experience that will not only be remembered, but Instagemmable as well.

Though charcuterie first rose to prominence in 15th century France, meat-and-cheese boards have now spiraled into a massive trend on social media, propelling some enthusiasts to the status of "charcuterie influencer." A search for "charcuterie" on Instagram yields nearly one million results, and on Facebook there are hundreds of public and private groups dedicated to the art form. Influencers posting artsy photos of 'adult Lunchables' are blowing up among millennials with small living spaces and a passion for meat and cheese. "It blows my mind every time I open the app and have a hundred notifications or 2,000 new followers on TikTok," Maggie Johnson told Business Insider of her newfound social media stardom. On a whim, Johnson filmed herself in October washing cartons of blackberries and grapes over a marble-lined sink, carefully slicing wedges of cheese and opening packages of cured meats before arranging them ornamentally around a circular wooden board. Though she had been privately watching videos on TikTok for months, she decided to share her own video for the very first time, posting it to her page before heading into an early shift at the bakery where she works in Nashville, Tennessee. When she opened the app during her break, she was astounded to find that her post had thousands upon thousands of likes and comments. Three months later, she amassed more than 175,000 followers to her TikTok page @magsmeals, where she regularly shares charcuterie-related videos. Johnson — an epicurean at heart, who first started making charcuterie boards for her sorority sisters in college — discovered that she had unwittingly tapped into an obsession among young Americans suddenly seeking out charcuterie content unlike ever before. Though charcuterie itself has existed as a culinary delicacy for centuries, it only really flourished into a bona fidé social media phenomenon in the past year, marking those like Johnson as "charcuterie influencers" along the way.

Shoppers are feeling the pressure as inflation pushes up prices for gas, groceries and a range of other goods and services. While people still appear willing to shell out to travel, go to the movies or have a drink or two, surging prices and fears of a recession also have them pulling back in other areas. Alcohol is still a category that remains generally protected from economic downturns. People are going out to bars again after drinking more at home during the early days of the pandemic and, even as brewers, distillers and winemakers raise prices, companies continue to bet that people are willing to pay more for better-quality alcohol. “Consumers continue to trade up, not down,” Molson Coors Beverage CEO Gavin Hattersley said on the company’s earnings call in early May. It might seem counterintuitive, but he said the trend is in line with recent economic downturns. Alcohol sales have also been shielded in part because prices haven’t been rising as quickly as prices for other goods. Back in May, alcohol prices were up roughly 4% from a year ago, compared with the 8.6% jump for overall consumer price index. According to a survey from NPD Group, a consumer research firm, however, more than 8 in 10 U.S consumers report that they are planning to make changes and pull back on their spending in the next three to six months. “There is a tug-of-war between the consumer’s desire to buy what they want and the need to make concessions based on the higher prices hitting their wallets,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry advisor for NPD. The restaurant industry is also seeing signs of potential trouble, although how eateries are affected could vary. Fast-food chains have traditionally fared better in economic downturns since they’re more affordable and draw diners with promotional deals. Some restaurant companies are also betting that people will keep dining out as long as grocery prices rise faster. The cost of food away from home rose 7.4% over the 12 months that ended in May, but prices for food at home climbed even faster, shooting up 11.9%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This gap is seen as an advantage for the restaurant industry.