What's in Store at Your Supermarket: Top 10 Food Trends for 2012
(ARA) - Last year's high grocery prices had many Americans looking for ways to save at the supermarket. The upswing in prices over the past 12 months may have you wondering what will happen this year at your local grocery store.
In partnership with ConAgra Foods, industry expert, and "Supermarket Guru," Phil Lempert, predicts an interesting year ahead.
"We will continue to see higher prices, but we will also see all the different ways Americans love their food - in supermarkets, on television, at restaurants and now even on their mobile phones," Lempert says. "We are on the verge of what may be one of the most exciting and game-changing years in the food world."
Lempert advises consumers to watch for 10 major trends in their supermarkets this year:
- Higher food prices - Last year's trend will continue, so consumers will place even more emphasis on ways to save money. In addition to already-popular methods like coupons and frequent shopper cards, you may want to consider using your mobile device to menu plan while you shop. Websites like ConAgra's ReadySetEat.com give you recipe ideas and can also help you find out which ingredients are on sale in your store.
- The group experience will grow - Food blogs set a foundation for group experiences, food trucks tweet their locations, and flash food raves assemble underground at midnight. More Americans are choosing to eat and shop together in new ways. Mobile app marketers will offer "social rewards" for groups that shop together - think of it as the virtual version of warehouse clubs.
- The baby boomer influence will grow - Last year, the first of the 76 million-strong boomer generation turned 65. Their influence on the supermarket will show up this year in increased healthful food options, wider aisles and lower shelves.
- Increased emphasis on "farm to fork" - More Americans are interested in knowing where the food comes from. In 2012, you'll see more blogs and social media featuring farmers, as well as advertising and TV programs starring farmers as food experts. Hunt's tomatoes, for example, are grown in Oakdale, California and harvested at the peak of ripeness then flash-steamed to maintain the natural tomato goodness.
- The end of the checkout lane - Tech-savvy options are gaining popularity, with consumers enjoying self-checkouts, comparing prices at nearby retailers, and taking advantage of the convenience of cellphone scanners, in-store interactive media devices, QR codes, RFID and mobile coupons.
- Ethnic on the road - Food trucks are replacing gourmet and specialty stores as the channel to experiment and discover new food experiences - especially when it comes to ethnic foods. More often than not, these ethnic food trucks are operated by natives of the countries from which the actual cuisines being offered originated, and they have the ability and knowledge to share the heritage and romance of the food.
- It's a man's (grocery shopping) world - Dads aren't just winning the bread; these days, they're also bringing it home from the grocery store. A Bureau of Labor Statistics study found that 41 percent of men are now preparing food for their families, as compared to half that percentage in 2003. Look for them to do more grocery shopping, too, Lempert predicts.
- Extreme home cooking - More people will continue to eat at home to save money. Following the lead of extreme couponers, groups of everyday cooks pride themselves on making the most food for the least amount of money.
- How sweet it isn't - Reduced sugar products and revised Nutrition Facts panels will be the biggest health claim in 2012. With the negative health effects of sugar and high fructose corn syrup gaining so much attention, look for a continued emphasis on reducing sugar in our diets. Food producers like ConAgra are responding by eliminating high fructose corn syrup from such staples as Peter Pan peanut butter and Hunt's Ketchup products.
- Listen to your food - You judge the readiness of some foods (like microwave popcorn or grilled burgers), by the sounds they make. Multisensory perception will be one of the new "food sciences" in 2012, as psychologists and food scientists join forces to design, create and influence the sounds of our foods to convey freshness, taste and even health attributes.
For more information about Phil Lempert's 2012 predictions, visit SupermarketGuru.com, and for simple meal ideas made in 30 minutes or less, visit ReadySetEat.com.
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By CelebrityBabyScoop.com
After 9-years of marriage to Michael Stone, we were sorry to hear Mayim Bailik‘s divorce announcement last week.
But they’re not the only ones. It seems there’s a new split every other week among Hollywood’s couples. But there’s a few duos that keep the flame burning in Tinseltown. From David and Victoria Beckham‘s 13-year union, to Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick’s two decade-plus marriage, let’s take a look at 10 Hollywood couples with strong marriages.
? David & Victoria Beckham:
David and Victoria Beckham are practically British royalty. Dubbed ‘Posh and Becks’ by the media, the longtime couple have been married for 13 years.
Seemingly blissful since their July 1999 wedding, the British power couple have four children together: sons Brooklyn, 13, Romeo, 10, and Cruz, 7, and 1-year-old daughter Harper.
“Our house is a really happy house,” Victoria said. “There are kids running around and laughing and joking, I smile so much more than people would think. There’s nothing better than being in LA with my kids, cooking dinner with my husband and having a romantic night in…I’m growing older with the most amazing man I’ve ever met – with my soul mate. Life’s great.”
? Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck:
Married for 7 years, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck seem like one of the happiest couples in Hollywood with their three children: daughters Violet, nearly 7, and Seraphina, nearly 4, and 9-month-old son Samuel.
The Garflecks, who wed in June 2005, seem like the perfect match.
“Jennifer played such a profound role in making me a better person,” Ben said. “We don’t have a perfect marriage, but she inspired me; and finding myself in that marriage and having a child dovetailed with getting to be a little more mature.” He added of his wife, “She truly is kind. She means no one any harm. She doesn’t have ill will for any person. She’s not competitive with other people. She’s not spiteful. It’s one of those things where it becomes almost aggravating at times. Every time I go, ‘F— him!’ I see in her face that she just thinks that’s petty and small.”
? Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale:
Rockstar couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have been married for 10 years and appear to have the perfect family-of-four with their two sons Kingston, 6, and Zuma, 4.
After celebrating their 2002 wedding with three ceremonies, the No Doubt frontwoman recently said marriage can be hard, but a dream come true.
“My biggest accomplishment is my marriage so far,” Gwen said. “Because it’s hard, everyone knows it’s hard. [Marriage] is something that I always wanted to do successfully. It was a dream of mine. I like the official-ness and the family-ness of it all, having the same name and making decisions together.”
She went on to say they are closer than ever after a decade together.
“[Our relationship] is better than it’s ever been. Like, we’re learning about each other all the time. He’s an amazing dad, he works so hard – I can hear him writing songs through the wall, and it is at a much quicker pace than me! He balances me out. And he – he never stops liking me, which is awesome! It makes me feel happy, that someone likes me as much as he does.”
? Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick:
Sarah Jessica Parker married Matthew Broderick in 1997 in a simple black dress. Fifteen years after their wedding day, the couple have three children – son James Wilkie, 9, and 3-year-old twin daughters Tabitha and Loretta – and plenty of life lessons along the way.
“Kids can really distract you from your relationship,” SJP admitted. “Maybe in good ways and bad ways. It’s important to have all eyes on all parts of the relationship. It’s something you really have to pay attention to. But you figure it out.”
The high profile couple have been together a long time – especially by Hollywood’s standards – but the Sex and the City star admits they’ve had their ups and downs. “We’ve been together for 20 years and you have good days, you have decent days, and you have bad days. That’s a marriage,” she said.
“He does lots in the house,” she continued. “He shops for me a lot and he cooks for all of us. There are a lot of things he does better than I do, so it balances itself out. I don’t feel taken advantage of. We take care of each other.”
? Faith Hill & Tim McGraw:
The country superstars that tour together, stay together. So it seems for power couple Tim McGrawand Faith Hill, whom are well known for their critically acclaimed Soul2Soul tours.
After meeting in spring 1996 during the Spontaneous Combustion Tour, the country crooners were wed within a few months. They have welcomed three daughters during their 16-year union: Gracie, 15, Maggie, 14, and Audrey, 11.
“I think we have a lot of respect for one another. We have a good time. We are friends – we like each other. It’s as simple as that,” Faith shared. “And don’t take everything so seriously. Enjoy life. We have our health and our kids are healthy.”
Tim added, “And I say ‘yes ma’am’ a lot.”
? Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick:
A-list couple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are a rarity in Hollywood with a two decade-plus marriage.
Wed in September 1988, the Hollywood couple – who are parents to son Travis, 23, and daughterSosie, 20 – are sure to keep their relationship a priority.
“I feel the primary relationship has to be the mother and the father, and then it can be the kids,” Kyra said of the secret to her successful 24-year marriage. “Of course the kids come first in planning your life, but it’s incredibly important to keep your relationship as a couple strong and make time for it. It’s the foundation on which everything is built. Kids should know that your needs are important, because if they think your happiness lies only in them, that’s a lot of pressure on them. Plus, I think if you are pursuing your own goals, it makes your kids want to search for whatever their dreams and bliss are.”
? Hugh Jackman & Deborra-Lee Furness:
Hugh Jackman has said that “being with my family, definitely, without a doubt” makes him the happiest. The sexy Wolverine star has talked about his “mad love affair” with his wife of 16 years, actress Deborra-Lee Furness.
“I’m madly in love with her… more and more each day.”
The happy couple – who are parents to son Oscar, 12, and daughter Ava, 7 – have some “rules” to their successful union. And it sounds like it was love at first sight for the Aussie pair.
“It was like there was a big neon Las Vegas sign in my head pointing at her, saying, Do Not Let This One Go,” Hugh shared. “I’m famously indecisive, but this was crystal clear.” On keeping their marriage strong, he continued, “We have some rules, like never being apart for more than two weeks and always being honest. You also need a bit of surprise, which is my definition of romance.”
? Sarah Michelle Gellar & Freddie Prinze, Jr.:
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze, Jr. recently celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary.
The genetically-gifted couple first met in 1997 on the set of the teen horror flick, I Know What You Did Last Summer. Wed in Mexico in September 2002, the A-listers are now parents to daughterCharlotte, 3, and son Rocky, 2 months.
And it sounds like Freddie enjoys being at home while SMG acts as the family’s breadwinner.
“He loves it. We fight over who gets to stay home,” the Buffy alum said of her stay-at-home husband. “You’d think it would be the opposite, that the parents would be like, ‘No, I’ll go to work!’ but he’s like, ‘You stayed home for two years! It’s my turn!’”
She added: “He and Charlotte have too much fun. I’m jealous!”
? Alyson Hannigan & Alexis Denisof:
Happy couple Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof have been married for 9 years and have two daughters together: Satyana, 4, and Keeva, 6 months.
Married in October 2003, the couple first met on the set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And it sounds like there’s nothing but love in the Hannigan-Denisof household.
“He is an amazing dad,” Alyson gushed of her husband after welcoming their first daughter. “It’s been such a profound experience for both of us. He’s just so remarkable, such a great, great father. It makes me want to cry how happy I am that she gets to have him as her dad. It’s a beautiful relationship to watch grow. She is a lucky girl.”
? Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos:
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos met in 1995 as costars on the popular soap opera All My Children. The two eloped the following year and have welcomed three children together: Michael, 15, Lola, 11, and Joaquin, 9.
While Kelly is sure to gush about her hunky hubby, she says they do argue sometimes.
“[Mark is] kind of awesome,” Kelly gushed. “I think he makes me better. He makes everything in our lives better.” She added that they do fight sometimes. “We argue about children, discipline, homework, good-cop/bad-cop. He says he’s the bad cop and I’m the good cop, but really they associate him with fun and after-school activities. They associate me with inoculations, X-rays, and stitches. He’s more apt to dole out discipline, but my punishments are real.”
And she said the flame is still burning in their 16-year marriage.
“I think about my husband in the middle of the day because I love him and I can’t wait to see him,” she said. “He is my best friend. Nobody knows me the way he knows me. We’ve seen each other in an Avatar, ‘I see you’ way.”
She said their inspiration comes from their own parents. “Together our parents have been married for almost 100 years. We’re all swans; we mate for life,” she shared.
Who is your favorite longtime Hollywood couple? Who do you think will stand the test of time?
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