Jennifer Storelli

Once considered a food of the gods by Aztec and Mayan cultures, chocolate today is an affordable indulgence with some health benefits that has retained its popularity even during rough economic times. 

 Dairy alternative drinks are becoming so mainstream that they might soon deserve their own name, says David Sprinkle, research director and publisher of Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md.  

 Next to the brilliant colors of changing leaves, my favorite part of fall is the return of apples to the trees and apple drinks to store shelves.  

 As consumers continue to think about the quality of the food and beverages they consume and gain more curiosity about where their food comes from, they often turn toward natural and organic channels to find brands with the health and ecological benefits they crave.  

Although the concept of recycling might seem simple, with kids in elementary school classrooms being taught the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling, the execution of the concept can be a little bit more confusing. 

In these times when budgets are tight, many consumers are finding that private label bottled waters quench their thirst just as well as branded waters.