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If I had to sum up Consumed’s raison d'être, it would be: Simplifying food. To that end, Liz and I work hard each week to break down the things that make shopping, meal planning, cooking, and dining out complicated, frustrating, or just plain annoying.
Of course, I know what kinds of things keep me up at night. But to make Consumed a truly indispensable resource, we want you to share your burning questions. Let us do the digging that you don’t have time to do, whether it’s about what’s behind those ‘no added sugar’ labeling claims you’ve been seeing all over the grocery store or who actually needs to add electrolytes to their water.
Don’t be shy — what are you dying to understand better about food products, restaurants, agriculture, policy, or nutrition? Send your question in now, and if we select it to answer in our next hotline post, we’ll give you a free annual subscription to Consumed.
You can leave a comment here or send us an email at consumednewsletter@gmail.com.
Maybe this is too much or too far off topic, but I'm concerned about the use of plastics in food packaging. Why do we continue to use it when we know that very little of it is recyclable? Who wants a skyscraper of yogurt containers piling up somewhere? What are the main barriers to replacing plastic with more sustainable materials in food packaging? And will it ever happen?
I’d love to see a deep dive on iron needs—especially how they change based on age, exercise, and menstrual changes (like with birth control). If I run and lift regularly, do I need more? And with mostly plant-based sources, how much higher should my intake be? Is iron from fortified foods as effective? Do I need to hit targets daily or over time? I also struggle to make smart food choices: if a sugary cereal meets 100% of my iron needs, is that really a good option? I want to understand how to choose foods that are truly healthy—not just high in iron on paper. Thanks for the consideration!