LYRA MAG.

Older folks (that would be 18+) are purchasing more food/drink items from smaller companies with a transparent supply chain, better quality ingredients- sustainably sourced, closed loop packaged and -maybe most importantly for buyers-  that are superior tasting - for slightly added (or same) costs. No wonder these indie brands are being bought up by large consumer packaged companies-who cannot conjure up 'like' offerings as nimbly. Baby foods for humans-may not get the Instagram social media influencers marketing campaigns (yet)  -like furry babies pet foods- but a walk down any grocery store aisles reflects the changes of food preferences -the same as adult eats. New products: From a couple (Megan + Keith Rowe) inspired to feed their offspring- White Leaf Provisions adds oomph to certified USDA organic baby food with its travel friendly assortment of Demeter certified biodynamic® and "regeneratively farmed™- shelf stable Apple+ sauces and vegetable/fruit pure...

ATHLETE ESSENTIALS Crunchy Sweet, Bite Sized... New Snacks that are everything their supposed to be (FUN TO MUNCH ON)-with added nutritional benefits. I mpressive- SPROUT  is a private company that makes a slew of tasty snacks-packed for one-six sized portions-perfectly portable for on the go crunch musts.   In the mix-veggies form the basis of USDA ORGANIC goodness...no circumspect ingredients in the mix! Everything we sampled-from the airy properly puffy Two Peas in a Pod-to the densely crunchy Crinklez-...were great. And dip worthy. Toddlers and kids of all ages will enjoy.  There is a slightly less salty/greasy taste than the mass market junk food equivalents...fyi. Which might a be plus for many. This company also makes baby eats. Pumkin Carrot Crinklez pictured-(also Cheesy Spinach Crinklez) and Two Peas In A Pod - Aged White Cheddar. (other flavors-Broccoli, Sweet Potato Cinnamon). ALL Gluten + Dairy Free, VEGAN, Non-GMO, no added sugar, no fake col...

Part 2 ( Part 1 ) Bergdorf Goodman's Palette-adorn with NO based artist Ashley Longshore signature pop art style and humor. Pale, tart or punk-ed... pink is popping' up everywhere... Soft shade of BLUSH...by NINA in their wedding -and prom worthy shoes + clutches ...elegant  Contesa Bloom Reflective Suedette $79, pleated clutch Locklin  $33.60 (or go deep in persian rose options) Warm+shaggy...glam faux fur is THE luxurious outerwear worthy of both genders who make wardrobe  statements. The new label N'ONAT by Nihan Onat =our cold weather obsession (Instagram @nonatatelier ) FOREO- Luna Mini and Mini 2-ultra soft silicone cleaning brushes-T-Sonic™technology- sonically cleans. We love this magenta color-that's trending in beauty tools and kitchen utensils-though home appliances are still sticking with a pastel pink (for now).   via GIPHY NAKED... Half Naked Watermelon Passion Fruit is a handy refreshing smoothie-for p...

Heartbeat elevators -like outdoor bike rides- hitting the trails or barely moving indoors- watching basketball-hockey playoffs-US Open-binging Netflix...are all ideal set-ups for our snack nation-that does just THAT all day. Most Wanted: A sweet chewy indulgence -less the crash burn-and non-GMO  (meaning  among other things -no GMO modified stuff sprayed  with this )... TRY: No need to twist an arm to try these NEW flavors of treats that manage to be amazing tasting,  filling enough-and good for that grab and go lifestyle: Fruitons by Traina Foods check all the boxes. Portable, delicious-and available in  uncommon fruit options  like athlete must-sweet-tart-earthy  cherries , and an almost juicy tree ripe 'Summer Blend' of peaches, nectarines and plums---yes it all tastes as yummy as it sounds.  Better yet-the family farm sourced dried fruit is moist chewy-not leather=y-available in handy bite sized pieces. A...

Back in July-we wrote up several nut -plant based dairy   subs, from the Specialty Food Show. Two new to us companies Elmhurst Dairy and Planet Oats are now fairly widely available... Elmhurst  1925  (formerly Dairy)- originally a milk producer from YES   Elmhurst, Queens- has relocated - and now serves up nut + oat 'milks' in various versions-all without the undesirable  additive carrageena n found in some other brands. WE TRIED: Milked Oats-made up of water, oats, and salt---equivalent in thick-texture to non-fat-2% dairy cow milk. Elmhurst uses more oats (20grams/whole oats/serving)-instead of the aforementioned thickner. Generally speaking-oat milk has a creamier taste than almond milk -which is probably why the former is REALLY fast growing in popularity. The color is more-brown tinged-because duh-it's from oats.Elmhurst 1925 Oat Milked is also VEGAN, non-GMO certified and free of major allergy trigger-tree nuts, peanuts, artificial colors ...

Rarely do we get a palatable powder to add to liquids...that boasts energy charger-bio-available loaded iron- blue green algae spirulina- plus loads of healthy vitamins, iron and  micronutrients that doesn't taste like grass.   Or something worse. JUST LIKE THIS GIPHY  via GIPHY seriously-we've all been there Which is why PaleoPro's Paleo Greens Powder is our new hero product.  Sent a sample-we'd figure a tsp of this finely ground green powder in a few ounces of water...would best be inhaled like a shot-vs sipping to savor the taste. But the taste really was naturally A OK ...a sweetness from monk fruit extract but with no added sugar (and with 5 grams of plant based vegan protein-from organic hemp). If you're the type to gulp Kombucha or Apple Cider Vinegar down straight -the surprising palatable taste of Paleo Greens Powder will come as sheer taste buds' joy. Kudos to who ever figured this out. Now part of our morning routine- adding a ts...

The long endurance athlete must is getting enough grams of protein (often a challenge for vegans)- especially-after a multi-hour workout when laziness/fatigue to cook (and clean) set in...and those collegiate dinners of cereal-just don't work, anymore for the fuel is food lifestyle. via GIPHY Tour de France road hazard Our Go To Solution: A pea (plus+) protein powder...that's yummy is  SNEAKZ -in all all flavors too-that unlike a lot of other brands...has NO chalky/pasty taste and is  USDA Organic ! Priced at $21 for 340g bag as pictured... .considerably less than our prior fav-that got bought up by Nestle's and got a 30% more expensive. Sure -SNEAKZ  may be marketed/packaged for pint sized humans...serving up essential veggie blends+ probiotic nutrients (also)...but for us- way past our school days - it's a life buoy for recovery replenishments after exercising ...AND especially on the road-for a healthy-and satisfyingly sweet, pre-race meals...

  via GIPHY source arifai.om An eating habit akin to PAC MAN addiction, food wise-just might be inhaling a handful of pistachio nuts. No wonder...culinary spinoffs of this popular treat-grown in California (mostly, and Iran)...are enticing consumers. Top Picks: Setton Farms employees must be cracking' happy-all those delicious nutritious (servings-serve up 7 grams of protein,  10% daily fiber, plus Vitamin B6, magnesium, thiamine, phosphorus, copper ad potassium).. 100% natural pistachio nuts probably placed for grabbing- all over their facilities. New: Adding to their travel friendly- snack sized Chewy Bites collection , a winning pair-up of chewy dried blueberry infused cranberries in a pleasingly gooey crunchy pistachio nut mix-up, sweetened up with coconut+ maple brown rice syrup.  Non-GMO, gluten free, vegan, certified Kosher, AND heart healthy for guilt free, nutritious snacking-made of of 50% pistachio nuts-5 grams protein/serving. Available now. ...

Regular regular coffee---is so basic... via GIPHY source plasticcherries.tumblr.com NOW: the everyday liquid of millions-gets reloaded with nutrients...as new power-punched drinks enter the markets (and mouths) everywhere. For athletes-these sips-delivering energy-make get daily health needs met-a whole lot  easier.  BRASSICA COFFEE All-Natural Dark Roast is amped up with a powerful 15 mgs of trubroc glucoraphinan from broccoli-in each K-Cup. Impressively,  the research on this anti-oxidant shows it boosts the bodies' natural defenses against pollution and scavenger free radicals- triggering an on-going anti-oxidant activity. The All-Natural Dark Roast version- is a blend of French roasted Central American, South American and African Arabica coffees. Taste wise-it's just like the regular ole' coffee we've had from most non-organic K®-cups...so no surprises -add what ever one usually does...notably-single serve is very h andy . MAMMA CHIA's MO is th...

ATHLETE-LIFESTYLE OPTIONS for DRINKING WELL The growing movement in food transparency (think natural sourced food coloring-vs artificial,  Vermont's GMO labeling law-causing household name companies-Kellogs, General Mills - to label correctly etc)...also applies to beverages. AND... The growing awareness of the obvs link between super-sized sugary drinks and obesity-diabetes...getting everyones attention---is  opening up hydration opportunities for functional ingredients loaded into beverages...to challenge the likes of Vitamin Water. Teas have been a medicinal fav for generations-and are found worldwide. Healing-beneficial properties from indigenous herbs and plants-steeped in water-tasty or not-now occupy American grocery store shelves -online options- way beyond the Lipton Tetley Snapple we grew up with. NEW: Brassica harnesses the super anti- oxidant-anti-inflammatory Glucorphanin which is found in abundance in raw broccoli and manages to deliver a meani...

Functional Ingredients-Editor Showcase Highlights, NYC Americans are eating differently ---out with the heavy carb loaded-chemically loaded foods of years past- a little late imo  given our increasingly screen focused- non manual labor way of life ... Functional ingredients, transparency where the products were sourced/made, food safety, and better snacks-convenience foods, portion control and beneficial drinks/supplements...just some of the highlights in a focused Editor Showcase on Health and Nutrition. PART ONE: Heavy carbs may be out...but better whole grain offerings and non-GMO products are increasingly a part of just about everyone's diet. Wonder where white bread went? The American classic sandwich staple from Dave's Killer Bread is made from non-GMO wheat, is USDA Organic-in our opinion-the gold standard for healthy ingredients...and no junk like high fructose corn syrup, preservative, etc....plus use of whole grains for meaningful 10g fiber, an...

 ALTRA, HOKA ONE ONE, TOPO ATHLETIC, 361º, VIBRAM, LIFEWAY Protein Kefir, ACUMOBILITY Much is made about getting in shape-but most of our pals- are athletic already-and want to keep the old self-rather just as is-makes sense, fitness wise- once hit mid 30s on up, depending on the activity. SNEAKERS, Trail Running and Fitness shoes come in all shapes and sizes for different activities, foot anatomies, and level of efforts...short bursts vs long endurance endeavors. Some highlights from cult brands: Long distance fav- ALTRA  adds to its no drop ZERO DROP™platform with new beefier shock absorbing A-Bound™ maximum cushioning models-for neutral or stability needs-aimed at trail runners and roadsters- Pictured: women's specific OLYMPUS 2.0 9oz trail runner  characteristic of ALTRA-FOOTSHAPE™ toe box- allowing the toes to spread naturally... unless trained as a ballet dancer en pointe shoes . ..Olympus 2.0 revamped Vibram trail sticky rubber outsole for maximum cus...