https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/food/RSS feed for FoodenTue, 20 Oct 2026 21:20:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rhode-island-man-grew-the-first-pumpkin-to-surpass-3000-pounds-the-gargantuan-gourd-is-the-largest-fruit-ever-180989723/On October 10, Ron Wallace took the pumpkin king crown with a 3,156-pounder. The previous record—a respectable, nearly 2,857-pound pumpkin—was set just a week earlier by British grower Ian PatonTue, 20 Oct 2026 21:20:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rhode-island-man-grew-the-first-pumpkin-to-surpass-3000-pounds-the-gargantuan-gourd-is-the-largest-fruit-ever-180989723/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/at-the-bodega-customers-can-get-pork-rinds-plantains-and-just-about-anything-they-need-heres-how-these-stores-became-a-community-anchor-of-latino-life-180989689/For immigrants, bodegas provide daily necessities and cultural connections to the homelands they left behind. The recent book "Bodega Stories" paints a picture of one Florida family’s history working in and operating the storesThu, 15 Oct 2026 19:00:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/at-the-bodega-customers-can-get-pork-rinds-plantains-and-just-about-anything-they-need-heres-how-these-stores-became-a-community-anchor-of-latino-life-180989689/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/londons-oldest-restaurant-frequented-by-monarchs-and-pop-stars-alike-is-a-site-of-living-history-now-its-protected-by-the-national-trust-for-generations-to-come-180989688/Rules, a historic restaurant where the likes of Charles Dickens and Madonna have dined, is changing hands for only the fourth time in over 200 years. Visitors can see artifact-covered walls and indulge in rich British cuisineThu, 15 Oct 2026 16:24:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/londons-oldest-restaurant-frequented-by-monarchs-and-pop-stars-alike-is-a-site-of-living-history-now-its-protected-by-the-national-trust-for-generations-to-come-180989688/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-chinstrap-penguin-colonies-is-shrinking-fast-180989676/Zavodovski Island, a remote, uninhabited volcanic island between South America and Antarctica, lost 63 percent of its chinstrap penguins between 2011 and 2025, according to a new studyTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:23:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-chinstrap-penguin-colonies-is-shrinking-fast-180989676/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-sardinian-village-might-be-a-new-blue-zone-and-could-hold-the-secrets-to-female-longevity-180989660/In Bolotana, a town on the Italian island with about 2,300 residents, women who reach the age of 70 are about three times as likely to live to 100 than women in the United States, according to a new studyTue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-sardinian-village-might-be-a-new-blue-zone-and-could-hold-the-secrets-to-female-longevity-180989660/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-lollipop-could-help-blind-women-independently-detect-pregnancy-180989608/Design student Sneha Rao is developing Tact, an edible pregnancy test that allows people with vision impairment to feel its results on their tonguesTue, 06 Oct 2026 18:14:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-lollipop-could-help-blind-women-independently-detect-pregnancy-180989608/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-pottery-reveals-the-earliest-known-traces-of-chocolate-east-of-the-mississippi-painting-a-picture-of-connection-in-the-americas-180989559/A new archaeological discovery suggests that people in present-day Georgia have feasted with cacao for 1,000 yearsFri, 02 Oct 2026 18:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-pottery-reveals-the-earliest-known-traces-of-chocolate-east-of-the-mississippi-painting-a-picture-of-connection-in-the-americas-180989559/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/is-more-protein-always-better-despite-the-craze-around-the-nutrient-research-backed-evidence-about-its-benefits-is-complicated-180989584/It can be difficult to see through the array of flashy, protein-packed products and determine whether you need more of it—and which foods to consume to get it. We asked health experts about the benefits and drawbacks of chasing proteinWed, 30 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/is-more-protein-always-better-despite-the-craze-around-the-nutrient-research-backed-evidence-about-its-benefits-is-complicated-180989584/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/japans-smallest-and-least-populated-major-island-is-a-world-of-pilgrimages-delicious-food-and-plenty-of-forest-bathing-180989590/Each year, more than 100,000 people hike at least part of a 750-mile route on Shikoku that connects 88 Buddhist temples and other sacred sitesTue, 29 Sep 2026 19:40:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/japans-smallest-and-least-populated-major-island-is-a-world-of-pilgrimages-delicious-food-and-plenty-of-forest-bathing-180989590/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-bubbles-a-dolphin-in-australia-that-chases-fish-until-they-barf-then-eats-their-upchucked-meals-180989547/Scientists recorded 11 instances of Bubbles successfully snacking this way. They mark some of the first detailed observations of kleptoparasitism, or food stealing, in cetaceans, the group of marine mammals that includes dolphins, whales and porpoisesWed, 23 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-bubbles-a-dolphin-in-australia-that-chases-fish-until-they-barf-then-eats-their-upchucked-meals-180989547/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alcohol-related-cancer-deaths-have-more-than-doubled-in-the-united-states-over-the-past-30-years-study-suggests-180989531/While scientists say their findings don't necessarily mean you need to cut alcohol from your life entirely, knowing the potential risks—especially if you're already at an elevated risk of developing cancer—can help guide your decisionsMon, 21 Sep 2026 15:32:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alcohol-related-cancer-deaths-have-more-than-doubled-in-the-united-states-over-the-past-30-years-study-suggests-180989531/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/a-tiny-town-in-the-italian-riviera-has-its-own-version-of-focaccia-and-let-this-be-a-warning-its-addictive-180989514/Unlike the pillowy-soft focaccia that’s more widely known, focaccia di Recco is thin, crispy and filled with gooey cheeseThu, 17 Sep 2026 17:28:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/a-tiny-town-in-the-italian-riviera-has-its-own-version-of-focaccia-and-let-this-be-a-warning-its-addictive-180989514/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/girl-scouts-of-america-announces-a-first-for-its-iconic-cookie-lineup-one-created-exclusively-for-dogs-180989479/For the first time in its 109-year history of cookie sales, the organization offers a custom-made sweet treat for four-legged friendsThu, 10 Sep 2026 19:28:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/girl-scouts-of-america-announces-a-first-for-its-iconic-cookie-lineup-one-created-exclusively-for-dogs-180989479/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/Older female mice—equivalent in age to 60-year-old women—given daily injections of the active ingredient in Ozempic lived about 12 percent longer than animals that didn't receive the drugFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/blue-crabs-have-taken-over-the-adriatic-sea-to-fight-them-off-italian-researchers-just-released-thousands-of-baby-octopuses-180989430/Although prized in the United States, the crustaceans have been decimating ecosystems and the fishing industry in Italy. Experts hope that an army of natural predators—common octopuses—can help contain the invasive species' spreadWed, 02 Sep 2026 18:48:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/blue-crabs-have-taken-over-the-adriatic-sea-to-fight-them-off-italian-researchers-just-released-thousands-of-baby-octopuses-180989430/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/For roughly a decade leading up to September 1953, the United Kingdom limited sugar purchases. Scientists studied health outcomes in people born during the ration and right afterWed, 02 Sep 2026 15:48:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/would-you-eat-a-cookie-made-from-upcycled-plastics-scientists-propose-a-new-way-to-deal-with-waste-and-provide-food-in-extreme-environments-180989413/A team of researchers programmed yeast to turn broken-down plastic and agricultural waste into sweet treats called µBites. They might come in handy during deep-space missions or in disaster zones, although some critics say the food is impracticalMon, 31 Aug 2026 15:42:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/would-you-eat-a-cookie-made-from-upcycled-plastics-scientists-propose-a-new-way-to-deal-with-waste-and-provide-food-in-extreme-environments-180989413/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-fruit-is-scarce-these-monkeys-hunt-animals-the-behavior-may-offer-clues-about-the-origins-of-humans-meat-eating-habits-180989412/The bearded capuchins of northeastern Brazil typically eat plant-based foods, but they turn to small vertebrates when those sources are limited. Our ancestors may have done the same, eventually allowing predatory behaviors to be more frequently passed on in our lineageFri, 28 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-fruit-is-scarce-these-monkeys-hunt-animals-the-behavior-may-offer-clues-about-the-origins-of-humans-meat-eating-habits-180989412/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-photos-saturated-with-vibrant-color-are-like-seeing-india-through-a-kaleidoscope-180989375/Whether they signify spiritual connection or creative license, the bright, bold hues of the subcontinent often mean more than meets the eyeFri, 28 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-photos-saturated-with-vibrant-color-are-like-seeing-india-through-a-kaleidoscope-180989375/