12:00: Plant-based burgers – a fad or the future?
1:00: The benefits of practicing gratitude
It has been eight years since the debut of the Impossible Burger and the Beyond Burger. The companies behind the plant-based patties promised a tasty alternative to animal meat, along with a lower impact on the environment. Proponents of the products hoped they would upend the meat industry. Did they deliver? According to Vox, sales of the products doubled from 2017 to 2020, but have since declined. Sticker price, nutrition concerns, and unrealistic expectations have led to industry setbacks. So what’s next? Do plant-based burgers need a refresh to help foster large-scale change? Our guests discuss it. In studio:
- Chris Lindstrom, vegan, co-founder of the Lunchador Podcast Network, and host of “Food about Town”
- Jenn Long, vegetarian for 11 years and senior content SEO manager at Zoom
- Lisa Medina, vegan, AFAA-certified group fitness instructor, and development coordinator at WXXI
Then in our second hour, what can a gift shop teach us about gratitude? In his new book, “Gift Shop of Gratitude,” author Peter Lovenheim explains how common items in a gift shop and can help us practice gratitude. A deck of playing cards, for instance, could feature the images of people who have influenced your life in positive ways. Or a scented candle could invoke a special childhood memory. Research shows that practicing gratitude can benefit physical and mental health, sleep, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships. We discuss it all with our guests.
- Peter Lovenheim, journalist and author of “Gift Shop of Gratitude”
- Autumn Gallegos, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center
