Food & Drink

Palm Desert, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- The California Date Commission has kicked off National California Date Month, running throughout October, with a two-sided digital billboard in New York's Times Square and a nationwide recipe contest aimed at home cooks.

Coachella Valley supplies 85% of all U.S.-grown dates

California Dates are grown in Southern California's Coachella Valley, which produces roughly 85% of all dates cultivated in the United States. The fruit is picked at peak ripeness, washed, sorted, and shipped fresh with no added sugar or artificial processing. A 40-gram serving -- about two jumbo Medjool dates or six medium Deglet Noor dates -- provides 3 grams of dietary fiber, six B vitamins, seven essential minerals including potassium and magnesium, and antioxidant polyphenols.

Cerritos, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- NEOWIZ and Beard Papa's are launching a limited-time BrownDust2 collaboration on October 9, 2026, at participating Beard Papa's locations across the United States, running through November 9.

Two character-inspired cream puffs anchor the promotion

The Zenith Puff features seasonal pumpkin spice custard in a cinnamon-topped eclair, while the Wilhelmina Puff combines vanilla custard, white chocolate and vanilla Oreo cookie crumble eclair. Both are named after fan-favorite characters from the BrownDust2 game.

A 6-Pack Combo Gift Set bundles treats with collectibles

The set includes one of each limited-time puff, one Chocolate Puff, one Cookies & Cream Puff and two Original Cream Puffs. It also comes with acrylic character standees, character can badges, a sticker sheet and an exclusive in-game reward code, while supplies last.

Miami Beach – October 02, 2026 -- Apotheke South Beach, a botanical-infused cocktail lounge hidden behind an unmarked door on Washington Avenue at Moxy South Beach, opens October 16 in the Art Deco District.

The venue marks the brand's fourth location since 2008

Apotheke Mixology began behind an unmarked oak door on New York City's Doyers Street in 2008. The brand later expanded with Apotheke Los Angeles in 2018 and Apotheke NoMad New York City in 2022. Apotheke South Beach brings the concept to Florida for the first time, accessed directly from the street rather than through the hotel.

SAN DIEGO – October 01, 2026 -- Drybridge No. 86, a whiskey-inspired non-alcoholic spirit made in San Diego, enters Sober October with three 2026 industry awards in hand, aiming to keep sober-curious drinkers at the bar rather than home on the sidelines.

The veteran-owned brand took home American Whiskey of the Year at the 2026 International Non-Alcoholic Competition, a Silver Award with a score of 80 at the 2026 Summer PR%F Awards tasting competition, and a Double Gold at the same event's design competition.

172 test batches led to the formula now on shelves

Developers went through 172 formulations and tasting sessions with whiskey drinkers, bartenders and hospitality professionals before settling on what became Batch 173, which launched this year as the retail product.

Auburn, Maine – October 01, 2026 -- Scott & Jon's is adding a new frozen meal to grocery freezers this fall: Homestyle Tuna Noodle Casserole, the brand's first tuna product, packing 21 grams of protein and cooking in just four minutes.

The recipe blends classic comfort with modern nutrition

The dish combines al dente egg noodles, peas, chunk light tuna and a creamy sauce made with real milk, cream and cheddar cheese, finished with seasoned breadcrumbs. Each serving delivers 21g of protein, 3g of fiber and comes in under 500 calories.

Shenandoah, Pa. – October 01, 2026 -- Mrs. T's Pierogies is giving away 100 limited-edition Pierogy & Sour Cream couples costumes ahead of National Pierogy Day on October 8.

The sweepstakes opened October 1 on the brand's Instagram and Facebook pages, @mrstspierogies. Fans enter by tagging the person they'd want to dress up with, whether a friend, partner or fellow pierogy fan.

Winners receive a matching costume set plus retail coupons

Each of the 100 winners gets one Pierogy costume, one Sour Cream costume, and coupons redeemable for boxes of Mrs. T's Pierogies at major retailers. The giveaway runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on October 13, 2026, and is open to legal U.S. residents 18 and older. No purchase is necessary, and official rules are posted on the brand's website.

San Francisco – October 01, 2026 -- Siip Coffee has launched a free app and personalized subscription designed to match coffee drinkers with beans suited to their actual taste, not just what they think they like.

The app builds a "Taste Profile" for each user by tracking every coffee they rate, whether from their subscription, a cafe, or a grocery shelf. Users scan a bag and answer one question -- "How was this coffee?" -- and that rating refines future picks.

Users often misjudge their own preferences, Siip's data shows

In onboarding surveys, Siip users most frequently say they prefer chocolate and nutty flavors, but across tens of thousands of ratings, those flavors are consistently outperformed by less familiar categories like floral and berry notes. Roast preference shows a similar gap: six in ten users say they like medium roast, yet they rate lighter roasts higher.

Anaheim, Calif. – September 30, 2026 -- Honda Center has opened its 2026-27 season with a new premium club, renovated restrooms, and dozens of new menu items as part of its $1 billion Honda Center Encore renovation, with construction continuing through 2027.

The season kicked off with a packed four-day stretch: the World's Collide Concert Tour on October 1, Thomas Rhett on October 2, Breaking Benjamin on October 3, and the Anaheim Ducks' home opener against the Florida Panthers on October 4.

A new premium club offers concert views never before available at Honda Center

The Splitero Club, located on the Columbia Bank Club Level, features private booths, loge seats, dining tables, a full-service bar, buffet, and lounge areas. It is the first club in arena history to offer concert views from within a premium space, and includes dedicated parking with direct access from the new River Garage.

Womelsdorf, Pa. – September 30, 2026 -- Uglies Kettle Chips' new 1.5 oz. Hot Honey Sweet Potato Chips has been named a 2026 Best New Product Award Winner by Convenience Store News, the brand announced.

The recognition covers the product's innovation and consumer appeal specifically within the convenience store channel. Separately, the full Uglies Sweet Potato Chips lineup -- Original, Hot Honey, and Spicy BBQ -- received a Double Gold Award for Taste and Package Design in the 2026 Food & Beverage Magazine Summer CPG Awards.

Dallas – September 30, 2026 -- Avocados From Mexico is turning grocery runs into game-day perks with "Saturdays Start With Guac," a season-long campaign running through the college football championship game in January.

The brand, which calls itself the top-selling avocado brand in the U.S., is spreading the promotion across more than 1,600 college football games this season. The push includes a new 30-second ad called "The Sound That Starts Saturdays," which turns the chopping and mashing of guacamole prep into a marching band anthem, and a return as ESPN's halftime sponsor.