The week isn’t nearly over, but there’s a lot of interesting food news out there!

Sriracha hot sauce is one of my passions, as you know from a post I wrote  earlier this year. Now, for all of you who share my passion, there’s A Sriracha documentary available online. Here’s a preview:

When my kids were little I used to swaddle them tightly so they looked like burritos. I’d call them my little burrito babies. Well, now there’s an official burrito baby blanket that looks exactly like a tortilla. Want one for Christmas? Order it here.

Fast food workers nationwide protested a few days ago over low wages. They’re asking for $15 an hour. Fast food owners say that’s too much, and it would force them to use robots and automation. That reminded me of this video:

Are you following “TipsforJesus” on Instagram? Apparently there’s a mystery good Samaritan going around the country (and Mexico!) leaving outrageous tips for the wait staff. Who are the mysterious tippers? Valley Wag says former PayPal VP Jack Selby is one of them.

I’d love to have enough money to be that generous… wouldn’t you?

Finally, if you are a visual learner, here’s the perfect cookbook for you, Picture Cook: See. Make. Eat. Fully illustrated with step-by-step instructions on how to make your favorite comfort food recipes. Have a peek:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

There’s a small non-profit organization in Chicago that is making a big difference in the lives of many who live in areas where grocery stores are non-existent or are overrun by fast food restaurants… it’s called Top Box Foods.

Top Box Foods primarily helps families who live in low-income neighborhoods buy nutritious meat, fresh fruits and vegetables at much lower prices than what’s offered in grocery stores. This isn’t charity, but a way to get high-quality food to where it is needed the most.

This is how it works: Top Box buys food from distributors and local suppliers and boxes it in several different ways (for example, the Garden Box is loaded with 10 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit). Then once, a month, the boxes are delivered to participating churches and other groups where they can be purchased. The boxes cost anywhere from $19 to $39 (and Top Box also accepts SNAP cards). Click here to see an average delivery day.

Could you live on $4 a day? That’s the amount food stamp recipients must live on, and there are more than 50 million people in this country who require food stamps to survive. Top Box Foods is directly addressing the issue of hunger and food deserts by offering access to foods many of us take for granted.

Top Box Foods isn’t really trying to change the whole world… just that part of it that goes to bed every night hungry  in America. That’s enough for now, isn’t it?

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This is a really, really great idea, and hopefully it will become part of the way we eat; I just wished a fast-food joint hadn’t come up with the idea first.

McDonald’s restaurants in Australia are testing out a free iPhone app that lets consumers know EXACTLY where the food they’re about to eat comes from.

But really, don’t you think that if you’re seriously concerned about what you eat and where it comes from, you wouldn’t be eating at at McDonald’s? I’m just saying.

The App is called “TrackMyMacca’s” (the Aussie nickname for McDonald’s). It uses GPS tracking, food packaging codes and image activation software to cross-reference with McDonald’s supply-chain data.

The App then lets diners know which farm, bakery, ranch, or food plant the ingredients originated. It even provides the name and a photo of the farmer, fisherman or rancher.

If a diner just wants to know about a specific ingredient, say, the hamburger buns, they can ask for specific details. The App gives them information like “Fresh buns are the building blocks of a good burger. That’s why our Martin Place restaurant could have up to three deliveries a week. You’ll find our bakers at the Fresh Start Bakery, not far away in Liverpool, New South Wales.”

Okay, I admit this is great marketing, which McDonald’s has been known for since the beginning of time. Still, at least the company is recognizing that more of us want to know WHERE OUR FOOD COMES FROM! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is ultimately good business.

Here’s a look at a YouTube video demonstrating the App. Let me know what you think: