I’ll admit it – I’m a huge fan of all kinds of pies! Apple, blueberry, key lime, and pumpkin are at the top of my list, but I’d never say no to a slice of almost any pie! I’m already planning to bring a few pies to Thanksgiving dinner next week, and I’ll make sure I don’t forget the whipped cream and vanilla ice cream to go with them! Yum!
What do you think are the most popular pie flavors? Take a look at this list from goldbelly.com and see if you agree.
Key Lime Pie Apple Pie Pecan Pie Pumpkin Pie Cherry Pie Coconut Cream Pie Boston Cream Pie (technically a cake!) Berry Pies (including blueberry, strawberry, mixed berry, strawberry rhubarb, etc.) Chocolate Cream Pie
I found these fun facts about pie from the American Pie Council to be interesting, I hope you do, too!
– As of November 2023, the top five most Googled pies were Pumpkin pie, Apple pie, Pecan pie, Cherry pie, and Lemon Meringue pie.
– Approximately 2 billion dollars in pies are sold in grocery stores every year.
– According to an American Pie Council survey, pie isn’t just an after-dinner dessert. Thirty-five percent of Americans said they’ve eaten pie for breakfast. Eating pie for lunch (66%) and midnight snacks (59%) were also popular responses.
– Pie was not always America’s favorite dessert. In the 19th Century, fruit pies were a common breakfast food eaten before the start of a long day.
– Pumpkin pie was first introduced to the holiday table at the pilgrims’ second Thanksgiving in 1623.
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Thanksgiving: A Time for Gratitude, Food, and Family NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Thanksgiving is coming soon! The holiday is a time for families and friends to come together to express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. The day traditionally includes a large meal featuring roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
While the meal is often the focus at Thanksgiving, the holiday also brings many other traditions and activities. Some people like to watch the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which showcases giant balloons, elaborate floats, and musical performances. Football games are another beloved aspect, with the NFL hosting matchups that have become a Thanksgiving Day tradition. Still others choose to give back to their communities by volunteering at soup kitchens or donating to food drives, emphasizing the spirit of generosity and gratitude.
What Thanksgiving traditions are important to you and your family? Leave a comment and let me know, I’d love to hear from you!
Did you know that Thanksgiving is the second-largest food holiday of the year, after Christmas? According to Circana, food and beverage sales increased by 2.4 billion dollars last year for the week of Thanksgiving and the week before. Most people buy their sides and main dish items, such as turkey and ham, the week before Thanksgiving. However, shoppers are more likely to purchase beverages, pies, and baking products the week of Thanksgiving.
What types of food do you enjoy at Thanksgiving? Here are some of the popular items on the menu:
– Turkey – Ham – Mashed potatoes – Salads – Breads, buns and rolls – Macaroni & cheese – Cranberry sauce – Green bean casserole – Pies (pecan, pumpkin, and apple)
Does your family stick to the traditional Thanksgiving menu, or do you enjoy serving something different?
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Spotlight on Panel Members in Minnesota NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Minnesota was the 32nd state to join the union on May 11, 1858. St. Paul is the state capital and its largest city is Minneapolis. Minnesota is the 12th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by the states of Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the estimated population of Minnesota is 5,737,915 (July 2023 est.); it ranks as the 22nd most populous state.
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of Minnesota’s official state symbols:
Nickname: The North Star State State Bird: Common Loon State Flower: Pink and White Lady’s Slipper State Tree: Norway Pine State Song: Hail Minnesota State Motto: “L’Etoile du Nord” (The Star of the North)
Find more information about Minnesota’s state symbols/facts here.
– Minnesota is known as the The Land of 10,000 Lakes and actually has more than 14,000 named lakes that are 10 acres or larger.
– Art Fry, a scientist at Minnesota’s 3M Corporation, invented Post-It Notes when the developer of a tacky, reusable adhesive, 3M scientist Dr. Spencer Silver, could not come up with an application for his invention.
– Minnesota is the only state that water flows out of and not into due to a unique three-way continental divide located in the northern part of the state near the Canadian border (with the exception of a few border streams that cross into the state and leave again).
– More turkeys are hatched in Minnesota than anywhere else in the country.
– SPAM, the most famous brand produced by Austin, Minnesota-based Hormel Foods, is known around the world. There is even a free SPAM Museum in Austin, MN where you can learn about the history of the product.
– Famous people from Minnesota include Prince, Bob Dylan, Judy Garland, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Schulz, and many more!
Let’s learn about your fellow panel members in Minnesota! Here’s how our Minnesota panel members answered some of our state highlight survey questions.
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Spotlight on Panel Members in Michigan NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Michigan!
Michigan joined the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. It is located in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest and is bordered by Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio. Michigan is also bordered by four of the five Great Lakes and has the longest freshwater coastline in the United States, as well as the second-most water area of any state, behind only Alaska.
Michigan consists of two peninsulas: the Lower Peninsula, which is shaped like a mitten, and the Upper Peninsula, which is separate from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac.
The capital city is Lansing, and the largest city is Detroit. The population of Michigan is 10,077,331 according to the 2020 census, making it the tenth most populous state.
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of Michigan’s official state symbols:
– Bird: American Robin – Fish: Brook Trout – Flower: Apple Blossom – Fossil: Mastodon – Game Mammal: White-Tailed Deer – Reptile: Painted Turtle – Tree: White Pine – Stone: Petoskey Stone
Find more information about Michigan’s state symbols here.
Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office. The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail to ships while they are still underway. They have been operating for 125 years.
The nation’s first regularly scheduled air passage service began operation between Grand Rapids and Detroit in 1926.
The world’s largest weathervane is located in Montague. It stands forty-eight-feet tall and weighs thirty-five hundred pounds. Its wind arrow is twenty-six-feet long.
The Lake Superior shoreline, if straightened out, could connect Duluth and the Bahama Islands.
Singing sand can be found on the beaches of Grand Haven. The sand particles make a whistling sound as you walk upon them.
More tonnage passes though the historic Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie than the Suez and Panama Canals combined.
Famous people from Michigan include actors Kristen Bell and Selma Blair, comedian David Spade, Eminem, Madonna, and Diana Ross.
Want to learn more about your fellow panel members in another state? Here’s how our Michigan panel members answered some of our survey questions!
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: National Cat Day: Purr-fect Ways to Celebrate NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Long Island Business News has named National Consumer Panel a recipient of a 2024 Best Places to Work on Long Island Award. The awards are held in partnership with Best Companies Group.
Best Places to Work on Long Island identifies, recognizes and honors the best places of employment on Long Island. It is a research-driven program from Best Companies Group that examines a company’s practices, programs and benefits, and surveys employees for their perspectives.
To be considered, companies must be a publicly or privately held business; be a for-profit or nonprofit business or government entity; have a facility on Long Island; have at least 15 full- or part-time employees working on Long Island; and be in business a minimum of one year.
Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process, and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.
There were two parts used to determine the rankings. The first consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices and demographics, worth approximately 25 percent of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience, which comprised 75 percent of the total. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking.
A listing of winners is available online. The final rankings will be announced Dec. 4.
“The 2024 Best Places to Work on Long Island have created workplaces where teams join together to collaborate, innovate and celebrate success. They know that delivery of a quality service or product is important, but a positive work environment is just as important to create business success,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of BridgeTower Media/Long Island Business News. “Long Island Business News and Best Companies Group congratulate these outstanding businesses on Long Island.”
The Best Places to Work on Long Island Awards will be presented at a celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Crest Hollow Country Club, 8325 Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury. Networking, heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks begin at 4 p.m. followed by the awards celebration at 4:45 p.m. and continued networking at 5:15 p.m. The event hashtag is #LIBNevents.
Winners will be profiled in a special publication that will be inserted into the Dec. 6 issue of Long Island Business News and will be available online at LIBN.com.
For more information and updated sponsorship information about the 2024 Best Places to Work on Long Island, visit https://libn.com/event/best-places-to-work-on-long-island/.
Long Island Business News is the vital business news and advertising source for Long Island’s most influential readers and provides essential, actionable business intelligence across print, advertising and web-based (LIBN.com) platforms. Trusted by the business community for more than 70 years, Long Island Business News is the only publication that delivers local news about the business community in Nassau and Suffolk counties. In addition to being the go-to source for news, Long Island Business News also provides B2B advertising products and events. Long Island Business News facilitates webinars bringing local experts from the business community together to discuss current topics and trends. Long Island Business News is part of BridgeTower Media, the leading provider of B2B information, research, events and marketing solutions across more than 25 U.S. markets and industries.
Since 2004, Best Companies Group has specialized in identifying and recognizing great employers to work for. Best Companies Group is an independent research firm that ranks companies based on established research methodology. The surveys provide actionable, hard-to-obtain data that companies use to improve employee recruitment and retention. For more information, visit bestcompaniesgroup.com.
The National Consumer Panel is an operational joint venture between the two leading longitudinal consumer insights providers in North America – Circana and NielsenIQ. NCP’s panel – comprised of U.S. consumers carefully selected across a multitude of key demographics – provides the highest actionable consumer data available to support the needs of both Circana and NielsenIQ.
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National Cat Day is celebrated every year on October 29th. It was founded by pet & family lifestyle expert, animal rescue advocate, conservationist, dog trainer and author, Colleen Paige to bring awareness to the number of cats that need to be rescued each year (Colleen also founded National Dog Day).
If you own a cat, you know that every day is a day to celebrate this beloved member of your family.
So, what are some ways to celebrate National Cat Day? Take a look at the following suggestions from nationalcatday.com and see if any interest you.
– Adopt a cat from your local shelter or cat rescue. – Donate blankets, food, and toys to animal welfare organizations. – Volunteer at your local shelter and offer to play with some cats available for adoption, clean cages, litter boxes, etc. – Buy your cat a fun new toy. – Make a window perch for your cat to lay in the sun. – Brush your cat to eliminate excess fur and hairballs. – Buy your cat a collar and tag with your name and number on it in case they go outside and get lost.
Cats are unique, let’s take a look at some fun facts about them as shared by petMD.
– Only 20% of orange cats are female – If a female orange cat has a litter of kittens, all the males will be orange regardless of their dad’s color. Both parents must be orange to create an orange female kitten.
– Cats have fewer taste buds than dogs or people – Cats can taste savory, salty, bitter, and sour flavors, but they can’t taste sweets.
– Cats don’t get cavities – They can get dental disease, but they don’t get the types of cavities that people do, in part because of the pointed shape of their teeth (compared to the flat teeth in humans).
– Cat whiskers are as sensitive as human fingertips – Cat whiskers are thicker and coarser than regular fur and have roots that are three times deeper.
– Cats are nearsighted, but see great in the dark – Compared to humans, cats are nearsighted because their eyes are so large and placed so forward on their face, but they make up for this with an excellent ability to see in the dark.
– Cats that scratch furniture are often marking their territory – Cats have tiny scent glands on their feet, and when they scratch furniture they leave just a little bit of their smell on it.
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Stay Cyber Safe NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Are you cyber aware? Back in 2004, the month of October was declared Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and over the years it has grown into a collaborative effort between government and industry to enhance cybersecurity awareness.
With most people doing virtually everything online, it is crucial to protect yourself from “bad actors” trying to get your personal information.
Here are some tips from CISA.gov on how you can be more cyber aware and protect your data:
Use Strong Passwords – Strong passwords are long, random, and unique and include all four character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols). Simple passwords, such as 12345, or common identifying information, like birthdays and pet names, are not safe for protecting important accounts that contain personal information.
Turn On Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) – Also referred to as two-factor authentication, two-step authentication, or similar, MFA provides us with extra security by confirming our identities when logging in to our accounts, like entering a code texted to a phone or one generated by an authenticator app.
Recognize & Report Phishing - Phishing occurs when criminals try to get us to open harmful links, emails or attachments that may request our personal information or infect our devices. Phishing messages usually come in the form of an email, text, direct message on social media or phone calls.
Look for these common signs: Urgent or emotionally appealing language, especially messages that claim dire consequences for not responding immediately, requests to send personal and financial information, untrusted shortened URLs, incorrect email addresses or links (i.e., Amazan.com), and poor grammar or misspellings.
Update Software – Many software updates are created to fix security risks. Keeping software up-to-date is an easy way for us to stay safer online. When notified about software updates, especially critical updates, install them as soon as possible.
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Spotlight on Panel Members in Massachusetts NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Massachusetts was the 6th state to join the union on February 6, 1788. It was one of the original 13 colonies. Boston is the state capital and its largest city. Massachusetts is the 44th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Massachusetts is 7,001,399 (July 2023 est.); it ranks as the 16th most populous state.
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of Massachusetts’s official state symbols:
Nickname: The Bay State State Bird: Black-Capped Chickadee State Fish: Cod State Flower: Mayflower State Tree: American Elm State Song: All Hail to Massachusetts State Motto: “Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem” (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty)
Find more information about Massachusetts’s state symbols/facts here.
– What looks like a big hook in Massachusetts’ eastern coastline is actually land created by glaciers that exposed many rocky bays. Called the Coastal Lowland, this hilly, wet area includes Cape Cod Bay, Martha’s Vineyard and the Nantucket Island.
– Boston cream pie is the official state dessert. The first U.S. chocolate factory was built in Dorchester, and the chocolate chip cookie was invented in 1930 at the Tollhouse Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts. Quincy, Massachusetts is home to the first Dunkin Donuts.
– Boston’s Freedom Trail is a painted line through the city that leads to 16 historic sites related to the American Revolution including the Paul Revere House, where Revere lived at the time of his famous midnight ride.
– You can visit Plymouth Rock, the boulder that’s said to be the exact spot where the Pilgrims stepped off the Mayflower.
– In the late 1600s about 20 people died because they were accused of witchcraft in a series of hearings called the Salem Witch Trials.
– Massachusetts is the birthplace of the following Presidents: John Adams was born in Braintree on October 30, 1735 (2nd U.S. President). John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree on July 11, 1767 (6th U.S. President). John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline on May 29, 1917 (35th U.S. President,). George Herbert Walker Bush was born in Milton on June 12, 1924 (41st U.S. President).
Let’s learn about your fellow panel members in Massachusetts! Here’s how our Massachusetts panel members answered some of our state highlight survey questions.
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Spotlight on Panel Members in Maryland NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Maryland!
The state was named after Queen Henrietta Maria of England, who was married to King Charles I. He granted permission for Maryland to become a colony.
Maryland joined the Union on April 28, 1788, as the seventh state. It’s nicknamed “The Old Line State” in honor of 400 Revolutionary War soldiers who faced off against 10,000 British soldiers. They were called the Maryland Line and held off the British long enough to allow the rest of the American army to escape.
The capital city is Annapolis, and the largest city is Baltimore. The population of Maryland is 6,177,224 according to the 2020 census.
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of Maryland’s official state symbols:
– Bird: Baltimore Oriole – Boat: Skipjack – Insect: Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly – Flower: Black-Eyed Susan – Dessert: Smith Island Cake – Sport: Jousting – Dog: Chesapeake Bay Retriever – Cat: Calico Cat
Find more information about Maryland’s state symbols here.
In 1844 the first telegraph line in the world was established between Washington and Baltimore.
William Goddard inaugurated the first Post Office system in the United States in Baltimore in 1774.
The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use.
Sixteen of the 23 Maryland counties border on tidal water. The combined length of tidal shoreline, including islands, is 4,431 miles.
Annapolis is known as the sailing capital of the world.
Dr. Florence Rina Sabin of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore became the first female professor of medicine in 1901.
Famous people from Maryland include Harriet Tubman, Edgar Allan Poe, Jim Henson, Billie Holiday, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Want to learn more about your fellow panel members in another state? Here’s how our Maryland panel members answered some of our survey questions!
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Fall’s Favorite Fruit NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!October is here and do you know what that means? It’s apple season! October is National Apple Month and I can’t wait to go apple picking. There’s nothing like the taste of a fresh apple picked right off the tree! Yum! Some of my favorite snacks are apple slices with peanut butter (or other nut butters) or with slices of cheese. I also like to chop them up to add to a salad or to my oatmeal. Oh, and who doesn’t love treating themselves to an apple crisp or a slice of homemade apple pie once in a while (don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!).
In a recent survey about the fall season, we asked panel members what apple-flavored food or drink they like the most. Here are the top 5 responses:
Apple pie Apple crisp Apple cider Apple cider donuts Apple crumble
What’s your favorite apple-flavored food or drink? Let me know in the comment section below!
You can find a large assortment of apples in U.S. supermarkets, at farmer’s markets, farm stands, etc. The selection can be somewhat overwhelming at times, especially during the fall months. Many varieties can be enjoyed as a healthy snack, while others are best for cooking and baking.
Let’s take a look at some common varieties as shared by farmflavor.com:
Braeburn – Sweet and tart, remains firm after baking. Granny Smith – Famous for holding their shape when cooked, they have the right amount of tartness to balance out sweet ingredients like sugar, honey and vanilla in baking recipes, making them the perfect choice for apple pie. Red Delicious – Can be used for baking, but are best when freshly sliced and consumed raw. Gala – Has what is called a striped or mottled skin, usually in a combination of orange and red. Can be sliced up to use in salads or to make applesauce. Fuji – Super sweet and considered one of the sweetest and crispest varieties on the market today. Honeycrisp – Crisp, sweet and juicy; can be used for baking or making a batch of fresh applesauce. Pink Lady – Its firm skin and tart flavor make it great for cooking and baking. Golden Delicious – Popular for eating raw, as well as for baking, thanks to its thin skin and mellow, sweet flavor.
Read full post Previous Post: NCP Blog: Spotlight on Panel Members in Maine NCP panel members represent consumers all across the country by sharing their shopping experiences and opinions. If you’re not a panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog!