The 22 Biggest Food Stories Of 2024

And just like that, another year is almost in our rear-view mirror. 2024 was a big year for a lot of things — from blockbuster movie releases to a major presidential election. But it was also a big year for food and food media. Not only did we see restaurants and tech companies roll out new technology and develop innovative products for consumers, but we also saw a lot of foodborne illness outbreaks — seemingly like a new outbreak every other week kind of deal — but nonetheless, we all made it through. 

Before we take the leap into 2025, it's time to take a quick look back on the good, the bad, and the tasty of 2024. Here are some of the biggest stories that made headlines in the food world this past year.

2024 was good news for both boba lovers and those who frequent their local Starbucks café regularly. In May, the company released three boba-inspired berry Refreshers to its summer menu. These beverages, which became instant hits at the stores across the country, included "popping pearls" that added a newfound sensory experience to the beverage. 

The flavors themselves were extensions of the Refreshers line. It included a Summer-Berry Refresher with raspberry-flavored pearls, Summer-Berry Lemonade, which combined the aforementioned Summer-Berry Refresher with a bright, sweet lemonade, and the Summer Skies drink, which takes a creamy twist on the classic Refresher thanks to a generous portion of coconut milk. 

This year has not come without its food-related controversy, including over lab-grown meat. In May, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that banned the sale of cultivated proteins within state borders. The move makes Florida the first U.S. state to put major restrictions on the development and sale of this revolutionary food technology. However, there has also been movement globally to restrict the development of cell-grown protein; in 2023, Italy approved a bill that would outlaw lab-grown meat as a way to protect the country's culinary heritage. 

Proponents of lab-grown meat argue that the technology would lessen the environmental impact and ethical drawbacks of animal-based proteins. Meanwhile, many consumers, and now governments, express weariness about cultivated cell foods being released onto the market, as the science behind it is still in its infancy. 

If you've been shopping at a local Walmart, you may have seen a new store brand on the shelves: bettergoods. The major grocer released this private label in an attempt to compete with Target's Good & Gather. The lineup covers an array of household products and foods, including everything from Greek yogurts to taco sauce. 

The bettergoods brand offers more premium options for Walmart shoppers and features an especially large line of plant-based products, including macaroni and cheese and plant-based milks. The store has also used bettergoods as an opportunity to roll out more health-focused alternatives to its other products, including items that are free from preservatives, added sugars, and more.

If you couldn't imagine eating something that's not a chocolate cookie Oreo, then you may want to skip over this one. But for readers who love everything sweet, then Oreo's partnership with Sour Patch Kids may have been one of your highlights of 2024. 

This sugary candy-cookie hybrid was officially released in April, though consumers started seeing it on shelves in May. The twist on Golden Oreos features a sour-sweet filling, which several eaters reported as being reminiscent of the beloved sour candy. Though, it's easy to see why other folks would rather try another Oreo flavor instead. 

It can be tough getting kids fed during the summer months when classrooms and cafeterias across the country are shuttered. Over the summer of 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expanded its Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program to help feed youth that may not otherwise have meals during the day. The program rolled out across 35 U.S. states, five territories, and four tribal nations. It's estimated that the program benefitted over 21 million youth in total. 

The credit, which came out to around $120 per child for the summer, could be spent at farmers markets, grocery stores, and other outlets. Besides lining up with the government's goals to reduce child hunger, proponents also argued that the program would increase the amount of fresh produce kids consume every day. 

In late April, fast casual chain Chipotle opened its first international location in the past decade. Its partnership with international franchiser Alshaya Group allowed the popular joint to move into Kuwait City at The Avenues. This shopping center location offers state-of-the-art technology and systems, which many customers in America are still not used to — like information and ordering kiosks. The movement of the chain outside of U.S. borders, as other chains like McDonald's, Starbucks, and Dunkin' already have done, suggests an increasing popularity and interest in Chipotle's offerings from non-American consumers. 

Following this move, Chipotle announced that it also had plans to open locations in the United Arab Emirates. The more burritos, the merrier — right? 

It wouldn't be a year in food without some unexpected celebrity cookbook releases. This year, it was Dolly Parton herself in the spotlight. 

Parton released "Good Lookin' Cookin'" in September, and it has been a hit since (arguably not as big of a hit as "Jolene," of course). The cookbook shares some of Dolly (and her sister, Rachel Parton George's) favorite family recipes, including classics like barbecue ribs and strawberry shortcake. Each page flip is like stepping into Dolly and Rachel's life and cooking the foods that they know and love. The entire book covers 80 recipes, so you too will have options for what the duo dubs "a year of meals."

If you've ever indulged in a frosted brown sugar cinnamon or frosted strawberry Pop-Tart, you have William "Bill" Post to thank. The legendary creator of the breakfast pastry died at 96 in February of this year, leaving behind a long legacy of fun, fruity fillings and whimsical breakfast creations in his wake. 

Post and his team created the blueprint for the Pop-Tart, a shelf-stable breakfast pastry featuring one of four original flavored fillings, in about four months. Following the product's creation in 1963, the brand soared to the status of a household name. And although Post retired from the company at age 56, he continued his consulting work there for upwards of 20 years. The next time we pick up a box of our favorite flavor, we'll be thinking of you, Bill, and your everlasting impact on the breakfast world. 

The it-girl Stanley tumbler rose to popularity in 2023 and early 2024, but then allegations emerged about the safety of its famous cups. In January of this year, Stanley announced that its products did, in fact, contain lead — though it assured consumers that the lead was encased in the bottom of the containers and was likely not at risk of making contact with the fluid inside of the cup nor the skin (unless, perhaps, if the bottle was significantly damaged).

Stanley went on to explain that the lead in the vacuum insulation system helped keep beverages at the intended temperature, which is one of the reasons why many consumers bought the cups in the first place. However, it did not stop many consumers from turning to other water bottle brands that don't contain lead.

James Beard is one of the biggest names in food awards, and this year, it was Michael Rafidi in the spotlight. The Washington D.C. restauranteur won the foundation's award for outstanding chef. 

Rafidi's restaurant, Albi, is one of the hardest restaurants to get reservations for in the District. It features coal-fired cuisine that fuses together Rafidi's Palestinian roots with local ingredients; expect dishes like Maryland blue crab hummus and smoked carrot kibbeh naya. Besides this James Beard Award, Rafidi also holds a Michelin star and was awarded Eater D.C.'s chef of the year in 2017.

While the James Beard Awards may be big, there's no bigger and more important award than the Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards. And this year, the big winner was none other than the rolled corn chili and lime-flavored tortilla chips. These chips, which sport an enticing orange hue, are crispy, crunchy, spicy, and savory — what more could you want from a snack? 

Customers also thought highly of the brand's organic elote corn chip dippers, white cheddar corn puffs, and crunchy curls. But it was the chili and lime-flavored tortillas that came out as the champion — winning both the title of best snack and best overall product. What's even more impressive is that this is the second year that these chips have dominated the competition in the annual Customer Choice Awards. 

It wasn't too long ago that reports of health problems linked to Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade started popping up. In early 2024, the company faced its third lawsuit related to the beverage. The newest lawsuit was filed by a woman living in Rhode Island who claimed to have heart palpitations and dizziness following her consumption of 2.5 servings of the highly caffeinated beverage. The woman was then diagnosed with AFib, which persisted long after she finished drinking the beverage.

At the time that the three plaintiffs consumed the beverage, it contained 390 milligrams of caffeine in a 30-ounce serving, but Panera has now brought that down to 236 milligrams. The company has also moved the dispensers behind the counter and cautioned consumers not to drink too much of it. 

June 25 was a big day for McDonald's lovers — or any folks who are really fed up with the price of fast food these days. The company teased for several months about releasing a $5 meal deal before it officially hit drive-throughs and order counters across the country. Customers can order a McDouble or McChicken, small order of fries, four-piece chicken nugget, and a small fountain drink for $5. 

This move was on the heels of other companies' decisions to release affordable meal offerings, including Burger King's Your Way Meal Deal and Starbucks' $5 and $6 pairing menu. McDonald's claims that the meal deal is a limited-time offer, though as of the date of publication, it is still being offered. 

If there was one food news story that you heard about this year, it probably had something to do with food recalls. In July, Boar's Head recalled 7 million pounds of deli meat following a listeria outbreak. By the time the Centers for Disease Control called off the recall, 61 cases of listeria had been reported across 19 states — resulting in a total of 10 deaths. 

While it was at first difficult to pinpoint the exact product that was causing the outbreak, Boar's Head later determined that a retail outlet was to blame. The first product recalled was liverwurst, though the recall eventually spread to everything from ham and bologna to sausages. In the time following the recall, customers were urged to throw away Boar's Head meat or return the packages to the deli that they had purchased them from for a refund. 

Everyone knows that no trip to Taco Bell is complete without a signature Baja Blast (it's no surprise it's been ranked the best Mtn Dew flavor, either). As a way to celebrate the caffeinated concoction's 20th anniversary, Taco Bell released its limited-edition Baja Blast gelato in early September. When it became available, rewards members had to order it through the Taco Bell app — and they were limited to four orders per person.

Feelings towards this sweet, frozen treat were mixed. Some said it was only for Mtn Dew superfans, as some folks reported that its non-carbonated consistency ruined the effect and allure of this iconic beverage. Regardless, the Baja Blast gelato is in our rear-view mirror now.

If you noticed the refrigerators at your local Costco were looking a little bare around the end of November, there's a reason why. Costco recalled over 10,000 units of its Kirkland Signature organic eggs due to concerns over a possible salmonella outbreak. The 24-count packages of organic pasture-raised eggs were sourced from New York's Handsome Brook Farms. The eggs, which were distributed to Costco warehouses in five states, were not attributed to any illness complaints, as this was a voluntary recall. 

The Costco egg recall was not correlated to the egg salmonella outbreak in September, which affected over 65 individuals. Those eggs were sold under the Milo's Poultry Farms or Tony's Fresh Market labels in three states: Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. 

Nobu, a global restaurant empire, opened its newest location in New Orleans in August. The restaurant already has over 50 locations in five countries, so it seems like opening a spot in Caesars Hotel and Casino in the Big Easy was a no-brainer. 

The fare at the restaurant, which builds on Nobu's 30-year history of top-quality Japanese fusion cuisine, also boasts an array of local ingredients. That means crawfish, shrimp, okra, and more. It's certainly unlike any Nobu food you've ever had before. 

An avocado would hate to see this coming. Chipotle debuted its Autocado machine at one of its franchise locations this year, signaling the growing pressure to automize fast food operations. In 2023, the brand announced that it would be exploring this technology to expedite its guac prep (which is good news for anyone who has to wait in long lines for this beloved add-on). Though, customers may have been shocked to see the Autocado at work in the Huntington Beach, California location. 

The robot was made in collaboration with robotics company Vebu. It can slice, core, and peel an avocado in 26 seconds — though this rate is expected to improve with time and technological development. Although customers can expect that this small countertop robot will be playing a part in their Chipotle experience in the future, the company has announced no plans to officially change its hand-made guacamole preparation, as of this writing.

While Tupperware Parties may already be a relic of the past, soon Tupperware's containers may be too. The company officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September of this year. This decision came after plummeting stock prices and pressure from a digital consumer marketplace. An astonishing 80% of Tupperware sales are linked to direct sales, hence the Tupperware Parties. Despite partnering with Target a couple years prior, Tupperware failed to catch up to other brands. 

However, that does not mean that Tupperware products will cease to exist tomorrow. The bankruptcy may open up the opportunity for the company to reorganize, reassess its business, and try to salvage itself. 

While many of 2024's food outbreaks focused on deli meat, eggs, and milk, even plant-based eaters need to keep their head on a swivel. A listeria outbreak tied to Silk and Great Value-branded plant-based milks killed two people in Canada and sent nine others to the hospital.

Affected products included Silk's coconut, almond, oat, and cashew milk and Great Value almond milk (including sweetened, unsweetened, and vanilla-flavored products). All Canadian consumers were recommended to be on high alert for these products, especially at-risk individuals, including those who are pregnant or elderly. 

Fresno County's RAW FARM voluntarily recalled a batch of raw milk (otherwise known as unpasteurized milk) following concerns over H5N1 (aka bird flu) in late November. While there were no confirmed cases of the outbreak among customers who purchased and/or drank this milk, it was done "out of an abundance of caution," per the California Department of Public Health. 

Raw milk has received some staunch support among the "crunchy community" of TikTok, but experts warn that the risks of consuming raw milk outweigh its benefits. This is because pasteurization is the process of heating the milk to kill off pathogens, including bird flu. 

While many of 2024's numerous food outbreaks occurred in retail locations, fast food places were also hit hard. Most notably was McDonald's; its Quarter Pounders were linked to E. coli outbreaks in over 10 states in October. Although it was not clear at first whether it was the burger patty or the toppings that were to blame, the FDA eventually discovered that it was the slivered onions on top of the sandwich that were at the root of the outbreak.

By October 22, Taylor Farms, the supplier of the onions, issued a voluntary recall. Over 100 people in total were affected by this outbreak. One person died as a result of it and 34 people were hospitalized.