So far, 2025 has rattled the lives of California residents in numerous ways, and the food scene was no exception. In case you haven’t been keeping up, here is the top food-related news so far in this new year.

A new study has been making headlines, which claims that drinking coffee can increase lifespans by 1.8 years. In order to achieve these benefits, however, you would need to be consuming around three cups of coffee a day, which could lead to your wallet taking quite a hit. If this is the case, do not worry, you still have the chance to decide on a New Year’s resolution to learn how to brew your own coffee. 

Fortunately, there is yet another reason discovered by this study to allow you to defend your caffeine addiction 一 it was found that individuals who drank coffee had an overall elevated mood and improved behavior. The next time someone questions your second cup of coffee, you can point them in the direction of this study.

Perhaps during your last grocery run, you were disappointed to find that eggs were completely gone! Or perhaps you were planning on buying chicken, only to find that the shelves have been wiped clear! What is the cause of this? This is due to the devastating effects of the avian flu. All over the 50 states, birds are getting infected which is leading to decreased sales and increased prices on eggs and poultry. In California alone, 2.5 million birds were lost in the beginning of December. Egg prices increased 70% from November to December in California, with the average price reaching $8.97. However, so far in 2025, the average egg price has decreased 70 cents from the 2024 average price. At the moment, the best solution for consumers is to encourage individuals to shop at local farmers markets or shops where chicken populations may still remain at normal levels.

On the brighter side, we can look forward to a new collaboration between Krispy Kreme and Pop-Tarts! This partnership is named “Crazy Good,” giving customers a sneak peak of what to expect. In this new year, three new doughnuts will be released: Frosted Strawberry Doughnut, Frosted Chocolatey Fudge Doughnut and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Doughnut. All three doughnuts will be topped with pieces of Pop-Tarts Bites, along with the rich filling and icing. And finally, the most bizarre food news saved for last: a collaboration between Dunkin’ and Native. Native is a personal care brand which has gained a reputation for coming up with creative, novel fragrances. This time, customers will have the opportunity to wear the scent of a doughnut shop by purchasing deodorant, body wash, moisturizer and shampoo in a variety of doughnut-inspired scents. These scents include Strawberry Frosted, Vanilla Sprinkle, Blueberry Cobbler and Boston Kreme.

A version of this article appeared on p. 14 of the January 16th, 2024 print edition of the Daily Nexus.