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A roundup of articles revisiting the snacks, meals, and drinks that make up American life
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning.
Atlantic writers have never been afraid to make bold claims about beloved foods and beverages. Hard seltzer? Pretty bad, Amanda Mull argued in 2022. Wraps? The worst kind of sandwich, Ellen Cushing argued this week. Others have stood up for oft-maligned cuisine, like milk chocolate and candy corn. (Every time I publicly express my agreement with my colleague Megan Garber on milk chocolate being better than dark, I get a better understanding of her bravery.)
Some of these attempts to revisit what we eat ultimately explore what healthy really means, and why Americans have put so much cultural or social value on certain foods. Today’s newsletter explores our writers’ most interesting opinions about food and drink.
Food Opinions
The Worst Sandwich Is Back
By Ellen Cushing
Wraps are popular again.
So is a certain kind of physique.
Read the article.
Hard Seltzer Has Gone Flat
By Amanda Mull
Americans are realizing the truth about White Claw: It’s bad!
Read the article.
The Truth About Slushies Must Come Out
By Ian Bogost
Every slushie is different. Every slushie is the same.
Read the article.
Still Curious?
- The most miraculous—and overlooked—type of milk: Shelf-stable milk is a miracle of food science that Americans just won’t drink, Ellen Cushing writes.
- Let’s not fool ourselves about yogurt: There’s a thin line between yogurt and ice cream, Yasmin Tayag writes.
Other Diversions
P.S.
I asked readers to share a photo of something that sparks their sense of awe in the world. MKT, 78, from Waterford, Connecticut, sent this image of alpenglow over the Jungfrau Massif, from Beatenberg, Switzerland.
I’ll continue to feature your responses in the coming weeks.
— Isabel
