Happy Thursday morning! For anyone new here: this is The Skinny, where we serve up curated, need-to-know lifestyle news designed to entertain and save you time, which is everyone’s most valuable resource. Digesting the Skinny’s curated news = five minutes + more time spent on meaningful activities. Mindless social media scrolling = hours you’ll never get back. 

What we’re covering in this week’s snackable news: 

• The art of not running (and other running shoe news, including a new “spray-on” from On)

• Hydrating at home with a DIY electrolyte drink 

• Pantry raid: Getting trashed with upcycled foods 

• The Olympic drama unfolding in the dining hall  

• A “Costco themed birthday party,” how to make 3-ingredient Parisian baguette sandwiches, motorized pants for hiking, & bucket list train rides

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Lace up

The art of not running in your running shoes

The Skinny: We love our Retail and Morning Brew newsletters, which have us thinking once again about starting to run again. Maybe. Running shoe sales are on fire, according to the Brew, who reports that—from the “year of the Dad shoe” to everything Hoka—apparently comfort is the new fashion statement. Not only that, but over half of running shoes sold aren’t being used for exercise. 

Taking it one step further, others are not only “not running,” but pretending to be: known as “Strava Jockeys,” these are runners who are paid by others to inflate their stats. An ironic twist, since Strava was created to help motivate you to run; and now it’s motivating you to pay someone to have others think that you are.  

What else we got: 

• Want to get lost in a sneaker rabbit hole and curious about the new Hoka Skyflow? Jump into this reddit thread and we’ll see you in a couple hours. One to slip on and try: the Hoka ONE ONE Women’s Low Neck. 

• Sick of laces? If On tells us we are, maybe we are. Enter the Cloudboom Strike LS, which are robot-made, “spray on running shoes” from On that will be worn by runner Hellen Obiri in Paris. 

• While sneaker choices are usually not practical ones, if you’re into dupes, this “lifespan of luxury items” post makes a convincing case to pick up Walmart’s Avia Light Runner.

Crème de la Skinny  

A DIY electrolyte drink

The Skinny: This is still a hot topic for summer and every season: hydrating, the proper way – which helps with energy, performance, mood and mental clarity. You can make a DIY electrolyte drink yourself, which saves money and is healthier than sugar-laden, store-bought varieties. 

And in case, ahem, somebody overdoes it the night prior, it will also bring you back to life. This one takes minutes and is fresh, and delicious. 

While you’re hydrating, take a minute to read about the fascinating history of Gatorade (included in this article on why/how electrolyte drinks work). 

Here’s the recipe:

 4 cups of water (960 ml)

1-2 inch chunk ginger, smashed and roughly chopped

1/2 cup fresh orange or grapefruit juice (120ml)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (60 ml)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 ml)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey 

• Combine ginger, citrus and water in a saucepan

• Bring to a simmer

• Stir in the baking soda and salt

• Remove from the heat and stir in the sweetener

• Strain out the pulp and solids

• Cool and enjoy

Store in Mason jars or reusable glass bottles like these.

Pantry raid

What’s old is newly delicious

The Skinny: Stop wasting food; get trashed instead. “Upcycled food,” meaning—foods made from ingredients that would not have otherwise been used for human consumption—is what we’re putting in our lunch boxes this fall. Quick upcycled food facts: 

• According to reports, upcycled food products were a $54.5 billion market in 2022 (the last time we reported on this in 2019, it was at $46.7 billion)

• The United States Department of Agriculture states that, in 2010, “food loss and waste at the retail and consumer levels was 31 percent of the food supply.” But on the positive side, by the year 2030 they’re looking to reduce that number by 50%. 

• Food waste accounts for 6%-8% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions 

• Potatoes are often cited as one of the most wasted foods, but thanks to Trashy Chips’ blog, we learned that the OG upcycled food is actually the glorious tater tot.

• Making friends with your freezer saves waste and cold, hard cash. As this article states, just throw everything in your fridge in there if you need to (using these). And as we’ve said before…oftentimes frozen fruits and vegetables—which are usually frozen immediately after harvest—are more nutritious. Our two freezer go-tos: Bananas, cut and frozen for smoothies; and bread/rolls that aren’t getting used immediately.  

Consumer demand for upcycled products is increasing in part because of environmental concerns, but some argue that the real reason we love upcycled products is their creativity (in food, but also fashion – we’ll cover that in an upcoming issue). 

Some examples: 

• Trashy chips, which are “launching a full-frontal assault on the tasteless, wasteful status quo.” More fiber, less junk.  

• Rind snacks are not upcycled, but are made with rinds – an even better win-win since it means less waste to begin with, and because rinds often have the most nutrient-dense parts of the fruit, and contain polyphenols. “Mother Nature's original packaging,” as they say. Rind also perfected the art of a cocktail in snack form “Pina Colada Remix” (pictured, above). Bought, taste tested, loved. 

• Renewal Mill: Makes chef-crafted baking mixes using ingredients upcycled from plant-based processing.  

At-home upcycling: Beyond buying upcycled products, actions at home can also make a difference. Brit + Co has compiled a ton of creative food scrap recipes, from bacon fat to watermelon rinds and carrot tops. This goes for pickle juice too – don’t toss that liquid gold. Take it straight from the jar and into a martini glass. Final food for thought: rethink “expired” or “sell by” foods that you might toss prematurely. Here are 15 foods that last past their expiration date (and one that “never expires”). 

SAFETY FIRST!! disclaimer: remember…trust your nose and intuition if something smells or looks off.

Quelle surprise 

Athletes need meat and protein

The Skinny: It wouldn’t be the Olympics without a serving of drama, and one of this year’s storylines is unfolding in the dining hall. Organizers’ attempt to focus on “climate friendly, vegan-conscious” food has caused concern among some athletes – with some even claiming it has affected performance. And based on the shortage, a “reinforcement of animal proteins,” was ordered: 700 kilos of eggs and a ton of meat, to be exact.  

Eggs, in particular, are a powerhouse item for athletes, and this article helps explain why (and it also has three super easy, athlete-approved egg breakfast recipes designed for performance).

Separately, no one can contain their excitement over these chocolate muffins, which also (of course) have given rise to a new social media star: say hello to Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen, aka the “Muffin Man.” 

OHM, THERE'S MORE

This week’s newsfeed

• For the next-level gear obsessed: The Hustle alerted us to these pricey “motorized pants,” which reportedly help with hiking fatigue, and more. 

• What’s more simply delicious than a classic Parisian baguette sandwich? Pas beaucoup. While these (shown in video linked below) have only three ingredients – including the bread – you do need the correct bread, a certain type of butter and even the right kind of spreading knife. Allow this attractive Frenchman to show you the way.  

• If you aren’t a sandwich person, behold this unique grinder salad, courtesy of “The Modern Nonna.” 

• Love ‘em or hate ‘em, chances are you will find yourself at a water park this summer—and if so, here is a splashy list of genius items you won’t want to be without (written by our friend Aly Walansky).  

• Also to file under love/hate: this Costco-themed birthday party that you just gotta see to comprehend/believe. 

• Bucket list beauty, meet bucket list travel—with this new Dior Spa aboard the Oriental Express.  (PS: There’s also a new overnight “express” train from Rome to Puglia that we’re dying to check out…)

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