Happy Thursday! Let’s get to today’s serving of snackable news. For anyone new here: this is The Skinny, an unconventional take of curated, need-to-know items designed to entertain, and inspire a better (and more informed) day/week/life. What we’re covering:

• The phenomenon that is ‘social running,’ and which brands are inching in on Nike’s market dominance  

• Spain may have taken down France in this week’s UEFA match, but when it comes to their national drinks, it’s a draw

• The latest in sustainable toilet paper news, how to shop for it and…bidets (again! we are fans)

• Don’t head to the beach/park/pool without reading how to pack your cooler with this summer’s hottest [cold] RTD beverages

• The return of two Pizza Hut “classics,” the best farmer’s markets in the U.S., therapeutic vacuuming & lazy, easy summer dinners

If you have friends who would love The Skinny or some of this week’s edition, we’d be forever grateful if you forwarded this email. And if someone already in the know sent this, you can subscribe here.

Nice kicks

Who’s winning the sneaker market race

The Skinny: The footwear press has been talking for a month about how challenger brands such as On and Hoka are faster to the finish in terms of meeting consumer needs, and that they’re chipping away at Nike market share. Will Nike rebound victorious? 

Some blame the footwear giant’s inability to connect with the evolving needs of “running culture,” which in part has turned into a “social running” phenomenon. Others state their lack of innovation, as compared to On and Hoka – which, for example, has an Alpine heritage that captures consumers' hearts and imagination through sneakers designed to “make downhill running effortless and if you were flying” (according to this story about the brand’s “endless innovation”).  

Or take the On Cloudboom Strike, their latest running shoe which launches today. This brand has proven some serious endurance in the market thanks to its combination of Swiss engineering and high fashion equity (thanks to collabs with brands like LOEWE, and stars such as Roger Federer and Zendaya). 

Whether you’re on Team On, Hoka or Nike, or looking for racing, stability, training, and more, here’s a great list of the best running shoes.

Crème de la Skinny  

National drinks of France, Spain (pastis vs. sangria)

Spain may have left the pitch victorious but we’re still calling the national drinks of France and Spain a draw. First we have pastis, the delicious anise-flavored aperitif, with its coastal, herbaceous vibes, fascinating history and satisfying “louching” effect when mixed with water. 

Then, the wild unpredictable energy of flavorful sangria, which screams “party in a glass!” You can’t beat either an afternoon drinking pastis (Ideally, somewhere near Marseille, where the drink originated) OR a pitcher of sangria on one of Madrid’s mysterious tree-lined streets, on the Costa Brava or anywhere, anytime in Barcelona. Here’s a recipe that claims to “come together in minutes” (with video). No national drink losers here – cheers!🏆

Wiped clean

Sustainable TP for a cleaner planet

The Skinny: Last week, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a new report—“Selling the World’s Forests”—with details on how some of the world’s top retailers are still not stocking sustainable options despite consumer demand. However, the report reveals some good news, including “pioneering shareholder actions” at large companies “that reflect growing concerns in the investment community around forest- and climate-related impacts.” 

Destroying natural resources for a product to wipe your a$$ has never made sense, and we will continue to advocate for either toilet paper made from recycled material, or bidets. Bidets cost more up front, sure, but they reduce your toilet paper usage by 75% (on estimate, according to some serious bidet/TP math). As for toilet paper, here’s a helpful infographic (the NRDC’s toilet paper “sustainability scorecard”), which can help you make informed decisions (ideally choosing from the “A” category). You can start right now with this 100% bamboo version from Cloud Paper, or the 100% recycled option from Who Gives a Crap: with 370 sheets per roll, plastic-free packaging and cute design…a winner all-around.

Crack one open

Packing the perfect cooler

The Skinny: Cool canned bevvies are hot this summer. 

Doctor’s Orders: RTD “cocktails” that are good for you? We spotted this brand at the Fancy Food Show and while we didn’t have time to talk to them, their story unfolds as such: During Covid, Dr. Guilietta Octvaio started mixing elixirs for patients who were boozing with increased frequency. The result are these concoctions, made with NorCal mushrooms and adaptogens, that are concentrated to mix with sparkling water in lieu of a cocktail. Patients not only reported drinking less, but feeling FANTASTIC. As in:

• Better sleep

• Stabilized weight

• More energy 

• Healthier skin

Fast forward and these “doctor’s remedies” are available as ready to drink versions: Bright AF, Chill AF, Happy AF, and Ceybon AF.  You can also order the Elixirs. Jill is patiently waiting by the mailbox for her Ceybon AF to arrive… 

According to Food Dive, here are the Top Three Cocktails shaking up the summer, which include:

• Meteorite-infused vodka 

• Summery tea x vodka 

• Joshing’s “magic inspired” canned beverages 

• Jeng hemp-infused alcohol free canned cocktails (we added this one to the list!) 

Last, but definitely not least: NA Beers, which have evolved from just “beer without booze” to flavor- and trend-setters in their own right. For example: 

• Impossibrew, an alcohol free beer with added nootropics 

• Layback Lime and Salt from Athletic Brewing Company

• Best Day Brewing’s “Electro-LIme” Mexican-style lager

• Brez Lemon/Elderflower made with hemp and lion’s mane 

The news this past week has been spilling over with NA beer darling Athletic Brewing, who just added another $50M to their already brimming-over war chest. We’ve been seeing this pop up in pretty much ever beach and summer party cooler, and apparently bartenders are reporting smart partiers ordering it to accompany a shot (which some have deemed, “The Hypocrite.”). 

The brand is also now entering the sparkling water chat with “Daypack” hop infused flavors such as Black Cherry, Mango, Lemon Lime, and Blood Orange (we just tried this one and definitely found it refreshing). Great as a stand-alone and err, also a mixer. And in case you’re wondering what “hop water” is, here’s a primer. 

And for anyone who likes to DIY and set the vibe in your own glass, the OG at-home seltzer creator (SodaStream) allows you to make your own flavored seltzers, just like that. Behold, a 30% off offer to get your own, along with tricks every SodaStream owner should try at least once.  

(PS: if you are ever curious about the RTIC v Yeti cooler wars, it’s settled here)

OHM, THERE'S MORE

This week’s newsfeed

• Sunday shopping: Is food from the farmers market more nutritious? In a word, YES, and here’s why. Also, a list of the 10 Best Farmers Markets in the USA (great list, but for us the all-time best is the market in Chamonix, France, where you can get the absolute best rôtisserie chicken).  

• It’s still hot and your hair still needs protecting, so we’re sharing this holy grail leave-in conditioner, Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil from Bumble and bumble (now on Amazon). Spray on before heading out, and your strands will thank you. 

• Lazy dinners of summer: This should get us through August and into fall, courtesy of PureWow: 90 Easy Summer Dinners that will take less than 30 minutes to make.  

• ’80s and ’90s kids, exciting news to report! Yes, the Pizza Hut lunch buffet is BACK. Select markets are currently testing and here’s hoping for the return of salad and dessert bars for all in near future. In other Pizza Hut news, several have quietly rebranded as “PIzza Hut Classic"” expect to enjoy the familiar comforts of the original logo, red and white checkered tablecloths, and pitchers of Pepsi served with the iconic red cups. Finally, this item would not be complete without a reference to our favorite photo caption from The Onion, “You Can Tell Area Bank Used to be a Pizza Hut.”

• You may know that Prime Day is approaching (July 16-17). But – for the sneak peek – we ordered this cordless vacuum (at 42% off!!) because, in fact, vacuuming can be therapeutic and here is how.

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