This story was originally published on Civil Eats. This spring, as Tarun Bhalla was testing out eight-ounce curry packets for a new line of meal kits, he found that they had a tendency to burst open in a shipping test. He’s been looking for a company that can manufacture stronger …

There’s a reason so many of us stocked up on boxes of long and short noodle varieties and cans of soup at the beginning of all those “sheltering in place” orders — and it’s not just the favorable expiration dates. No one can deny the comforting consolation provided by a …

Last weekend I accidentally ate out for the first time since March. My partner and I decided to grab a drink and a bite at a local wine bar, assuming we could order at the sidewalk window and then take the food to one of the high-tops set up in …

The colorful plates at Lucy Silva’s Corona, California, restaurant Barra de Pan won’t stop coming. They are a force unto themselves, arriving in quick succession until they threaten to overtake the outdoor table. There’s a steaming plate of birria tacos, their tortillas red and softened from a dip in the …

In the early days of the pandemic, storied community activists and those newly unemployed, or working from home for the first time, came together to join or form mutual aid networks across the country. These groups have spent months building volunteer rolls, creating community connections, and perfecting the use of …