Like many of you, I have been following the march toward COVID-19 herd immunity for months. I’ve also been considering the personal considerations for consumers and the business implications for the food industry. I’ve taken note of how the issue of consumer trust in government, non-profit and private sectors has an impact on getting more people vaccinated. I’ve observed some employers offering employees financial incentives to be vaccinated and many more monitoring registrations and vaccine rollouts in their own communities. Through it all, there has been one resource I’ve found invaluable.

When gathering around the table for Mediterranean-style family meals, the connections made between food and health and people and joy can grow even stronger. The Mediterranean Diet is based on the traditional eating habits of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean and is consistently rated as the healthiest diet, #1 plant-based diet and the easiest diet to follow by U.S. News & World Report.

A year into our collective COVID-19 response, most people now have a more informed view of our global supply chains and know the time and materials involved in moving goods around the world and around our country. As we are wired to ask ourselves: how can we be better/stronger/more prepared next time? There is no better time to come together as an industry and look forward with specific ideas and opportunities to remove supply chain friction and improve our agility and resilience.

The time is right to help families include food safety skills and healthy eating habits at home, especially as they cook and enjoy more family meals together. With registered dietitians and food safety experts taking on greater responsibilities, the food industry is uniquely positioned to help shoppers achieve their health and well-being goals through consumer outreach and education.