By: Kara Kimbrough
I often hear from readers who fall into different categories: 1. They don’t cook, but instead, rely primary on restaurant or takeout meals; 2. They’re proficient home cooks and chefs who prefer preparing their own meals; and 3. Traveling the country and world is a favorite pastime, so they enjoy hearing about my travels. In an effort to make everyone happy, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite finds that may appeal to home cooks, regular restaurant patrons and travelers (and some may fit into more than one category).
Here are a few of my favorite restaurant meals, supermarket finds and travel products of 2024 - I'm hoping you may enjoy experiencing a few for yourself in 2025:
Chobani Creations Greek Yogurt with Dessert Flavors - I’ve “tried” (emphasis on tried) to eat healthier this year, including choosing healthy yogurt as a snack instead of my favorite potato chips. Making the choice even easier this year is this brilliant product from Chobani. It combines all the benefits of yogurt with the delicious flavors of apple pie à la mode, bananas Foster, cherry cheesecake and mocha tiramisu. Even better than the taste is that it's made with natural ingredients and real fruit, but no artificial flavors, sweeteners and preservatives. And, each container comes with 10 grams of protein.
Safe Catch Wild Pink Salmon – Salmon is always on the list of the world's healthiest foods, but I’ve always been a little leery of its high mercury content if eaten on a regular basis. This year, I tried the canned products and learned they contain the lowest mercury level of any salmon brand. It’s safe for children, pregnant woman and others with compromised immune systems. Safe Catch hand selects and tests every single salmon to insure its mercury limit is 25 times lower than the FDA’s recommended limit. Oh and here’s the best part: it’s the freshest, best-tasting salmon I’ve ever sampled.
Krog’s Scout Travel Luggage Tag – After having several luggage tags either cut or pulled off during airline travel, I ditched the flimsy pieces of faux leather and switched to the “world’s smartest luggage tag.” Scout Travel stores my contact details digitally in the sturdy tag that easily attaches to my luggage. My personal information is accessible if necessary via a QR code but is not "out there" for strangers to view. And, it pairs with my Apple iPhone’s "Find My" app, allowing me to track my belongings at all times. Scout Travel also features a motion-sensitive alarm, providing an extra layer of security.
Pacific Foods’ Organic Bone Broth - Speaking of healthy eating lists, you might have noticed the addition of bone broth on many of them. I’d never used it until this year, but now that I’ve discovered Pacific Food’s version made from non-GMO, organic-certified ingredients like unsalted chicken and beef cooked with vegetables, herbs and cider vinegar, I may never go back to regular broth. With 9 grams of protein per serving, I feel good about adding it to soups, stews, casseroles and other dishes.
Sugar Pop Baking Co. in Waveland - It might seem odd that this small, unassuming bakery and restaurant with a limited menu made the list this year, but once you experience it, you’ll understand why. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s in the Ground Zero Museum, which showcases the damage done by and reconstruction after Katrina. Or, it could be due to the building's architecture harkening back to a bygone era. Actually, I believe it’s the amazing cakes and pastries created by the talented owner and staff as well as the delicious smash burgers and other sandwiches served at lunch. Experience it yourself the next time you’re on the Gulf Coast. Check out the website to see photos of some of their creative offerings and learn about hours of operation and specials at: sugarpopbakingco.com.
Tyson Restaurant Style Crispy Wings – Every now and then, a craving for crispy wings can't be denied. This new frozen product is the perfect antidote. As someone who doesn’t like heavy breading or wings with soft, chewy skin, this product fits the bill. The ultra-crispy wings come in a variety of flavors; my favorite is rotisserie-seasoned.
Bigelow Green Tea with Elderberry – I love a mug of hot tea in the afternoon, but preferred a fruit-flavored version like peach, blueberry and apple. Despite its high nutrient content, I’ve never cared for the taste of green tea. After reading just how good green tea is for the body (improvements in brain/cognitive health, heart, inflammation, digestive, blood sugar, stress, skin and with a hearty dose of antioxidants for good measure) I decided to give it another try. Thankfully, I ran across a green tea flavored with a hint of berry and other woodsy flavors. makes. It makes drinking a daily glass of the healthy tea much more palatable.
Favorite restaurant meals of 2024 - I was fortunate to sample a delicious array of meals at home in Mississippi, in nearby states and in New York City. A few memorable dishes included: chicken parmesan and garlic rolls at Mario’s Italian in Hattiesburg; pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup at Bubby’s in New York City; Italian meatballs at Teatro Bistro and chili at Tolbert’s Chili Parlor, both in Grapevine, Texas; shrimp po-boy and gumbo at Taranto’s in Biloxi and shrimp cocktail at Grand Central Station’s Oyster Bar in NYC.
Yes, 2024 was a great year for supermarkets, restaurants and travel, but I have a feeling this year will be equally memorable. Email me with your favorites in these three categories. I’ll do my best to try them out in the coming year. Happy New Year!
Most Used Recipe of 2024: Easy Chicken Parmesan
4 boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large eggs1 cup panko bread crumbs, or more as needed
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more if needed
½ cup olive oil for frying, or as needed
1 cup prepared tomato sauce (more to taste)
¼ cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup grated provolone cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy freezer bag on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.
Season chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides.
Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl, set aside. Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with 2-3 tablespoons tomato sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and provolone cheese. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top and drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and bubbly and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.
Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkrpco@yahoo.com.
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