Beverages
First Watch Shakes Up Summer Brunch with Seasonal Menu
Spiked Watermelon Wake-Up joins signature cocktail offerings now through August 11
BRADENTON, Fla., June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — First Watch is welcoming summer with a new seasonal menu spotlighting sweet corn, strawberries, blueberries and watermelon. The chef-driven menu is available at restaurants nationwide* now through August 11.
“Summer is the season of bright, bold flavors, which is exactly what we’re going for with our newest recipes full of fresh twists on classic staples,” said Shane Schaibly, Senior Vice President of Culinary Strategy at First Watch. “From baking sweet blueberries into our cornbread, sprinkling shishito peppers into a breakfast hash and transforming our fan-favorite Watermelon Wake-Up juice into a refreshing cocktail, these seasonal touches will redefine your summertime brunch outing.”
First Watch’s full seasonal menu includes:
- Shishito Brisket Hash – Blistered shishito peppers and smoked, hand-pulled brisket in a potato hash, topped with two cage-free eggs any style, house-roasted summer sweet corn, Cheddar and Monterey Jack, house-pickled red onions, scallions, roasted garlic aioli and Maldon sea salt.
- Carnitas Breakfast Quesadilla – Savory, hand-pulled carnitas inside a griddled whole wheat tortilla with cage-free scrambled eggs, Cheddar and Monterey Jack, house-roasted summer sweet corn and scallions. Topped with housemade corn salsa, fresh smashed avocado, house-pickled red onions, scallions and jalapeño crema. Served with a side of seasoned black beans.
- Strawberry Tres Leches French Toast – Thick-cut, custard-dipped challah bread griddled and topped with fresh strawberries, sweetened condensed milk, warm dulce de leche, whipped cream and spiced gingerbread cookie crumbles. Lightly dusted with powdered cinnamon sugar.
- Blueberry Lemon Cornbread – Freshly baked cornbread with sweet summer blueberries. Topped with house-whipped lemon butter and lightly dusted with powdered cinnamon sugar.
- Watermelon Wake-Up – Watermelon, pineapple, lime and mint.
First Watch is also offering a spiked version of its fan-favorite seasonal juice, Watermelon Wake-Up. This addition marks the first time First Watch has released a limited-time beverage to its array of brunch cocktails.
First Watch’s seasonal menus embody the restaurant’s “Follow the Sun” approach to sourcing fresh ingredients of the season. These menus change five times a year and have received national awards for their innovative, trend-forward approach.
First Watch is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. for pickup, delivery and dine-in service. For more information about First Watch and its seasonal menu offerings, visit firstwatch.com.
* Not available in the Tampa Bay area.
About First Watch
First Watch is an award-winning Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients across its network of neighborhood restaurants. A recipient of hundreds of local “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch’s chef-driven menu includes elevated executions of classic favorites along with specialties such as the Quinoa Power Bowl®, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast, Chickichanga, Morning Meditation, Spiked Lavender Lemonade and its signature Million Dollar Bacon. In 2023, First Watch was recognized as the top restaurant brand in Yelp’s inaugural list of the top 50 most-loved brands in the U.S. In 2023 and 2022, First Watch was named a Top 100 Most Loved Workplace® in Newsweek by the Best Practice Institute. In 2022, First Watch was awarded a sought-after MenuMasters honor by Nation’s Restaurant News for its seasonal Braised Short Rib Omelet and recognized with ADP’s coveted Culture at Work Award. First Watch operates more than 530 restaurants in 29 states. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com.
SOURCE First Watch Restaurants, Inc.
Food and Beverage
Raise a Glass: Celebrate International Beer Day on August 7

Every year on the first Friday in August, beer lovers around the world come together to celebrate International Beer Day. In 2026, the celebration falls on Friday, August 7, offering the perfect opportunity to discover new brews, support local breweries, and enjoy time with friends.
Founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California, International Beer Day has grown into a global event observed in dozens of countries. The celebration recognizes not only the beverage itself but also the brewers, bartenders, servers, and everyone who helps bring beer from the brewery to your glass.
Whether you’re a fan of crisp lagers, hoppy IPAs, rich stouts, refreshing wheat beers, or adventurous sour ales, International Beer Day is a great excuse to step outside your comfort zone and sample something new. Many breweries and pubs celebrate with special releases, tasting flights, live entertainment, brewery tours, and food pairings.
As the craft beer movement continues to flourish across the United States, this annual celebration is also a reminder of the creativity and community that local breweries bring to neighborhoods large and small.
If you decide to celebrate, remember to drink responsibly, arrange for a designated driver or rideshare if needed, and support your favorite local brewery.
Cheers to International Beer Day!
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Food and Beverage
Power Your Summer with 100% Orange Juice

(Family Features) Whether you’re lounging by the pool or hitting the trails for a family hike or bike ride, exposure to summer heat can leave you feeling dehydrated and fatigued.
Comprised of nearly 90% water and delivering essential electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, 100% orange juice can serve as a healthy complement to your hydration routine. These electrolytes are crucial in helping to maintain fluid balance and muscle function regardless of the time of year, but they’re especially important during the warmer summer months when you are exerting more.
Consider these unexpected ways Florida Orange Juice can help power your summer.
Support Immunity
100% orange juice isn’t just a tasty drink; it’s also packed with essential nutrients that support your immune system. An 8-ounce glass of 100% orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, plus it provides key nutrients such as folate, potassium and thiamin, as well as vitamin D and calcium (in fortified juices), that help support the immune system all year long.
Add Healthy Flavor to Meals
Fat-free, cholesterol-free and sodium-free with no added sugar, 100% orange juice is a healthy addition to any diet, adding a burst of flavor to favorite dishes. Consider using Florida Orange Juice as part of the marinade in these Orange Juice Citrus Chicken Kebabs or as a base for salad dressings to create a perfect balance that will delight your taste buds.
Electrolyte and Hydration Support
With many kids participating in summer sports and other outdoor demands on families during the warmer months, it can be difficult to provide your family with healthy, hydrating beverages. However, an option like this On-the-Go Orange Juice Sports Drink helps to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes during and after physical activity, such as running, biking, exercising or playing sports.
Find more nutritious and delicious recipes to keep your family energized during summer activities at FloridaJuice.com.

Orange Juice Citrus Chicken Kebabs
Recipe courtesy of Aaron Himrod on behalf of the Florida Department of Citrus
Servings: 8 (2 kebabs per serving)
- 1 large Florida Orange, zest only
- 1 lime, zest only
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- white pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Florida Orange Juice
- 1 cup lemon-lime soda
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 8 wooden skewers
- To make marinade: In medium mixing bowl, combine orange zest; lime zest; thyme; oil; garlic; salt; white pepper, to taste; orange juice; and soda.
- Add chicken and completely coat with marinade. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator at least 1 hour.
- Soak wooden skewers in water 20-30 minutes.
- To make kebabs: Remove chicken from fridge and lace through each skewer using weaving motion. Repeat for all chicken tenders and set aside.
- When skewers are prepared, drizzle extra marinade over chicken.
- Heat grill to medium. Place chicken on grill. Cover and cook 3 minutes per side, or until center of meat reaches internal temperature of 170 F.
- Remove from grill and serve immediately, or cover with foil and serve later.
Tips: Cover kebabs with foil for at least 20 minutes after cooking to trap in flavor and juices.
Add vegetables to kebabs, if desired, to increase flavor

On-the-Go Orange Juice Sports Drink
Recipe courtesy of the Florida Department of Citrus
Servings: 1
- 8 ounces Florida Orange Juice
- 8 ounces water
- 1 pinch salt
- Mix orange juice and water.
- Add pinch of salt.
- Pour into small bottle or reusable pouch.
SOURCE:
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Health
5 Nutrition-Boosting Tips to Spread Protein Throughout the Day
Nutrition Boost: Most Americans are eating enough protein. They’re just eating it wrong. Build your morning meal around protein, such as a Tart Cherry Cottage Cheese Smoothie, or make snack time count with Air Fryer Cottage Cheese Toast with a delicious drizzle of hot honey.

(Feature Impact) Most Americans are eating enough protein. They’re just eating it wrong.
Protein is the macronutrient of the moment – for muscle building, losing weight and staying strong – but nutrition researchers say two things are missing from the conversation: timing and quality.
Spreading protein intake across the day produced about 25% greater muscle protein synthesis, even when the total daily intake was identical, according to research published in the “Journal of Nutrition.”
“Your muscles don’t have a bank account,” said Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, performance nutritionist. “You can’t deposit all your protein at one meal and expect your body to save it for later.”
Most researchers point to a target of about 30 grams of high-quality protein per meal to maximize muscle protein synthesis in most adults.
However, grams aren’t everything. The source matters just as much.
“Aim to get most of your protein from whole, nutrient-dense foods rather than relying on powders, bars and snacks that don’t have much else to offer,” Mohr said. “Supplements have their place but they should build on a real-food foundation, not replace it.”
Quality comes down to amino acids – specifically, whether a source contains all nine essential ones the body can’t produce on its own. Animal proteins (dairy, eggs, meat, fish) check that box. Many plant proteins don’t and tend to be lower in leucine, the amino acid most critical for triggering muscle growth. Dairy is especially rich in leucine.
Mohr recommends a source of dairy at every meal, including milk, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. He suggests cottage cheese with the highest levels of protein, such as MULU cottage cheese that contains 18 grams of protein per serving – one-third more than the leading brand.
Additionally, Mohr offers these tips to spread protein intake throughout the day:
- Start with a protein anchor. Build your morning meal around protein, such as scrambled eggs with cottage cheese or a Tart Cherry Cottage Cheese Smoothie with nut butter.
- Layer in protein at lunch. A salad with grilled chicken, a turkey and cheese wrap or a grain bowl with edamame and hard-boiled eggs can hit the 30-gram target.
- Make snacks count. Use cottage cheeseas a base for dips or keep hard-boiled eggs on hand for quick, protein-rich options. Or, in just 7 minutes when time is of the essence, you can prepare Air Fryer Cottage Cheese Toast with a delicious drizzle of hot honey.
- Treat dinner as a cap, not a catchup. By evening, protein intake should already be well distributed. Try a moderate portion of fish, lean meat or legumes alongside vegetables.
- Eat slow-digesting protein before bed. Studies show consuming casein protein before sleep – the slow-digesting protein found naturally in dairy – supports overnight muscle repair. One-half cup of cottage cheese or a glass of milk before bed is a practical, evidence-backed way to put science to work.
To find more protein-rich solutions to power your day, visit MULUProtein.com.
Tart Cherry Cottage Cheese Smoothie
Servings: 2
- 1 cup MULU low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 frozen banana, peeled
- 3/4 cup frozen tart cherries
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 cup low-fat milk
- 1 tablespoon nut butter
- water
- In blender, blend cottage cheese, banana, cherries, ground flaxseed, milk and nut butter on high speed until completely smooth, 45-60 seconds.
- If smoothie is too thick, add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and blend to preferred texture.
- Pour into two glasses and serve or pour into sealed jar or container and refrigerate overnight; stir or shake well before drinking.
Nutritional information per serving: 310 calories; 35 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 10 g fat.
Air Fryer Cottage Cheese Toast
Servings: 2
- 1 cup MULU low-fat cottage cheese
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 teaspoons hot honey
- 2 teaspoons chili crunch
- Preheat air fryer to 400 F.
- Spread 1/2 cup cottage cheese onto each slice of sourdough bread.
- Transfer slices into fryer basket. Cook about 7 minutes, or until cottage cheese is golden, bubbly and lightly set.
- Remove toast from air fryer. Drizzle 1 teaspoon hot honey and 1 teaspoon chili crunch over each slice and serve.
Nutritional information per serving: 295 calories; 38 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 6 g fat.
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SOURCE:
MULU Cottage Cheese
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