When it comes to foods that pregnant women crave, ice cream certainly ranks among the top 10. And now pregnant women across the United States can satisfy their cravings with an ice cream product that's actually endorsed by pregnancy experts.

Because much of what Danone North America produces under its other brands falls into dairy territory, the company's plants must be very careful in managing the dairy/nondairy product mix.

Back in 1977, milk, the genuine dairy kind, was still a mealtime staple for most families. In fact, per-capita fluid milk consumption stood at 247 pounds, a whopping 101 pounds more than the tally in 2018, according to data from the USDA Economic Research Service.

It used to be that a grilled cheese sandwich called for American cheese. And a party demanded a processed cheese ball.

It's hard to beat a pep rally as a means to spur excitement among a collective high school student body before a big game. It's been a while (quite a while) since I was in high school, but I can close my eyes and still hear the cheers and the fight song thundering in the confines of my school's gymnasium.

While the retail ice cream category has seen sales flatten and even tumble slightly in recent years, its novelties cousin has fared much better.

Three or four decades ago, consumers had few choices when it came to ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. The available assortment consisted mainly of milk, soft drinks, juice/fruit drinks and alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer.

Like many other U.S. retail food categories, the ice cream category has been awash with innovation during the past few years. From lower-sugar, higher-protein formulations and portion-controlled offerings to "ice cream" that's ... well ... not really ice cream.

Last month, I received a rather interesting email from a PR firm representing the Silk nondairy brand. The email informed me that the Golden Globes would be joining the "dairy-free movement by serving a totally vegan, plant-based award ceremony dinner to Hollywood’s biggest stars."