There Won’t Be Halloween, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day Peeps Until Next Year

No Peeps for Halloween, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day, thanks to COVID-19

In another crushing blow as part of the 2020 pummelling that just won’t end, Peeps announced that its polarizing marshmallow treats won’t be available in their customary Halloween or Christmas shapes this year, nor will there be a Valentine’s Day edition next year.

Just Born, the confectionery company behind the iconic marshmallows, temporarily suspended candy production in April for employee safety. Although production resumed in a limited capacity in May, the company said in a statement that it would “forego production of our seasonal candies for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day in order to focus on meeting the expected overwhelming demand for Peeps for next Easter season, as well as our everyday candies.”

Halloween just won’t be the same this year without spooky little marshmallow ghosts and deformed orange blobs that pass for jack-o’-lanterns.

And in other news…

• More than 200 U.S. meat plant workers have died of COVID-19. The financial penalties for the facilities so far equal less than $30,000. [Washington Post]
• Boston Beer’s Samuel Adams is launching a nonalcoholic beer next year. [Food Dive]
• Cornell University released three new apple breeds — the Pink Luster, Firecracker, and Cordera — with two decades of work behind them. [Modern Farmer]
• A team of researchers tried to help reconstruct ancient cooking practices by preparing meals and studying the residues left behind in unglazed clay pots. [NYT]
• On gripping food with FORCE. [Mel Magazine]

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