Fun Friday: Nutella #BiscuitsNBesties, most popular bagels, Wonderful Pistachios recipes, Nerds italian ice

Which state's residents eat the most bagels in the U.S.?

Kristen Kish, Host of Bravo's "Top Chef," — Kristen Kish, host of "Top Chef." Courtesy of Ferrero

most popular bagels in the US — courtesy of Betway Insider

Wonderful Pistachios' Jalapeno Lime Guacamole for Cinco de Mayo — courtesy of Wonderful Pistachios

Jeremiah's Italian Ice, Nerds partnership — courtesy of Jeremiah's Italian Ice

Fun Friday this week kicks off with Nutella #BiscuitsNBesties, which celebrates book clubs and other groups that bring people together. With people getting together for activities more than ever before, #BiscuitsNBesties (Nutella Biscuits) is celebrating these fun moments by offering friends the chance to win weekly prizes and even a getaway.

Ferrero's Nutella brand is encouraging fans to tag their bestie and @Nutella and use the hashtag #BiscuitsNBesties for the chance to win free biscuits and brand swag. One grand prize winner will also win a trip to New York City for themselves and their bestie, and the giveaway will end on June 16. To launch #BiscuitsNBesties, Nutella is teaming up with NBCUniversal stars including Kristen Kish, Host of Bravo's "Top Chef," and Zuri Hall.

For more information, visit Nutella on Instagram.

Most popular bagel types in the U.S.

The world is a nation of bagel lovers. From the infamous Everything seasoning that went viral on TikTok to the newly launched McDonald’s breakfast bagel, the popular bread is loved far and wide.

With this in mind, Betway has surveyed nearly 2,000 Americans across the US to find out the most popular bagel flavors and fillings that they buy and to shed light on just how many bagels people consume.

The key findings:

Hawaiians eat more bagels than any other state, with the average resident claiming they eat around 142 bagels yearly.
Men eat almost 40% more bagels than women per year, with 12% of men claiming they eat a bagel every day compared to 5% of women
The average person is willing to spend up to $400 per year on bagels, with the survey revealing the average American is happy to spend $4.71 per bagel and eating around 85 per year.
Delaware is the only state to prefer bacon, egg, and cheese as a filling over cream cheese.

Read the full report here.

Wonderful Pistachios partners with MasterChef Claudia Sandoval to launch Cinco de Mayo recipes

Wonderful Pistachios is collaborating with renowned celebrity chef Claudia Sandoval in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. The partnership merges the newly launched No Shells Jalapeño Lime flavor with the culinary mastery and authentic Mexican background of Chef Claudia, resulting in an array of recipes that capture the spirit of this festive occasion.

A winner of the reality TV cooking competition MasterChef, who has since become a judge of MasterChef Latinos and best-selling cooking author, Chef Claudia’s innovative recipes for Wonderful Pistachios draw inspiration from the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine and feature pistachios as a star ingredient.

The partnership kicked-off on Instagram featuring a recipe reel of how to cook Shrimp Tacos featuring a Wonderful Pistachios Jalapeño Lime Salsa Macha Verde. In addition, the partnership included an easy-to-make Wonderful Pistachios Jalapeño Lime Guacamole that is a spicy-but-not-too-spicy twist of thee Mexican dip.

For more information visit WonderfulPistachios.com, or find these recipes on Instagram by following @wonderfulpistachios and @chefclaudiasandoval.

Jeremiah's Italian Ice introduces limited-time Nerds Gelatis just in time for summer

Jeremiah's Italian Ice, the Italian Ice-based frozen dessert brand, is teaming up with Nerds to deliver three limited-time "Flavorites": Cotton Candy Crunch, The Blue Razz, and Citrus Crunch, available through June 30 or while supplies last. Along with the limited release comes the news that the brand is permanently adding Rainbow Nerds to their Layer-Ins menu.

The three new Nerds Flavorites are layered with crunchy, vibrant Rainbow Nerds, alongside Jeremiah's signature smooth Soft Ice Cream and fruity Italian Ice:

Cotton Candy Crunch: Cotton Candy Ice, Vanilla Ice Cream and Rainbow Nerds Layer-Ins
The Blue Razz: Blue Razz Ice, Vanilla Ice Cream and Rainbow Nerds Layer-Ins
Citrus Crunch: Orange Smash Ice, Vanilla Ice Cream and Rainbow Nerds Layer-Ins

This limited-time offering underscores the company's commitment to innovation in its frozen treats, marrying a variety of textures and flavors. Alongside bites of flavor with Layer-Ins and flavors to satisfy every palate, Jeremiah's Italian Ice has also developed its signature smooth Soft Ice Cream and Italian Ice.

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.

This webinar will examine variables factoring into nutritionally improved candy sales, including ingredients, label claims, and alternative sugars. Better-for-you options remain top of mind for consumers who are searching for indulgences, but in a healthier format.