Friday, March 20, 2026

America wants a home-cooked meal

Amid rising prices, the nation is getting busy in the kitchen. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Fri Mar 20 2026

 

Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Dive into these links:

Former FBI Director James Comey has been subpoenaed.
North Carolina was upset by VCU in a March Madness overtime stunner.
Welcome to spring! 💐💐

Nicole Fallert and Jane Onyanga-Omara here, with the news to know on Friday. We start with how prices are changing U.S. eating behaviors and why Gen Z isn't down to T.G.I.F.

Hold up those paws! We've launched a Cute Baby Animals voting bracket . Over the next few weeks, vote head‑to‑head on the cutest fur babies. We'll reveal results every Tuesday morning.

Americans are making their own dinner

As the busy single mom of an 11-year-old daughter, Ellen Hornberger loved the convenience of having a restaurant meal deposited on her doorstep until she realized just how much that  home delivery was costing her: She was spending three-quarters of her food budget — $942 a month — on takeout. 

Hornberger is among Americans finding that dining in — not out — is becoming an increasingly necessary option as  high food prices  strain their expenses.

Forget fancy. The nation is giving their food processors and salad spinners another whirl. According to a recent  YouGov survey , three-quarters of Americans now cook at least a few times per week. Only 2% never cook and another 10% cook once a month or less.

What home-cooked meal are you loving right now? Reply to this email and let us know!

Food prices too high? Home-cooked meals are having a moment.

More news to know now

In graphics: U.S. drops new bunker-busting bombs on Iranian targets.
Here's why beef prices are so high.
Markwayne Mullin is closer to becoming DHS secretary.

Take a look

Spring is officially here 🌼

Syndication Palm Beach Daily News

The Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia Impetiginosa) springs to life at the Hibiscus Fountain in Palm Beach March 5, 2026.

Damon Higgins/Palm Beach Daily News/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

After a brutal winter for much of the U.S., spring is finally in the air . Spring officially begins today, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. It marks the spring equinox, or the astronomical start to spring. The spring equinox occurs when the Earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, resulting in equal daylight during the day and darkness at night.

Something to talk about

Forget the Friday night house party

We used to be a proper country. Where dancing on sticky living room floors, sneaking beers from your parents' refrigerator and bumping music on stereos were hallmarks of adolescence. Gen Z, apparently, doesn't know that

Before you go

Sarah Bond, USA TODAY Women of the Year honoree, made it her mission to connect people through gaming.
What's Rory McIlroy's Master's dinner menu?
How Dolly Parton inspired Miley Cyrus' Hannah Montana return.

Have feedback on the Daily Briefing? Shoot Nicole an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.

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President Donald Trump addresses reporters at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 16, 2026.
 

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The Commission of Fine Arts approved the design for a 24 karat gold commemorative coin featuring the image of President Donald Trump for the nation's 250th anniversary.
 

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The design would be for a gold commemorative coin. A separate $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump has attracted even more pushback.

USA TODAY's The Excerpt podcast
 

Podcast: Water matters as much as oil in the Iran war. Experts explain why.

 

USA TODAY's daily news podcast, The Excerpt, brings you a curated mix of the most important headlines seven mornings a week.

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