biggest headline of 2010

In late 2009, the news broke that Scripps Networks Interactive would replace lifestyle channel Fine Living with a new programing station dedicated to food. The Cooking Channel, which focuses on educational programs rather than culinary competitions like older sister Food Network, appeared six months later on May 31.

To ensure that the channel debuted with plenty of viewers, some of the Food Network's top talent — Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Michael Symon — launched new cooking shows that would only be aired on the Cooking Channel. The rest of the programming was filled out with well-known television personalities from Canada, England, and Australia.

The only problem with the Cooking Channel is that it's not included in all cable packages, and many Food Network subscribers don't have access to it. Hopefully in 2011, the channel will not only launch more informative and interesting cooking programs, but it will also be available to a larger audience.

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This time last year, we noted the first family's extraordinary involvement in the country's growing food culture. But we couldn't foresee how First Lady Michelle Obama would have such a weighty impact on US food policy and school lunch reform in 2010.

After setting a local, sustainable example with their very own White House garden, Obama opened her doors to the Food Network for a truly special episode of Iron Chef America. The administration even released a video detailing the garden's expansion efforts.

Obama's first priority, however, was in public policy. She launched Let's Move, a national campaign to end childhood obesity, and personally appealed to corporate food giants, asking them to produce and market more healthful food for kids.

Notable companies heeded her call: both Kraft and Campbell's slashed sodium, while beverage titans removed full-calorie sodas from schools. Part of the campaign was Chefs Move to Schools, a partnership between chefs and local schools that had the backing of Rachael Ray, Tom Colicchio, and Cat Cora, among others.

But Obama's most groundbreaking moment came earlier this month, when she joined the president and members of Congress to sign the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which created national standards for all food served in schools. Stay tuned to see how she'll take things to the next level in 2011.

There was never really a morning rush at the drive-through — that is, until nationwide chains woke up to the year 2010. Where did it all begin? Perhaps it was at the tail end of '09, when McDonald's introduced a breakthrough dollar menu just for breakfast.

Archrival Burger King jumped into the game by ditching BK Joe in favor of Seattle's Best Coffee, as well as airing a TV campaign for its new BK Breakfast Muffin — a menu item it admitted was a ripoff of the McD's Sausage McMuffin.

The chain didn't stop there, also piloting a high-end brunch menu, plugging its new breakfast as the largest menu expansion ever and encouraging coffee drinkers to try its coffee, free of charge.

Pretty soon, everyone else wanted in: Subway launched its pre-lunch offerings that they declared successful, Jamba Juice ran a "Better Star. Better Day" campaign, and Jack in the Box, Wendy's, and Taco Bell all planed breakfast expansion, too.

In the past dozen months, the big guns all discovered that calorie-conscious sandwiches, oatmeal, and coffee brought home the bacon. Who'll take the biggest piece of the quiche? That remains to be seen.