Franchise Opportunities in Memphis, TN

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Right now groceries are the highest we've seen in 40 years. The USDA estimates grocery bills could increase another 5% to 6% in 2022.

This summer, you’ll get some relief at the grocery store, thanks to a new bill.

Starting in August, a 30-day suspension on grocery sales tax will take effect. According to Gov. Bill Lee, more details will be released closer to the effective date.

But that's months away, and families need help now. Here is a list of meal programs that are helping families immediately.

Every Monday through June, the YMCA will give out free 7-day meal packages for kids under 18. Meals will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a first come first served basis.

Methodist South Hospital Campus is located at 1300 Wesley Drive, Memphis, TN 38116.

Once that program ends, the YMCA will have about a dozen meal site locations throughout Shelby county to continue giving out free 7-day meal packages. Click here to find a location near you.

'Feed the Block Memphis has three different meal programs for residents living in Raleigh.

1. Feed The Block – Groceries

Through their monthly grocery giveaway done in partnership with Midsouth Food Bank, they provide supplemental groceries to those who need them.

2. Feed The Block – Summer

Provides consistent meals for school-aged children in the summertime.

3. Feed The Block – Dinner

Provides dinner meals to kids in need.

Next, Memphis Shelby County Schools has a summer food service program. This program is specifically for low-income families. If your child needs summer lunch this year, you have to contact Shalissia Smith by phone at 901-416-0062 or by email at [email protected].

The Mid-South Food Bank has a mobile pantry distribution program. They have several refrigerated vehicles located throughout Shelby County various locations. The Mobile Pantry is open to those who can show an ID or other proof of residency in the county/zip code designated for distribution.

Click here to find a location near you.

SisterReach is a Black-woman-led nonprofit located in Hickory Hill. They recently launched Peral's Pantry, a community resource program for Memphis families in need. Clothes and food items are available for entire families. This pantry is appointment-based. Click here to make an appointment.

Newest Restaurant Report Card | If you want the latest Shelby County restaurant scores sent directly to your inbox, sign up for it today on WREG’s Newsletter here.

Each week WREG is rounding up the highest and lowest scores from Shelby County restaurant inspections. Find more scores from Shelby County and other Tennessee counties here.

Lowest:

Son Delicias Banegas – 83546 Berclair Rd. Memphis, TN 38122Violations Include: no paper towels present at hand sink, cutting board is damaged and discolored, no sanitizer present at time of inspection, no thermometer present in cooler or freezer, no commercial grade oven used inside mobile unit – must be replaced in six months, no testing strips present during inspection, grill exterior is dirty, ventilation needs cleaning, and expired permit.

Cora’s Kitchen – 841896 Nantucket Dr. Memphis, TN 38109Violations Include: Person in charge failed to demonstrate knowledge – did not know how to use test strips, setup sanitized water and must carry bleach in mobile unit (recommended a food safety class), bare wood support in food area, no test strips in mobile unit, side of grill is dirty, water leaking below hand sink into a bucket, ceiling is not smooth or easily cleanable, and permit not posted – current one is a year out of date.

Inspector’s note: Person in charge given six months to bring ceiling up to code.

Marco’s Pizza – 875730 Stage Rd. Memphis, TN 38134Violations Include: no employee illness policy present (copy left with manager), ice dispenser at drink machine needs to be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Cutting boards need to be replaced, unlabelled containers in the walk-in and prep cooler must be labelled if not in original container, food stored on floor of freezer, dumpster does not have a lid, trash present on ground around dumpster, recent inspection not posted.

Inspector’s note: told manager that dumpster must have a lid and to let landlord know about it.

American Deli – 893850 Austin Peay Hwy. Suite #3 Memphis, TN 38128Violations Include: no thermometer present in prep cooler, unlabelled food containers, bag of sugar and uncovered ready-to-eat food items stored on the floor, dirty wiping cloth stored on prep table, ice scoop stored on top of ice machine, scoop laying on top of chicken, test strips not provided, dirty food containers, dirty cooler interior, dirty restrooms, dirty floors and equipment exteriors, light not provided in walk-in freezer, foul odor in lobby, most recent inspection

Captain J&J Fish & Chicken – 892447 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38112Violations Include: tomato, lettuce and onions are not held at 41 degrees, prep cooler is over 41 degrees, thermometer in prep cooler is illegible, lettuce stored underneath wood rack, food employees not wearing hair restraints, used wiping cloth stored on counter top.

100s:

Bar Keough247 S. Cooper St. Memphis, TN 38104

Brisket in a Basket4575 Chuck Ave. Memphis, TN 38118

Cafe Brooks1934 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38104

Dinstuhl’s Fine Candy Company, Inc.147 S. Main St. Memphis, TN 38103

Harry Yo’s BBQ5419 Banbury Ave. Memphis, TN 38016

Hot N’ Heavy Dogs1163 Hunters Green Circle South Cordova, TN 38018

Mahogany Memphis3092 Poplar Ave. #11 Memphis, TN 38111

The Peanut People121 S. Main St. Memphis, TN 38103

Red Hook of Memphis (Bar)3295 Poplar Ave. Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38111

Stage 64 Lounge (Bar)7041 Highway 64, Suite #107 Memphis, TN 38133

Tasty Food Services, Inc.3030 Brunswick Rd. Bartlett, TN 38133

Tiger Que LLC9687 Woodland Creek LN Cordova, TN 38018

“I tell people I play with food for a living. It’s true. I think play is a part of exploration and education,” said Ali Manning, Food Science 4 Kids.

MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis food scientist Ali Manning shows just how fun it can be using everyday household items and food in a creative way.

Remember growing up and your parents saying, “Don’t play with your food?”

Well, you can, and it may be a good thing if you do.

“I encourage getting messy, for your hands to be dirty because it’s all a part of the learning experience,” said Manning, a Food Scientist, Umami Food Consulting founder, and Food Science 4 Kids creator.

“I tell people I play with food for a living. It’s true. I think play is a part of exploration and education,” said Manning.

She teaches healthy eating in a scientific way.

While setting up her mobile lab at Overton Park on Monday, Manning attracted some little food enthusiasts of her own.

“Children eat what parents provide for them," Manning said. "It’s up to the parents to make healthy choices. Right, for the little ones. In my classes, children learn about baking science, ice cream science. They understand where their food is coming from. They understand the importance of agriculture, food sources, and the food system."

She started Food Science 4 Kids during the pandemic hosting virtual demonstrations.

Now, she visits schools, libraries, and special events showing how different foods work such as using carbonated items to blow up a balloon or vinegar to create eruptions.

“Many of the things that we do can be pulled from the pantry,” said Manning. “Food is a science and people don’t necessarily always think about that. I’m excited to kind of give them a fresh perspective. I want to make sure that when the kids come to my class, they not only learn about where food comes from but they have a fun time and they’re able to apply it at home as well.”

The goal is to make healthy eating a habit.

“It’s a part of the culture and behavioral changes. Healthy children then become healthy teens and healthier adults…In food science education, I think little ones are able to understand that from the very beginning seeds grow your food. Your food then becomes products that you should consume. We should consume more healthy products,” said Manning.

Manning is also the author of the children’s book, “Can I Play with my Food?”

Through the summer it's going to cost many Mid-South drivers at least $50 to fill up their car.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It's going to be hard to find gas under $4 per gallon this summer in Memphis.

Overnight, gas prices reached an all-time high in Memphis. Tuesday, AAA released that the average price of gas is $4.15 a gallon. That's an 18-cent jump from last week.

The national average is breaking record highs too. The national average is currently sitting at $4.36 per gallon. The previous record national average was $4.35 per gallon, which was recorded on March 10 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, according to GasBuddy.

GasBuddy predicts the price for gas will remain above $4 through November. This is because the price of crude oil is more than $100 a barrel whereas a year ago it cost about $65 dollars.

What's mostly driving crude oil prices is Russia's war in Ukraine, but there are other factors negatively impacting gas prices.

COVID lockdowns in China are raising concerns about softening demand for oil. In response, Saudi Arabia cut oil prices for buyers in Asia. That’s causing fluctuations in the global market.

There is also a truck driver shortage, which is making it difficult to get the fuel from the storage tank to the gas station. Right now it’s more expensive to deliver the fuel, and that’s reflected in the price of a gallon of gas.

To find gas prices near you click here to put in your location, or download the GasBuddy app.

Since GasBuddy doesn't expect gas prices to drop anytime soon, here are a few ways you can save at the pump.

If you download the free GasBuddy app on your smartphone, it will show you the cheapest gas prices wherever you are. As of Tuesday morning, these are some of the cheapest gas stations around Memphis.

Also through the GasBuddy App, you can enroll in their gasoline savings program which gives drivers a discount on every gallon of gas they will ever pump. Drivers can join Pay with GasBuddy for free and save on every gallon of gas they pump. Click HERE to learn more.

2. Choose a good rewards program or credit card

There are dozens of reward programs that allow drivers to earn points just for going about their daily lives. Below are a few programs you should look into.

3. Buy from a warehouse club

Filling up at one of the warehouse clubs is a great way to save if you don’t mind the trade-offs, such as membership fees and long lines. Costco typically sells its gas about 20 cents below the market average. But keep in mind that you have to offset a $60 yearly membership fee.

#GasPrices in the U.S. are once again gaining upward momentum. The national average rose 13¢/gal in the last week, and is now just cents away from the current record high set back in March. ?? pic.twitter.com/0pYNFVYigz

— GasBuddy (@GasBuddy) May 9, 2022

Memphis, TN, May 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival continues its march toward Washington with an in-person march and rally on May 23 in Memphis as the PPC demands that this nation adopt policies that lift from the bottom.

The Tennessee Poor People’s Campaign will lead a march and rally as part of a Mobilization Tour stop on the way to the Mass Poor People's & Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls on June 18th.

The program will be live-streamed here. The tour route starts at 4:30pmCT at Church Park (S. Fourth Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive) to gather for the March to the National Civil Rights Museum (450 Mulberry St) for the 6pm CT Mass Meeting and Rally.

The national co-chairs, Bishop William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, will join poor and impacted testifiers from Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

The priorities and demands of poor and low-wealth people from these three states will be front and center as they take on the lie of scarcity and put forward a Third Reconstruction agenda that demands, among other things: updating the poverty measure to reflect the real cost of living; enact a living wage and guarantee the right of all workers to form and join unions and guarantee quality health care for all.

All the states joining the Monday program suffer from high poverty and the lack of living minimum wage:

PLI=poverty/low-income

Our study tells us that poor and low-income people hold power at the ballot box when they vote. In the 2020 presidential election, poor and low-income people made up 39 % of voters in Tennessee. In Arkansas, the figure was 47%. Figures were not available for Mississippi at the time of the report.

Previous tour stops were: Cleveland, Madison, Wisconsin, Raleigh, North Carolina, New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Memphis is our last tour stop before our June 18th march and assembly.

“It is NOT just a day of action. It is a declaration of an ongoing, committed moral movement to 1) shift the moral narrative; 2) build power; and 3) make real policies to fully address poverty and low wealth from the bottom up.” — Bishop William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis. co-chairs of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival

The June 18th assembly in DC will be a generationally transformative declaration of the power of poor and low-wealth people and our moral allies to say that this system is killing ALL of us and we can’t…we won’t…we refuse to be silent anymore