Why ‘What’s for Dinner?’ Is Harder than Ever

Americans are spending more time in the kitchen than any point in the last 20 years. But the question “what’s for dinner?” is more fraught than ever. People are dealing with increasingly hectic schedules but a rise in prices is also piling on the pressure. Food prices jumped about 26% in the last five years. WSJ's Jesse Newman explains why putting a meal on the table has gotten so hard and how families are adapting. Imani Moise hosts. Further Listening: - Inflation Forces the Fed’s Hand - The Bankruptcy That’s Ruining Dinner Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During a Journal Live Event in New York earlier this month, Ryan Knutson spoke with two experts about the city’s forthcoming rent freeze. Emily Eisner, the executive director and chief economist at the Fiscal Policy Institute, and Kenny Burgos, the CEO of the New York Apartment Association, discuss the housing affordability crisis and the pros and cons of the rent freeze. Further Listening: - Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong - Is NYC’s Mayoral Race All About Rent? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Email us at [email protected] with your thoughts on the economy as we head into the midterms. Lululemon helped pioneer the athleisure market. Now, it’s fallen on hard times. Sales have slowed, and the company was engaged in a multi-year battle with its founder. A new CEO took over this month hoping to right the ship, but investors reacted poorly. WSJ’s Suzanne Kapner spills the tea on all the drama inside the popular brand. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Listeria, Liverwurst and the Family Feud at Boar’s Head - The Battle Over Disney’s Board Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 2024 survey found that 90% of high-schoolers in Estonia were already using generative AI for learning. So, the northern European country decided to lean in. In an experiment called AI Leap, the country has partnered with OpenAI and Google to give tens of thousands of high-schoolers access to free chatbots. WSJ’s Sam Schechner flew to Estonia and talked to teachers and students about whether there is a way to keep learning with AI in the classroom. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How YouTube Took Over the American Classroom - The College Student Who Defeated the World’s Biggest Cyberweapon Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, during the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss a “winter package” of military equipment. After the meeting, Zelensky sat down with WSJ’s editor in chief Emma Tucker to discuss the future of the almost 5-year conflict. Watch the full interview here. Further Listening: - The Man Leading Ukraine - Ukrainian President Zelensky's Fight Against Corruption Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the midst of a damaging trade war with the U.S., Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has proposed making his country an “Associate Member of the European Union.” WSJ’s Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson report on private conversations between Carney and many European leaders and explain how a pivot to Europe would work. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Why Canada Won't Back Down to Trump - Canada’s New Leader Is Ready To Take on Trump Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the war in Iran began, several measures went into effect to keep oil prices under control. Governments and companies tapped their reserves and illicit oil became more available. But as the war continues, those buffers have now been depleted and the pain is starting to worsen. WSJ's Benoît Morenne breaks down how we got here and Owen Tucker-Smith explains what it means for some businesses. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Inside the U.S. Deal to Get Venezuela’s Oil  - Can an ‘Economic D-Day’ End the Iran War? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Grede has spent decades in the fashion industry’s backstage, helping found brands like Skims and Good Americans with celebrity partners Kim and Khloe Kardashian respectively. Recently, Grede has stepped into the limelight to share the story of her rise and her strategies for managing motherhood, a fashion empire and making millions. Jessica Mendoza interviewed Grede onstage at The Journal Live earlier this month. Further Listening: - Confessions of a Recovering Work Addict - For Riz Ahmed, Life is a Spy Thriller - Financial Influencers on Wealth and Work Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The prenup is getting a modern makeover. Once seen mainly as a way for the ultrawealthy to protect their assets in the event of a divorce, they’ve now become a financial planning tool for many middle-class newlyweds. WSJ’s Erin Mulvaney talks about what’s driving the change in prenup culture, and one New York couple dives into the money conversations they had before tying the knot! Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Booming Industry Keeping Taylor Swift's Wedding a Secret - Lady Gaga, Low-Rise Jeans, and the Next Recession Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red, White and Who is back! Email us at [email protected] with your thoughts on the economy as we head into the midterms.  For the first time in three years, the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates. Chairman Kevin Warsh was appointed by President Trump, who explicitly hoped he’d keep rates low. But the economy doesn’t appear to be heading in the right direction and inflation has proven to be far stickier than anticipated. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos reports on why Warsh took a hawkish turn and explains why the Fed might not be done yet. Ryan Knutson hosts.  Further Listening: -How the Bond Market Will Affect Your Wallet - Who Is the New Fed Chair? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices