Jodi Kostelnik is a firm believer that you eat with your eyes first. That’s why her home goods company is inspired by the beauty of food, and its power to draw people together.  

It all began as a side hustle for the graphic designer, after years of taking on less appetizing projects such as fashion illustrations and corporate reports. Itching to move into the food space, she went about building a portfolio by sketching family recipes, as well as produce from the farmer’s market to put up on her website.

The images were simply too adorable not to bring to life, so Jodi figured she’d screen-print a few onto dish towels, to give as presents for family and friends. While they didn’t quite make the holiday deadline, the towels ended up serving a larger purpose. Instead of working for clients, Jodi realized she could connect directly with customers from her Washington D.C. home studio, by crafting giftable products that add a spark of joy to everyday objects. 

The Neighborgoods is clearly known for its cheerful and colorful dish towels, that fuse a love of illustration and food. Machine washable, made from natural, unbleached 100% cotton, and hand screen printed with eco-friendly inks, designs include edible images paired with punny sayings such as “Getting Figgy with It,” or “Avo Nice Day.” Equally adorable are retro-chic aprons, oversized canvas tote bags, baby onesies and collectible greeting cards, adorned with everything from exclamations over oysters, to guides on constructing a cheese plate.

Jodi has even added a new line of masks to the whimsical collection, repurposed from misprinted towels. They’re the perfect way to add a smile to everyone’s face (even when concealed behind cloth), and are sure to have you looking good in the neighborhood.

Lifelong Alaskans, Matt Kern and Lia Heifetz go to great lengths (and depths!) to showcase the natural bounty of their state, using locally grown, harvested and foraged ingredients, that capture the essence of the lush Alaskan coastline

So how did they become ambassadors of seaweed-based foods? Like Alaska’s original homesteaders, the duo has always relied on the land. So whenever their fishing expeditions turned up short, they made sure to stock up on wild kelp instead, which grows in rich abundance along the coast. Preserving their haul for use throughout the year, they created kelp pickles and kelp seasonings, as well as — in a more contemporary tip of the hat to those traditional homesteaders — a wide variety of salty and savory salsas. 

After years spent stocking the pantries of family and friends, they decided to spread love the Alaskan way on a larger scale, launching Barnacle Foods in 2016. And increased production has only deepened their commitment to leaving the land precisely as they found it, resulting in sustainable practices all the way down the line. Since it’s naturally plentiful — in addition to being seriously nutritious — bull kelp remains the heart of their business. The team visits different beds during each harvest and removes only small amounts, to cause as little disruption as possible. They also use the very first commercially harvested bull kelp in Alaska. Requiring nothing in the way of arable land or fertilizers, it supports both the ocean ecosystem, as well as the local fisherman who cultivate it. 

Basically, it’s all part of their mission to return as much to the community as it’s given to them. Because like barnacles on a rock, Matt and Lia are firmly rooted to Alaska. And once you get a taste of their coast-to-kitchen products, you’ll be living that Last Frontier life too!

Sue Zhou is a free bird, after making the leap from securities regulatory attorney to seeds.

Raised in a Chinese family obsessed with food (her grandparents live on a farm in Shanghai, and her mother and aunties cook fresh, seasonally-based meals every day), Sue has always believed that it’s meant to nourish both body and soul. So after years spent helping grow companies in the fintech world — where she empowered people to make healthier financial decisions — she felt ready to fly the nest and spread her own wings, by launching a snack food startup with a focus on promoting physical wellbeing.

Not that Byrdfood is diet food. In fact, Sue is adamantly opposed to the idea of healthy eating as being about denial or restrictions. Instead, it should promote joy and connectivity, while acting as fuel and medicine. That’s how the idea for her Brooklyn-produced snacks were hatched. Sort of like a savory granola, the craveable clusters of organic oats and seeds (she doesn’t use nuts, which are an allergen risk, and require more water and energy to grow) are easy to grab, enjoyable to eat, and designed to leave you feeling satisfied, thanks to a mix of protein, fiber, healthy fats and complex carbs. They’re sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan, yet they’re not as self-serious as so-called “healthy” snacks often are. Bound with fun and quirky combos of herbs and spices, these bites are for the birds...if they eat pizza, tacos and everything bagels, that is.

The company itself is equally tweetworthy, as a proudly minority and woman-owned business with open hiring practices and a focus on sustainability. Which is to say, we’re officially Byrd brains...in the best possible way. 

Mother knows best! Especially in the case of Asha Farswani, a mom who revolutionized preservative-laden puffed snacks by creating a healthy alternative, in line with the ancient Indian holistic dietary code, Ayurveda.

Having grown up in the hills of Western India, following a strict vegetarian diet featuring Ayuverdic ingredients, Asha often nibbled on popped water lily seeds; a gluten, corn and soy-free superfood. So when a doctor prescribed magnesium pills for trouble sleeping a few years ago, she turned to the seeds as a natural supplement instead, just as she used to do while fasting, as well as during her four pregnancies. 

The airy, crunchy, protein-rich seeds captured the attention of her son, Jai, who recognized them as the perfect snack for the health-conscious consumers of Los Angeles. So while a mother-son water lily company seemed an unlikely diversion from his job at an aviation finance firm, Jai proved astute for taking a chance on AshaPops, which made its debut at the Marina Del Rey farmers market, and quickly expanded from there. 

For many of us, the mere thought of working with a parent is enough to upset our body/mind balance. But Jai insists they’re the perfect team, with his role as a numbers-oriented logical thinker, complimented by Asha’s high emotional intelligence and creativity. There’s no question that Asha is brimming with emotional intellect...as she’s essentially harnessed nature in order to serve a population that’s increasingly time-constrained, allergen sensitive and/or nutritionally in need. And she’s clearly creative too, as her crispy clouds come in all sorts of unexpected flavors, from chili-lime and turmeric, to dark chocolate and vegan cheese!

That’s why we’re giving major props to Asha’s pops, for ingeniously transforming snack foods into superfoods.