Wegmans’ hummus was a cut above the competition from the first bite. Even before I mixed in the roasted garlic and chickpea topping, this spread stood out for its moist, creamy texture and bright, citrusy tang.
With the garlic mixed in, it was undoubtedly the best hummus I’ve ever found at a supermarket — and better than plenty of dips I’ve had at restaurants. I finished the container of Wegmans’ hummus the same day I did this taste test.
My nearest Wegmans is a 40-minute bike ride away, but I’ll make that trip for this hummus again.
This story was originally published on March 6, 2024, and most recently updated on March 30, 2026.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ngai Hin Kwok, a 76-year-old living in Singapore. It has been translated from Mandarin and edited for length and clarity.
I’ve been active for as long as I can remember.
Growing up in Fujian, China, I lived near a university, and would watch the students running, playing sports, and working out. Seeing them move like that left an impression on me, and I think that’s where my interest in staying active began.
In the ’70s, I moved to Hong Kong and stayed fit by running regularly and even walking to work. After living there for 16 years, I decided to move to Singapore with my wife, where we raised our two sons.
I didn’t think much about aging back then, but I always felt health was important. When I moved overseas, I quit smoking completely. I haven’t touched a cigarette since, and I don’t drink alcohol either.
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Ngai quit smoking completely, and doesn’t drink alcohol.
Amanda Goh for Business Insider.
I spent most of my career in the jewelry business. In 2010, I transitioned to working for the company part-time, handling export documentation and running errands. I’m still mobile and able to get around, so I don’t see a reason to stop completely.
But with more time on my hands, I wanted to find like-minded people to stay active with. I read about a seniors’ gym at a community center in a local newspaper and decided to join them — that’s how I became a part of Team Strong Silvers.
Even though we’re older, we’re serious about working out and staying healthy. A lot of people are surprised when they see what we can still do. That’s why we’re sometimes invited to share what we do with other seniors to encourage them to keep moving.
On a typical day, I usually wake up around 7 or 8 a.m. and do some light exercise downstairs to get moving. In the afternoon, I go to the gym.
He exercises every day, and can do pull-ups and muscle-ups even at his age.
Amanda Goh for Business Insider.
I typically do calisthenics, which uses your own body weight to build strength. Muscle-ups have become something of a signature move for me, along with pull-ups. I used to be able to do about 25 pull-ups, though it’s fewer now. For muscle-ups, I can still manage about five.
For breakfast, I usually rotate between two eggs with whole-wheat bread, steamed sweet potatoes, or roti prata, a fried flatbread of South Asian origin.
I keep my diet simple. I don’t restrict myself too much, but I don’t overeat either. I avoid fried foods and cook most meals myself, so nothing is too oily.
I also enjoy cycling, singing, and writing Chinese calligraphy. Occasionally, I lead calligraphy classes at the senior citizens’ activity center, guiding others interested in the craft.
When people ask me for advice about staying active, I keep it simple.
Start by walking. When your stamina improves and you feel steadier on your feet, you can add simple arm movements. It’s important to start light — don’t jump straight into intense workouts, or you’ll get injured.
Have a story to share about healthy aging or staying active later in life? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com
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A fire broke out near a key oil port in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
Officials said debris from an intercepted drone caused the fire and that operations were suspended.
The US attacked Kharg Island, a major oil depot in Iran, on Friday.
Fire erupted at a critical oil hub in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday amid the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East.
Plumes of dark black smoke billowed around the Port of Fujairah, the only multipurpose maritime facility on the UAE’s east coast. The Fujairah government’s media office said debris from an intercepted drone caused the fire. No injuries were reported.
The fire comes after Iran said it would retaliate against the US for attacking Kharg Island on Friday. Kharg Island, located about 300 miles from the Strait of Hormuz, is key to Iran’s oil industry and has refineries that process nearly all of the country’s oil exports.
President Donald Trump said the US had “totally obliterated” military targets on Kharg Island in a Truth Social post on Friday. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said he hoped other countries affected by the Strait of Hormuz closure would send warships alongside the US to help secure it.
War broke out in the Middle East last month when the US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran. In response, Iran has targeted US military bases in neighboring countries like Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. The ongoing military conflict has shuttered airspaces and halted most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. US strikes on Kharg Island and damage to the UAE’s Port of Fujairah could impact oil prices, which again surged past $100 on Friday, driving up gas prices around the world.
Smoke from the coast of Fujairah spread over the Gulf of Oman.
NASA MODIS satellite image of Fujairah on Saturday. NASA Modis satellite image, November 14, 2026.
A satellite image taken on Saturday showed smoke from the fire spreading over the Gulf of Oman. The Port of Fujairah exported an average of 1.7 million barrels of crude oil and refined fuels each day in 2025, Reuters reported.
Some operations at the Port of Fujairah were suspended on Saturday.
Fire broke out in Fujairah on Saturday. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri
Local outlets reported that some oil-loading operations were suspended on Saturday following the intercepted strike.
The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone can store millions of barrels.
The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in Fujairah on Saturday. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri
The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, located near the port, is home to the largest commercial storage facility for refined oil products in the Middle East. The hub can store about 70 million barrels of oil.
The military conflict has sent oil prices skyrocketing.
Oil prices have risen globally since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran. AFP/Getty Images
The ongoing war has disrupted the oil supply chain, sending oil prices over $100 a barrel this week. The International Energy Agency said it will release 400 million barrels from reserves in response, marking the largest coordinated release in the IEA’s history.
The International Energy Agency said the war has caused the largest oil market disruption in history.
Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday. AFP/Getty Images
The International Energy Agency said global oil supply will drop by 8 million barrels a day in March.
“Disruptions are not limited to upstream production and exports, with several refineries and gas processing facilities shut down due to attacks or for safety concerns,” the agency said in its monthly markets report. “The closure of the Strait is also forcing export-oriented refineries to cut runs or shut completely as product storage tanks top up.”
The UAE said it intercepted nine missiles and 33 drones launched from Iran on Saturday.
Iran launched over 30 drones at the UAE on Saturday, according to the UAE’s military defence. AP Photo/Altaf Qadri
The UAE Defense Ministry said it intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 33 uncrewed aerial vehicles launched from Iran in an X post on Saturday.
“Since the onset of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” it said.
The pie’s filling was flavorful and savory, while the mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy.
I’m an Irish-American, but I didn’t grow up eating shepherd’s pie.
This traditional Irish dish has its origins in the late 1700s, when rural women made it using ingredients from their Sunday roast dinners to repurpose leftovers, Britannica reported.
However, shepherd’s pie has become a favorite in the US, as well. While Irish versions typically use lamb, many American versions of the recipe use ground beef or turkey instead, and celebrity chefs like Ina Garten have published their own unique spins on the dish, perfect for weeknight meals.
Garten is one of the most beloved celebrity chefs — with a reported net worth in the millions, 13 cookbooks under her belt, and a devoted fan following — so her shepherd’s pie seemed a good place for me to start.
Her recipe, reposted by the recipe blog Half-Scratched, calls for ingredients such as carrots, celery, white button mushrooms, ground turkey, and homemade mashed potatoes.
Here’s how to make Ina Garten’s shepherd’s pie.
I started by peeling my Yukon gold potatoes.
Peeled potatoes. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
A bag of potatoes typically weighs around 5 pounds, but the recipe only called for 3 pounds of potatoes. In the end, I found that this was the perfect amount to fully cover the pie.
I then chopped the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and placed them in a pot with water.
Peeled and chopped potatoes. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I simmered the potatoes until they were tender. This took about 20 minutes.
I used a time-saving hack to prepare my vegetables.
The recipe called for finely diced carrots, celery, and white button mushrooms. I decided to use a food processor to easily chop my vegetables. I liked the end result and found this was the simplest way to prepare all the vegetables in seconds.
I also hand-chopped some mushrooms to add more texture.
Mushrooms. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
After my vegetables were chopped, I set them aside in a small bowl and turned my attention toward cooking the meat.
The recipe calls for 1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey meat, but you can get creative if you don’t want to use turkey.
You can use practically any kind of ground meat you would like, or even plant-based ground meat if you’re vegetarian. I ended up liking the choice of ground turkey since it made the very stick-to-your-bones meal a little bit lighter than if I had used meat with higher fat content.
I ended up using a package and a half of ground turkey.
While the turkey cooked, I crumbled it with a wooden spoon. Once the meat was fully cooked, I removed it from the pan with a slotted metal spoon and left the fat in the pan.
The recipe also called for diced onion.
Diced onion. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I chopped it using the food processor again and added it to the pan.
I started to sauté the onion, and it filled my kitchen with a delicious aroma. There should be enough fat in the pan from the turkey to sauté the onion, but you can also add olive oil or butter if you don’t have enough liquid.
I then added the other vegetables and cooked them down until they were combined and soft.
Shepherd’s pie filling. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I also added flour to the pan, creating a paste-like mixture.
I then added chicken broth and cooked the mixture until it was fully combined and some of the liquid had evaporated.
Shepherd’s pie filling. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I also added tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, and frozen peas to the pan and continued cooking the filling until it reached a simmer.
After stirring in the turkey, the mixture was really starting to resemble the filling of shepherd’s pie.
Shepherd’s pie filling. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I removed the bay leaves and herb sprigs before seasoning the mixture to taste and setting it aside.
After I finished the pie filling, I started getting my potatoes ready for baking.
After draining the potatoes, I hand-mashed them in the same pot I cooked them in. The recipe called for a hand mixer, but I found a potato masher just as effective at making creamy mashed potatoes, especially after adding in a mixture of whole milk, almost a stick of Kerry Gold butter, and sour cream.
The potatoes turned out perfectly creamy.
Mashed potatoes. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I seasoned them to taste and set them aside. I then preheated my oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
I added the pie filling to a large casserole dish and used a spoon to create an even layer of the meat and vegetables.
Shepherd’s pie without the mashed potatoes. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
There was a perfect amount of filling to create a thick layer.
I spread the creamy mashed potatoes over the filling, making sure to reach the edges of the pan.
Ina Garten’s shepherd’s pie. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Despite never having made this dish before, I found the process easy to follow and not overwhelming at all. I also had a spoonful of mashed potatoes left over to taste and thought they were delicious.
I wanted to have a deep-golden crust on the mashed potatoes, so I let the pie cook a bit longer than the recipe suggested.
Ina Garten’s shepherd’s pie. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I cooked the pie in the oven for about half an hour, although the recipe suggested it would be done after 20 minutes. All in all, the recipe took me less than an hour in total to prepare.
All ovens can vary slightly in cook time, so I suggest checking the dish until you’re happy with the result.
When I served the pie, it was piping hot and delicious. I would definitely make this recipe again for St. Patrick’s Day.
Ina Garten’s shepherd’s pie. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
It didn’t quite hold its shape, but I imagine it would have if I had let the pie sit for a minute or two before I served it. However, I simply couldn’t resist diving in.
The mashed potatoes were creamy, the filling was perfectly seasoned, and the vegetables all came through in a medley of flavors. It was simple enough to be convenient for a weeknight meal, yet impressive enough for a dinner party.
The recipe also made enough to feed six people and in my experience, with plenty of leftovers, so it also seemed a cost-effective option to feed a family or to prep meals for the week.
When I lived in a big city, I used to love treating myself to lunches at trendy salad spots. Tasty as these take-out meals were, they were terrible for my wallet, and I didn’t have full visibility into or control over the ingredients that went into them.
I’ve since turned into an avid meal-prepper and make my own lunch — almost always a fiber- and protein-packed grain bowl — for a fraction of the price.
It’s a recipe that aligns with the 80/20 nutrition principle I follow, meaning I eat nutrient-dense foods 80% of the time and don’t worry about nutrition for the other 20%.
The grain bowls are so nourishing that I feel relaxed about occasionally going out for a slightly less nutrient-dense lunch, since I know I’m hitting my nutrition goals most of the time.
Here’s how to make the everyday lunch that helps me stay on track.
The grain bowl is easy to prep and customize
The grain bowls are nearly impossible to mess up and highly customizable.
Rachel Hosie
I play around with the ingredients I put in my grain bowls every week, but they always follow the same formula:
Grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, or wholegrain rice
Beans or pulses, such as edamame, chickpeas, or lentils
A protein source, such as tofu or chicken
Roasted vegetables, such as butternut squash, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini
Raw vegetables, such as chopped cucumber, tomatoes, beetroot, or scallions
A flavorful add-in, such as crumbled feta, avocado, or hummus
Greens, such as lettuce or spinach
Seeds and nuts of choice
Spices and herbs of choice
A dressing of choice
The recipe is flexible, so there’s no need to add ingredients in a specific order. It’s truly hard to mess up.
You can also adjust the quantity based on your needs. I typically make six portions — three for me, and three for my husband — because there’s usually a day or two during the week when we eat with colleagues or friends.
Plus, after three days of eating the same meal, I’m typically ready to mix it up.
I drizzle a tahini mixture on top of my bowl for added flavor.
Rachel Hosie
To add variety to my days, I prep these with dressings and protein sources.
When it comes to dressings, my favorite is a creamy tahini mixture. Combine tahini, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic granules, salt, pepper, olive oil, and water until you get a dressing-like consistency.
I also make a satay-style sauce with crunchy peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime, and sesame oil.
Chickpeas and avocado are delicious, filling protein sources.
Rachel Hosie
There’s also flexibility when it comes to protein source. Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a dietitian and the author of “How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed,” recommends adding oily fish, such as salmon or tinned mackerel, for omega-3s, which support heart and brain health.
When I include meat in the grain bowls, I typically use a modest portion since I always throw in plenty of plant-based protein. This approach provides a fiber boost from plant-based proteins and keeps the ingredient list affordable.
If you’re predominantly eating plant-based, make sure you’re getting enough iodine by using dairy yogurt in your dressing or swapping in the occasional white fish.
Having a balanced lunch prepped and ready to go helps me stay consistent
Incorporating a mix of roasted and raw vegetables gives the bowls texture.
Rachel Hosie
My grain-bowl formula has lean proteins, produce, legumes, and whole grains — all the workings of the Mediterranean diet.
According to Ludlam-Raine, “It’s essentially a Mediterranean-style pattern of eating in bowl form, which is linked with better cardiometabolic and long-term health outcomes.”
She added that it delivers “an abundance of plant diversity,” which is beneficial for gut health.
The well-rounded meal also has fiber-filled whole grains, slow-release carbohydrates, pulses for plant protein and additional fiber, protein for satiety and muscle maintenance, vegetables for polyphenols and micronutrients, and healthy fats from seeds, nuts, and olive oil.
We store the bowls in our refrigerator throughout the week.
Rachel Hosie
Strategizing my meals in advance helps me maintain a healthy, balanced diet throughout the week, and this grain bowl is the backbone of my meal plan.
“Overall, what you’ve got is a brilliant example of a practical and sustainable approach to meal prep. It’s balanced, fiber-rich, protein-sufficient, and easy to adapt week to week, which is key for long-term adherence,” Ludlam-Raine said. “You’re making the healthy choice into the easy choice.”
The best part? I don’t get bored with eating the same thing on repeat.
