Lifestyle news summaries — Page 3
Essential facts and source links for recent lifestyle stories.
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Canned pumpkin kept one banana bread loaf moist and fluffy for days
A BuzzFeed writer tested canned pumpkin in banana bread and found the loaf moist and fluffy, with a tender, defined crumb, for several days. The pumpkin’s earthy flavor balanced the banana’s sweetness and complemented the cinnamon and other warming spices. -
For a 0.48-acre firewood plan, Reddit advice favors salvaged logs
A southeastern U.S. Reddit user asked if six trees on a 0.48-acre Zone 8a lot could supply firewood through alternating-year coppicing. Commenters said tree-service logs or ChipDrop would likely be more practical, as coppiced growth may not yield large firewood pieces. -
Grandparents can widen a child's support network, psychologist says
Psychologist Carmen Botello Fuenteseca says parental jealousy about a child's closeness with grandparents is understandable; the bond can expand, not diminish, a child's support network. She describes grandparents as an added source of calm, play and affection. -
Visitors can tour Althorp, Princess Diana’s 13,000-acre childhood estate
Althorp House, Princess Diana’s childhood home, is now where her brother Charles Spencer lives, and it opens to visitors for two months each summer. Spencer wrote “Swan Song: My sister, Diana” in its study; Diana is buried on an island there. -
Fireplace rescue reunites blue tit fledglings with their mother
Wildlife Aid Foundation rescuer Louis freed a family of blue tit fledglings trapped in a fireplace after they fell down a chimney. Their mother stayed close; the foundation said she returned and fed them after the birds were taken outside. -
Redditors identify mystery finds, including an IBM tester and oil-rig raft
Reddit users identified several of 31 unusual finds, including an IBM tester for old mainframe peripherals, an offshore oil-rig life raft and a planimeter for measuring area. Other answers included a cue-tip clamp and a weather-balloon radiosonde. -
Reddit users share 28 unusual relationship confessions
BuzzFeed compiled 28 Reddit responses to a question about creepy things people had done in relationships and would never admit to partners. Posters recounted hiding in a partner’s car to see where they went, keeping X-rays and reading a partner’s texts. -
Samsung halts update after some South Korean fridges lose cooling
Some Samsung AI fridges in South Korea lost cooling, touch controls and interior lights after an internal test build was mistakenly sent in a SmartThings update. Samsung says it stopped the rollout and will send engineers; users reported no service bookings until after Chuseok. -
A 35-image gallery revisits lobotomies, iron lungs and psychiatric care
A BuzzFeed gallery gathers 35 historical medical images, including photographs and illustrations of operations, psychiatric care and treatment devices. Several captions identify procedures as outdated and compare earlier equipment with modern care. -
UK plant-based market tilts toward beans as faux meat sales dip
Madre Brava’s review of NielsenQ retail data suggests British shoppers are shifting from meat-mimicking plant foods to staples: in the first half of 2026, dried beans, peas and lentils rose 16.7% year over year, while imitation products fell 4.3% by units. -
Seven boys named Trump mark a first in SSA baby-name records
The Social Security Administration’s latest baby-name data records “Trump” as a first name for seven U.S. boys born last year, the name’s first appearance in its records. The same data puts Donald, the president’s first name, at an all-time low in popularity. -
Pet portraits and accents can suit a home with thoughtful styling
House Digest says pet decor should be chosen like other home accents, with portraits and personalized pieces suited to a room’s style and colors. Suggestions include formal paintings, coordinated pillows and keepsakes such as dishes or paw prints. -
BuzzFeed compiles 63 Reddit stories on patients’ medical misunderstandings
BuzzFeed compiled 63 Reddit anecdotes about patients’ medical misunderstandings and risky choices. One post describes a patient using bleach on ringworm; another says a patient wore contact lenses for eight months without removing them. -
Julie’s dining room gains vintage character with Van Courtland Blue
Designers Sandy Baisley and Natasia Smith turned Julie’s stark-white dining room into a moody, vintage-inspired space with Benjamin Moore’s Van Courtland Blue on the walls and doors. Mostly secondhand furnishings help make the room cozy, and its layout can host up to six diners. -
Reddit users debate 28 careers that could become obsolete
A BuzzFeed roundup compiles 28 Reddit responses to a question about careers that could become obsolete within a decade. Commenters cite AI, automation and online services as risks to customer support, design and driving jobs; these are opinions, not established forecasts. -
After regaining her ability to walk, rescue dog Skye finds a home
Rescue dog Skye, found unable to move at a building site, has regained her ability to walk and been adopted. An Instagram reel shows her running and playing in a garden with her new canine brother after Niall Harbison and his team helped rebuild her strength. -
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 ran a refrigerator nearly 10 hours, owner says
After a weather-related outage hit about two hours after a Labor Day weekend grocery trip, a Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 owner said the battery powered their refrigerator for nearly 10 hours, with 30% charge left, and estimated it saved over $300 in groceries. -
Giants game clip of mother carrying baby and food tops 80 million views
A clip from Tuesday’s San Francisco Giants game shows a mother struggling with a fold-down seat while carrying a baby and food. The man beside her appears to lower it, then eats as she holds the baby and unopened food; the clip has drawn over 80 million views on social media. -
Jennifer Taylor and Adrien Finkel Document Her Breast Cancer Journey Online
Jennifer Taylor, 41, was diagnosed with stage 2 triple-positive breast cancer in 2025. Her childhood best friend, Adrien Finkel, has supported her through treatment, and the two share the experience on Instagram so Taylor does not have to repeatedly recount her diagnosis. -
Reddit user questions AI listing photos that appear to erase radiators
A Reddit user shared real-estate listing images that appeared to use AI to remove radiators and show room changes that could be costly or impossible to recreate. The poster said a separate listing did not disclose AI use and argued posting such images should be illegal. -
Alta High lacrosse teammates complete Alyia Argyle’s backyard remodel
Alyia Argyle’s Alta High lacrosse teammates completed the backyard remodel she had started less than a month after the 16-year-old died on Aug. 21. KSTU reported that Argyle, who had epilepsy, died after a seizure; her mother said she was grateful for the gesture. -
Women describe money habits that stuck after growing up poor
On Reddit, women who said they grew up poor and are now financially comfortable described money habits they still struggle to change: guilt over nonessential purchases, buying extra groceries, saving the last of products like shampoo, and hunting for deals. -
Reddit commenters urge homeowner to keep 60-year-old cedar over vinyl
A homeowner asked Reddit whether to repair 60-plus-year-old cedar siding or cover it with vinyl; boards have pulled away, holes are present, and the siding has not been re-stained in about 25 years. Most commenters favored keeping the wood after assessing what can be saved. -
LEGO’s Pokémon SMART Play tour begins in Glendale before Phoenix and Dallas
The LEGO Pokémon SMART Play Experience runs Sept. 26–27 at Americana at Brand in Glendale, where visitors can test screen-free builds whose SMART Bricks trigger lights and sounds. It then heads to Phoenix Oct. 3–4 and Dallas Oct. 10–11. -
More Than 80 Years After Leaving School, Paul Little, 98, Receives Honorary Diploma
At 98, Paul Little received an honorary diploma from Iowa’s Dallas Center High School more than 80 years after leaving as a junior to support his family. Officials surprised him at his nursing home on Sept. 17; his $50,000 gift funds annual scholarships for seniors. -
At 28, Mike Williams enrolls at Indiana State as his family's first college student
Mike Williams, 28, enrolled at Indiana State University in August to study sales and marketing, becoming the first in his family to attend college. He says he worried about being accepted as an older student, but a resident assistant's welcome reassured him. -
Dull smears can reveal spotted lanternfly egg masses
Spotted lanternfly egg masses resemble dull gray or brown mud smears, usually under 2 inches long, on trees and other outdoor surfaces. Scrape them into a sealed bag or container with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to kill the eggs before they hatch.
