Racket collaborated with the Bethel University Arts + Culture Reporting class to produce the stories you'll read this week. Our editors worked with students, mostly juniors and seniors, to develop ideas, source stories, and edit them for the enjoyment of readers. Feel free to seek out these young journalists, photojournalists, and graphic designers to fill your internships and jobs. They like to get paid for their work, and thanks to Racket members and a grant from Bethel, they got cashed out for these pieces.
The cost of things these days? Far too expensive! Tariffs, labor, giddy price gouging from proprietors large and small—the boring factors are too numerous to count. To protect our readers, Racket launched the Best Budget Bites series, where we’ll showcase a toothsome, wallet-friendly food item that’ll actually fill you up. Have a nomination? Hit us up: tips@racketmn.com.
What: Navel oranges
Where: Aldi's 80 Minnesota locations
Cost: $3-$5
Availability: Year-round
Everyone’s heard of shower beers. But I’m on a mission to spread the gospel of shower oranges. Although eating an orange in the shower had 15 minutes of fame on TikTok a few years back, it’s still not getting enough attention. You have to trust me.
@makenzyksmith the orange in the shower phenomenon is actually so legit. 🍊🚿 #showerorange
♬ original sound - Makenzy Smith
One day at dinner I tried to explain this phenomenon to my dad. He told me shower oranges were weird and said, “When you talk to a boy, take my advice and don’t lead with the fact that you eat oranges in the shower.”
So, now I’m sharing it with millions of Racket readers online instead. [Editor’s note: Potential advertisers should know our readership numbers are… slightly lower than this!] Here’s what you need to do:
- Step one: Purchase a $3-$5 bag of navel oranges from Aldi. Depending on the season, you could get Cara Cara navel oranges—they’re a cute pink color and have an interestingly sour flavor. You could also try another grocery store, but in these trying economic times, I recommend Aldi.
- Step two: Take a shower and eat one of your new oranges.
This is really a spiritual experience that can’t be captured by mere words. But I’ll do my best to explain: You can peel the orange in the shower, so it’s mess-free and doesn’t stain your hands. The steam from the shower enhances the scent and the flavor of the orange. If you have a step in your shower routine when you need to let your conditioner or hair mask soak, it’s serendipitous to eat your orange. If you use five-in-one, you’ll have to figure something else out.
The experience is so life-changing you’ll make it a habit. Which is good because Aldi produce goes bad in approximately 2.74 days, so you’ll need to eat all the oranges quickly.
BBB Hall of Fame
- $6 Ham ‘n’ Cheese Croissant From Heather’s
- $5 Bánh Mì From iPho by Saigon
- $5.50 Chicken Sandwich From Logan’s
- $1.25 Colossal Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts From Cub
- $9 Chicken Shish Taouk Sandwich From Ed's Deli
- $1.99 Corn Dog From Kowalski's
- $8.75 Egg Sandwich From Sun Street Breads
- $3.50 Tamales From La Loma
- $6.50 Breakfast Burrito From Lito’s Burritos
- $5.49 Roast Beef Sandwich From Wally's
- $7.50 ‘Mini’ Tacos Dorados From Mi Mexico Querido
- $9.99 Pasty From Milda’s Cafe
- $4.50 Slice and a Pop From Fast Eddie's Pizza
- $9 Cheesy B From Band Box Diner
- $6.99 Roast Beef Sandwich From Kevan's Penn Lake Roast Beef
- $5.80 Cheeseburger from Lions Tap
- $6 'Big Slice' From Lucca Pizzeria
- $8.75 Olive Burger From Sandy's Tavern
- $8.11 'Specialty Sandwiches' From Nelson Cheese & Deli
- $9.49 Chicken Sandwich From Zakia Deli
- $1 Veggie Samosas From Pooja Grocers
- $3.89 Sausage + Egg + Cheese Breakfast Sandwich From Skyway Wok
Kathryn Kovalenko is a junior media production and journalism major at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she has spent three years as a reporter and photographer. She is passionate about storytelling through writing, photo, and video.