The people who rely on those programs faced some hits after a $5 billion cut to food stamps went into effect on Nov. 1. With more budget cuts being debated, the food stamps program and how poor citizens can afford to feed their families came to the front of the nation's attention. It even raised questions about what people should be allowed to buy with food stamps and how they can find fresh produce in food deserts -- questions without answers yet.

These pigs in Iowa, newly weaned from their mothers, get antibiotics in their water to ward off bacterial infection. Photo: Dan Charles/NPR

Hormones and Antibiotics: The use of animal antibiotics on farms has been around for years -- and, arguably, getting worse most of that time. But, this year was the year that people decided enough was enough. There was a rise in awareness of the dangers of too many antibiotics, both for the animals and for people's health after eating the animals. Too many strong antibiotics have created antibiotic-resistance bacteria that are increasingly turning up in chickens, turkeys, pigs and cows. Growth-promoting drugs can also balloon up animals, making them full of meat to sell, but unable to walk while they're alive. The FDA began putting pressure on drug companies to pull their strongest antibiotics and on farmers to voluntarily stop using certain drugs. Last week, the two biggest veterinary drug companies agreed to follow FDA advice and phase out some drugs used for growth promotion.

A farmer holds Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybean seeds at his family farm in Bunceton, Mo. Photo: Dan Gill/AP

GMO & Labeling: The genetically-modified food debate didn't get resolved this year, but it hit some key points around the country. As more people considered what the labels on their food should say, initiatives to label GMOs went to the voters. In November, Washington voted 'No' on GMO labeling. A number of other initiatives are expected to be on other state ballots in the next year. Advocates say people have the right to know what's in their food. But, opinions on GMOs are still mixed. A Supreme Court ruling in May sided with seed manufacturer Monsanto, arguing that farmers who used genetically-modified seeds for multiple plantings violate copyright. As farmers move away from GMO seeds, particularly since the seeds haven't always worked as well as promised and in an effort to disconnect from large companies like Monsanto, they're looking for natural solutions to what GMOs promised. What will the post-GMO economy look like?

But, for the conscientious foodie, GMOs aren't the only thing to worry about in their food. The labels tell consumers lots of information -- where it's from, how much fat it has, how many calories or, potentially, what antibiotics were used. The debate over that information is only getting started. What should our labels tell us?

Students at Lowell High School in Michigan sit down for lunch. Shorter lunch breaks mean that many kids don't get enough time to eat and socialize. Photo: Emily Zoladz/Landov

School Lunches: Every parent wants their kids to eat well, so it's no surprise that school lunches remained a hot topic again in 2013. In July, a new federal regulation required that schools provide drinking water at breakfast for students, helping to address growing concern about sugary soft drinks. Traditional worries about nutrition guidelines met with new angst about GMOs, antibiotics and leftovers -- some of the food waste nonprofits are taking leftover food from school lunch programs for re-use. But, now, parents have something else to worry about too: how much time kids have to eat. With school schedules getting condensed and budgets taking a hit, lunch is getting shorter.

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