Books We Like: Michael Pollan's Food Rules

For many of us who are involved in the sustainable agriculture and food justice arena, Michael Pollan's presence has been so ubiquitous for so long that he's almost passé. He has served as the torch bearer for the sustainable food movement for most of the decade, and after his spring book tour for In Defense of Food and the release of Food, Inc. this summer, his message is quite familiar. 

When I heard that he would be coming out with a new book, I almost doubted that he could possibly have more to add to the eco-foodie canon. However, when I picked up Food Rules: An Eater's Manual, I was impressed. The pocket-size book of simple tips for healthy eating is not only full of great advice, he manages to deliver it in 64 humorous, bite-sized chapters that cut through our cultural amnesia about how to eat. After all, the main thesis of the book is Pollan's familiar mantra: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

This Seattle Times review highlights a couple of nice rules that help us stick to that motto:

"Among the gems: Be the kind of person who takes supplements — then skip the supplements. (That's Rule No. 40.) Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk (Rule No. 36). It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car. (Rule No. 20). Try not to eat alone (Rule No. 59)."

For those who have read his other books, as well as those who have never heard of Pollan, this is the perfect guide for anyone who ever wondered, "What should I eat?" (And "What shouldn't I eat?")

-Dorothee