Today: Eat by the rules.
I picked up Michael Pollan’s Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual because I love food and I love rules. I also love manuals. I was not disappointed. Michael Pollan has written a number of celebrated books on the topic of food, including The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which was named one of the top ten books of the year by The New York Times and The Washington Post. Since I am more of a picky-vore than an omnivore, I suppose I am not afflicted by the dilemma… but I haven’t finished that book yet, so I can’t be sure.
I did, however, start and finish Food Rules in just a night. It’s short and too the point, and the point is grounded in common sense. Remember The Rules? This is nothing like that (and that’s a good thing). Pollan’s rules can be collapsed into this:
Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.
I don’t want to spoil any more for those of you who haven’t read the book (and I presume there are copyright laws that prevent me from sharing all 64 rules), but I will share just a few:
- Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food
- Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce
- Eat sweet foods as you find them in nature
- Eat all the junk food you want, as long as you can cook it yourself
- Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it
And…
Now that’s a rule I can abide by.
Also On Tap for Today:
- Follow this lovely chart for eating seasonal food
- Take Clark for a walk around Castle Island (it might reach 50 degrees today!)
- Get my nails did
Have you read any good books or booklets lately?
Comments (4)
pandabox33
January 16, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I love eating and I love rules…but it means no more Kraft dinner !! My great-grandma sure knew her peanut-butter-bacon-rolls but she would never have eaten KD. Damn.
Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty
January 16, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Interesting. I should check that book out for sure!!
I swear. your package should be there this week. It must be held up in customs or something… booo
Jaime
January 17, 2010 at 4:54 pm
That’s too funny….I just had that book in my hand today but because I was in the store looking specifically for something else I didn’t buy it. I might have to go back… 🙂
Willow
January 27, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Love Michael Pollan and just bought this book! His book In Defense of Food (which is kind of what his rulebook is based on) is absolutely fantastic, and I recommend The Omnivore’s Dilemma to pretty much everyone I meet. Happy reading!