FOOD RULES
If you haven’t read Michael Pollan’s latest work of nonfiction, Food Rules, chances are you’ve at least heard of it. Today I took the plunge and bought myself a copy, delighting in every insight. In short, the book contains 64 rules about what kinds of food to eat and how to eat them. It’s not a recipe book. It’s not a diet book. If anything, it’s a hybrid between a sociology book and a nutrition book.
As I’ve embarked on my “two years of writing residencies across the U.S.” I’ve found that my greatest struggles center around food. That’s right. Not my writing or reading or revising. But food. Certainly, my food allergies complicate the situation, but still—something needs to give and I think Food Rules might just be my ticket to a more positive relationship with eating, no matter where I am.
Here are a handful of the 64 rules that seemed most helpful to me personally:
Treat treats as treats.
Do all your eating at a table.
Eat your colors.
Eat slowly.
Buy smaller plates and glasses.
Limit your snacks to unprocessed plant foods.
Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food.
Don’t overlook the oily little fishes.
Stop eating before you’re full.
Have a glass of wine with dinner.
Eat foods made from ingredients that you can picture in their raw state or growing in nature.
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.
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The food industry has made eating so difficult. I figure the further away I stay from industrialized food, the better.
I am an avid Michale Pollan fan. Along with Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation", "The Omnivore's Dilemma" changed how I eat and how I feed my kids. They still love junk food, but are pretty well equipped to make healthy food choices. We joined a CSA this year, too. It's so funny to hear them tell their dad to add wheat germ to their oatmeal.