Electronic resource
English language
Published Jan. 18, 2009 by Penguin USA, Inc..
A pocket compendium of food wisdom from the author of [The Omnivore's Dilemma][1] and [In Defense of Food][2], Michael Pollan, our nation's most trusted resource for food-related issues, offers this indispensible guide for anyone concerned about health and food. Simple, sensible, and easy to use, Food Rules is a set of memorable rules for eating wisely, many drawn from a variety of ethnic or cultural traditions. Whether at the supermarket or an all-you-can-eat-buffet, this handy, pocket-size resource is the perfect guide for anyone who would like to become more mindful of the food we eat.
[1]: openlibrary.org/works/OL3296483W/The_Omnivore%27s_Dilemma [2]: openlibrary.org/works/OL3296482W/In_Defense_of_Food
3 parts, 64 rules. Many you’ll know, some you’ll pass on, some will stick. Huge respect for the author for continually condensing his work down through 3 books and then to seven words.
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
"Food Rules: An Eater's Manual" by Michael Pollan is a very quick read. I may have read it is about an hour. But the "rules" that Pollan lays down are excellent, common sense guidelines to eating better in a world of hyper-processed foods. The recommendations are ones that I find myself returning to constantly and it has made me reassess how I eat and what I eat. The illustrations in this edition are nice, even if I do not feel like they add too much to the overall picture. Read it and let it sit with you.
Short, straightforward, commonsensical. I didn't think there was anything especially new or thought-provoking about it, but then again I follow quite a few of these rules already (e.g. only shopping the edge of the supermarket, eating colors, avoiding HFCS, stuff like that). There's some unexamined privilege here (rules like "cook", "shop at farmer's markets" and "spend more on food"), but hey, Pollan is attempting to tackle personal changes, not systemic ones.
I wouldn't spend money on this book, since it's tiny and mostly a predictable expansion of "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." But hey, you can read it in like half an hour so there's not much to lose, and maybe you'll pick up a couple new mnemonics for healthy eating.
Pollan is one of these people that we hear quite a lot about these days, I told myself "well, I should read something he wrote", but I didn't choose that well. One rule per page, one paragraph per rule - meh. It'll teach me to be more careful about what I put on my Kindle app. Also, I thought the "rules" in the title was a verb and not a noun - that would have been a better book, probably :)
Super short but good info. Wish there would have been some examples.
Unlike Pollan's previous weighty tomes, to say this is a quick read is an understatement. I read it cover-to-cover in little more than a half hour. Some of the rules previously appeared at the end of "In Defense of Food," undoubtedly prompting me to read over them more quickly. Reading the book goes quickly, but like the whole foods it recommends, processing it and implementing the rules will take more time. If you're new to Michael Pollan, or the scientific nature of his previous books is a bit overwhelming," Food Rules" serves as a great summary/introduction. Once you've read it, however, dig into the details in the longer books for more lasting insight.
Nice little rules of thumb.
This book is full of things you probably already know, but haven't totally articulated to yourself. It is therefore totally worth the 30 minutes it will take you to read it.
As a time-strapped American, I found the last section -- How To Eat -- the most revolutionary. Slow down, eat real food, enjoy food -- it's just sad we need books telling us to do this.
