Food Matters

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Janelle Sorensen

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” ~ Luciano Pavarotti, with William Wright

I love food. I love growing it. I love cooking it. I love eating it. I love reading about it. But the big picture behind food production is not so pretty. After years of researching food - where it comes from, what’s been done to it, what ends up in it – I can understand why many consumers have simply detached themselves from it and now eat mindlessly. It’s a painful truth.

But, it has to change. And, it’s up to us – every bite we take matters. Food matters – not just to health and basic survival, but to planetary sustainability. We simply can’t eat like we eat anymore.

I’ve read many books covering the politics of food, usually they make me nearly want to stop eating altogether. But, Mark Bittman’s new book Food Matters is hands-down my new favorite because it’s hopeful and it’s totally do-able. I’m guessing it had something to do with him being a global gourmand – he simply had to find a way to reconcile his passion for food with his moral imperative.

The first half of the book addresses overconsumption, pollution, the contradictory global starvation and obesity epidemics, marketing to children, our broken food policies, the shady “science” of nutrition – all the ugly things most of us would rather turn a blind eye to. But, he covers it comprehensively and quickly. You get a very clear picture of a very big problem. But, almost before you have a chance to put the book down and resign yourself to eating grass, he describes how easy it is to eat beyond this system and thus help transform it.

Bittman refers to it as “sane eating.” In his words, “the principles are simple: deny nothing; enjoy everything, but eat plants first and most. There’s no gimmick, no dogma, no guilt, and no food police.” And he means it. He goes on to describe his journey to sane eating, how he’s lost weight, how much he still indulges in delicious foods.

And then he shares his favorite foods (more than 75 extremely versatile, simple, and delectable recipes). Sane eating ends up being cheaper, healthier, and socially sound while still being extremely delicious. Brilliant!

And, now that you’re thinking about how food matters, check out what the wise women of the Green Moms Carnival have to say about the issue - fifteen fabulous blogs covering everything from the best food documentaries to growing your own food on your roof. It’s definitely worth reading. Grab a snack and enjoy!