Rules to Live (Better) By

Food Rules is the first Michael Pollan book I've read, but it will definitely not be the last. It's under 150 pages and everyone should read it. I borrowed a copy from the library but I think I will buy a copy to share and keep in the kitchen.


Even though a lot the rules reflect common sense, we all know that common sense it isn't as common as we think. While he does encourage us to eat mostly plants, this is not a "vegan" book, it's for everyone. We all need to take better care of ourselves and choose wisely when deciding what we put into our bodies.

Here are my ten favorite rules from the book. Some I already follow and others are goals to be achieved. At the moment #60 and #39 will require the most effort.


#2: Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.

#3: Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry.

#5: Avoid foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients.

#13: Eat only foods that will eventually rot.

#19: If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.

#37: "The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead."

#39: Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.

#47: Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.

#50: "The banquet is in the first bite."

#60: Treat treats as treats.