Book Recommendations

I’ve read a ton of books about food, nutrition, and feeding families over the years, but a few really stand out as having truly changed how I view the world.  Below are the books I highly recommend to anyone wanting to improve how they eat and feed their families!

What to Eat

Despite all of the conflicting dietary advice out there, figuring out what to eat does not need to be difficult!  In this quick, enjoyable read, Michael Pollan make a compelling case for why we should just eat “food” (also, not too much, and mostly plants), a seemingly simple eating plan which has been made shockingly complex due to changes in our food system in the past century.  If you are interested in moving away from a processed food diet, this is a great place to start!

Before In Defense of Food came The Omnivore’s Dilemma, a classic book in which Michael Pollan sheds fascinating light on how our food system works and how we got to where we are.  While a little more in depth than In Defense of Food, this book is eye opening and will change how you view the foods you choose.

Feeding Our Families

The number of resources out there for how to feed our children is dizzying, but in French Kids Eat Everything, Karen Le Billon presents her own story in an entertaining narrative that also provides a compelling argument for how American feeding customs are totally at odds with the eating habits we would like our children to learn.  In this book, Le Billon manages to be completely empathetic to the plight of the typical American mom while also putting forth some concrete guidelines which can simplify our lives while also helping our kids to be better eaters.

 
In this refreshing take on how to feed young children, Dr. Dina Rose tells us to stop worrying about the nutrients, and start focusing instead on the habits we’re teaching our kids every time we put food in front of them.  She breaks feeding down into a few simple rules, and walks through how to get your kids back on track no matter what their age.  Her approach makes so much sense, it’s hard to believe that the concept of teaching kids how to eat as opposed to just what to eat is so revolutionary, but I will say that reading this book (as well as Dr. Rose’s great blog!) have definitely changed the way I think about feeding my family!