Twelve Commandments of Food

It's been quite some time since I wrote my last post. I'm knee deep in testing and planning for my final dinner at school, trying to make plans for my upcoming internship in July, and trying to make work more interesting than usual.

I really think that my final dinner will be a delicious and interesting one, while showcasing the many talents of the eight chef students in our group. I won't reveal too much, but that local summer fruits and vegetables will be a-plenty!

Last night I had my nutrition class and it made me reflect upon the food I eat daily. Even as a student at the Natural Gourmet I would probably give myself a B- when it comes to eating a health supportive diet. It made me think of Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food, and his twelve commandments to live by. Certainly, these axioms are not new, but I guess that's the point. So I thought I would post them here to remind myself (and you) that eating a healthful and environmentally sustainable diet shouldn't be much ado.

1. "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."

2. "Avoid foods containing ingredients you can't pronounce."

3. "Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot."

4. "Avoid food products that carry health claims."

5. "Shop the peripheries of the supermarket; stay out of the middle."

6. "Better yet, buy food somewhere else: the farmers' market or CSA."

7. "Pay more, eat less."

8. "Eat a wide variety of species."

9. "Eat food from animals that eat grass."

10. "Cook, and if you can, grow some of your own food."

11. "Eat meals and eat them only at tables."

12. "Eat deliberately, with other people whenever possible, and always with pleasure."