Book Review: The Way We Eat Now: Strategies for Eating in a World of Change by Bee Wilson

5/5 Excellent

The Way We Eat Now by British food writer Bee Wilson is a comprehensive and eye-opening study of how the modern global food system is failing to nourish those it’s supposed to be serving. Far from dry academic analysis, this book is compelling from beginning to end, peppered with case studies and conversations with academics, writers and food industry workers from all over the globe. Their insight and sometimes radical perspectives mean the book reads like an impassioned and bright conversation. The book explains clearly and succinctly why the insidious rise of ultra-processed junk food is no good for either humans or the planet. And Wilson doesn’t sugar-coat it; she explains how many of our modern ills, both physical and mental, can be traced to diminishing nourishment in both our food itself and the situations in which we consume it. She also proposes some possible solutions, backed by real-life examples, that left me in awe and feeling much more positive about the modern food world we live in.

This is a book for anyone with an interest in food, be that cooking it, growing it, selling it or eating it. I learned so much, it really chimed with me as I spent a lot of my degree studying food systems; I’ve made extensive use of iBooks’ highlight function! I find myself referring to it in conversation on a regular basis. It’s so easy to just pick up and read, I sometimes find non-fiction takes a lot of patience, but this just floats into your brain while you nod enthusiastically. 5/5 would recommend this book.