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In yesterday’s appearance on NPR’s Fresh Air and his recent New York Times essay Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch, Michael Pollan offers a fascinating look at how everyday home cooking has been replaced by a national obsession with television cooking shows, and how that shift is adversely affecting our health. I admit to spending most of my TV time watching other people prepare food, yet I still spend plenty of time in the kitchen making meals from whole foods, which apparently makes me somewhat of an anomaly.
I understand the appeal of cooking shows and think they can potentially get people excited about cooking and in some cases actually teach us something (thank you Alton Brown), but as Pollan points out, most of the shows offer either “dump and stir” short-cuts, which often include processed foods (thank you Rachel Ray) or provide such a blinding spectacle of competition (thank you Iron Chef), that very few cooking skills can be gained and we remain captivated by eye-candy. These shows are not only devouring the time that we allegedly lack to cook a wholesome meal, but they also discourage us from the idea that we can actually cook something healthy and delicious ourselves.
These shows and celebrity chefs aren’t going away anytime soon, nor do I think they have to in order to show people that by spending a little more time in the kitchen they can find more nutrition and satisfaction in what they eat. So, what’s the missing ingredient? Do we need another show that teaches the importance of taking the time to cook with whole foods? Or do we need to unplug a bit, skip an episode and take the plunge back into the kitchen? As Pollan points out, there are plenty of other forces working against us as well, including longer working hours, a food industry that heavily markets ready-made (highly processed and nutritional deficient) convenience foods, and an over-abundance of big-chain and fast-food restaurants. We’ve been slowly, but strongly convinced that we don’t have the time or skills to feed ourselves. But I say they are wrong, and if we hope to successfully fight the rising trend of obesity and other health problems, and reduce our health care costs, we need to get off the couch and back into the kitchen. Who’s coming with me?
In the words of veteran food-marketing researcher, Harry Balzer, who Pollan interviewed:
“You want Americans to eat less? I have the diet for you. It’s short, and it’s simple. Here’s my diet plan: Cook it yourself.”
CATEGORIES: Culture, Global Health
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I think some people who watch the Food Network are actually more prone to cook. I agree with a lot of Michael Pollan’s views, but I don’t see why he needs to attack cooking shows. Here is a good response to his article: http://julieclawson.com/2009/08/03/food-tv-michael-pollan-and-generation-x/
I don’t believe Michael Pollan was criticizing all Food Network chefs/hosts, nor was he meaning to say that every viewer of that network replaces cooking with watching. He’s right to be concerned over the “chefs” who promote short-cut cooking via the use of processed/convenience foods. We could all learn a lot from Michael as well as the more eco-friendly chefs on Food Network.
I have developed a greater talent for cooking via Food Network, and a greater passion for fresh, local, real food via Michael Pollan!
The public DOES need to be educated, including myself. But oftentimes, we don’t know where to go. Recently, I have been attending meetings at the local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Not only does it tell you what is healthy, but why it is healthy, where to get it, how to prepare it and provides samples! Anyone seeking to inform themselves on this issue should look into their local chapter.
“Cook it yourself”….RIGHT ON.
Thank you for bringing this out to the mainstream, more or less. I saw a Hagan Das ice-cream pint that had “Five” or less than five on the label in very large font. And I thought, wow, Pollan’s idea of eating packaged food with less than five ingredients is getting across.
You’re more obvious than you think!
Besides, his point isn’t that “all foods with less than 5 ingredients are healthy” - but about reading the ingredients list to sum up the the amount of processing that took place below the lid.
I love Food Network, and when I had access to cable on a regular basis, watched it all the time. Food Network taught me how to cook, and I mean really COOK. I boil, fry, bake cakes and practically everything else from scratch and have even made my own jam. I usually agree with Michael Pollan’s viewpoints, but it appears I’m somewhat of an anomaly as well. Cooking may now be a spectator’s sport, but as long as it gets some people in the kitchen, I say leave it alone. I’ll admit to being disgusted by a few of the celebrity “chefs” on the network, like Sandra Lee (who is far worse than Rachael Ray with the processed foods and needs to be stopped) and increasingly, Paula Dean (who is beginning to add more and more pre-packaged food to her repertoire). What the Food Network is missing is a show catered to slow food and the organic movement. It’s not enough for Robin Miller to switch out her Swanson Broth with free range chicken stock, though it’s a baby step in the right direction. People do need to start cooking for themselves more often, but I stand by the Food Network and their extensive database of online recipes, which have certainly made me a better cook in the long run.
When I saw a pint container of mashed potatoes at Whole Foods Mkt for $5.99 I thought “OK, now this has got to stop”! Eat and cook local, when you can.
Get back in the kitchen, folks…
I would agree with Michael to a point. I LOVE a cooking show,but I love to cook my own food more. It’s a great place to get ideas. Channels like the Food Network actually encourage people to make their own food (except for the semi-homemade lady)
Actually, I agree with many of the comments posted on this thread. The Food Network showcases many cooking shows that actually inspires people to do more cooking. But I think what Michael Pollan was hoping to get across was that the Food Network is now a highly viewed and influential channel. This is actually a brilliant forum to PROMOTE healthy cooking and to teach Americans not only how to cook - but how to eat.
I wish Food Network could see the enormous potential they have to educate consumers. Instead of filling air time with pseudo-chefs who push processed foods - they could make a huge difference in not only the sustainable food movement - but in helping to reverse the epidemic of obesity in our country.
Someone recently coined the term “eatertainment…”
I agree that we need to go back to cooking. I read the book ANIMAL VEGETABLE MIRACLE by B. Kingsolver, planted my own garden and never looked back.
However, I never would have tried half of the things I have in the kitchen if I hadn’t seen it on TOP CHEF or 30 MINUTE MEALS and said to myself “I bet I could do that for pennies.”
Hit the kitchen, folks… it’s so worth it!
I’d like to offer my services to anyone who needs it. I am offering cooking/non-cooking classes. I would like to teach people how to prepare healthier meals for themselves. I can introduce you to new foods and where to get them. I can teach people either 1 on 1 or groups of people. I can also do this via webcast if you live far away. Contact me if you are interested. I also offer free Health Consultations. My web site is http://www.pauladenoncourt.com, tel.# 508-330-9665. Not only do I want to teach people how to prepare meals but what the benefits are to how it is prepared, wether it be cooked or raw. I look forward to hearing from you.
Great food for thought, however people are inspired, and people need to get off their couch into the kitchen as well as into relationship not just be an observer - cooking and meals used to be the social connecting time. We need that to feel more satisfied and eat less. Thanks for getting the message out there.
Hello,
Does anyone know the name or contact information for the lady who lost her contract after letting the film crew into her chicken production house? If you could email me any information I would appreciate it.
Thank you,
Thad
Hi Thad,
Thanks for your comment. I’ve forwarded your request along to someone at Participant and they will be in touch with you soon.
Best
Danny
I love watching Food Network and I actually get and use ideas from there. I think Michael Pollan’s observation is probably accurate though that many people just watch for entertainment value- too tired or overwhelmed to actually get up and do. I like articles like this that at least bring it to light that it could be an issue. I also agree with the many comments though that for some,including me, the whole food tv, celebrity chef thing has been inspirational.
Thank you for your comments everyone! Glad to hear others can find a happy medium between cooking and watching. I agree, the Food Network could go much further to promote sustainable and healthy cooking.