March is National Nutrition Month

Did you know March is National Nutrition Month? Neither did I :) Find out more here. To highlight the importance of eating right I have chosen food themed books for this week's post.

Fiction

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

With two major motion pictures created from this classic work, you probably think you know the story of Charlie's magical trip to Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory. Think again. This magnificent work of children's literature has inspired the world since 1964. Charlie and his family find themselves destitute but rich in love. Candy mogul Willy Wonka has built an extensive empire, but has no heir to leave his fortune to. Believing that children are pure and their love for candy is infinite, Mr. Wonka designs a contest to find his successor. Invertible mayhem and hilarity ensue. Check out this beloved classic today (perhaps you can enjoy it with a Wonka bar!)

Nonfiction

I'm Just Here for the Food: Heat + Food= Cooking by Alton Brown

Alton Brown, best known for his hit Food Network series Good Eats, has brought food science to the print world with his new "cookbook." This book is not your grandma's cookbook with painstakingly preserved recipes and glossy pictures of well presented dishes. This book kicks cooking into high gear in a homeowner's manual style breakdown of gear, gadgets and technique that will blow your mind. If you have ever wondered why you need eggs in some recipe and oil in another Brown will not only explain away the worry but tell you how you can incorporate both into your next dish. A must read for all weekend dabblers and aspiring chefs alike.

Picks for Adult Readers

This week's pick for adults is one I would also recommend to my students. It is important to know where food comes from and what it does to our bodies.

Fast food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser

One out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant everyday, without knowing why the food is so fast and cheap or what it is doing to their body. The fast food industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. This book takes apart fast food and rebuilds it from the ground up. Eric Schlosser tells the story of the food as it moves from farm to bun, but moreover he tells the story of the overworked and underpaid providers who serve this food to hurried and hungry Americans.