The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter

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The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 1,710 ratings · 237 reviews

A thought-provoking look at how what we eat profoundly affects all living things--and how we can make more ethical food choices

Five Principles for Making Conscientious Food Choices
1. Transparency: We have the right to know how our food is produced.
2. Fairness: Producing food should not impose costs on others.
3. Humanity: Inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals is wron

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Hardcover, 328 pages

Published May 2nd 2006 by Rodale Books (first published April 24th 2006)

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Dec 07, 2008 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fantastic book, written in a non-academic style, covering issues such an animal welfare, organic foods, locally grown foods (with a surprising twist on that choice!), and fair trade items. I found this book incredibly well researched, and open to empirical facts rather than demonstrating any blind allegiance to any one particular view point. After reading this book, I've entered into several conversations with vegan/animal rights friends of mine who generally criticize Singer, who was...more

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Sep 30, 2008 Anjuli Ayer added it

In his recent work, The Ethics of What We Eat (March 2007), Singer and farmer Jim Mason investigate the shopping choices of three families with diets exemplary of our current culture: Standard American Diet (SAD), Organic, and vegan. The Hiller-Neirstheimer family lives in Mabelville, Arkansas, shops at Wal-Mart and eats the SAD. They choose their groceries based on convenience and cost, and are unaware of ethical values concerning food. The Masarech-Motavalli family lives in Fairfield, Connecti...more

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Oct 01, 2008 insomnius rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not sure I would have liked this book so much if I wasn't already mostly-converted. On the other hand, if I had read it during my still-omnivorous years it may well have been the kick in the pants that I needed to actually make a change, much earlier than I actually did.

Far from taking a hardline approach and condemning all non-vegans out of hand, the authors take a compassionate look at the food choices made by three different families, and from that launch a discussion of the impact that t...more

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Jun 03, 2007 Chavah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone.

Shelves: philosophy, environmental-issues, ethics, politics, health-n-healing

it is a bit preaching-to-the-choir with regards to its obvious bias towards animal rights, and environmental concerns, but i appreciate the fact that the authors were also sure to not condemn outright those people who do chose to eat meat, animal-products, etc., but rather stressed the importance that we act as fully informed consumers, and that we take the time to make sure what form of "business" we are supporting with our almighty-dollar.

family farms, "Humane" keeping of livestock, organic gr...more

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Feb 27, 2009 Shaun rated it 5 of 5 stars

Out of all the books that deals with food, this is the must have book to read! I have been trying to find some chapters or segments that I can use to teach to my class about animal rights, food politics, and the environmental concerns dealing with food. I was expecting to only find a chapter or perhaps a segment to use. To my surprise, the whole book is worthy to be taught in class.

Peter Singer is well-known in philosophical circles as an ethicist and utilitarian. He has written many books about...more

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May 04, 2013 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

I've had this book in my collection for a few years, but never got around to reading it in its entirety until recently.

It's a good read, but needs to be considered with the same 'grain of salt' attitude as many non-fiction titles crafted for popular appeal. It can, at times, get a little preachy, but this is not uncommon for books dealing with food-related issues (particularly those that combine ethics and food).

However, if you approach The Ethics of What We Eat with this in mind, you uncover...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Ryan Lacanilao rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who eats food

When I was four years old, I became a vegetarian by choice. I lived in a small town and we raised some chickens on our land. I think our chickens had good lives, and I vaguely remember happily collecting their eggs. One day, I witnessed my grandma slaughter one of our chickens. From what I can remember, I think she cut its head off, and it continued to run around a bit after. Since I was so young, my memories about this incident aren't vivid, but my mom still remembers. She says that my relative...more When I was four years old, I became a vegetarian by choice. I lived in a small town and we raised some chickens on our land. I think our chickens had good lives, and I vaguely remember happily collecting their eggs. One day, I witnessed my grandma slaughter one of our chickens. From what I can remember, I think she cut its head off, and it continued to run around a bit after. Since I was so young, my memories about this incident aren't vivid, but my mom still remembers. She says that my relatives came over to eat the chicken; meanwhile, I sat in the fetal position under the table, crying, "I don't eat dead chicken...I don't eat dead chicken..."

Somewhere in my teens I started eating meat again. But I think I may have been onto something when I was four years old: I considered food choices to be an ethical concern. I knew nothing about the food industry. Hell, I didn't even know what the word "ethics" meant. I was four. But my decision to give up "eating dead chicken" was ethically motivated. Had I toured a factory farm, I'm sure I would have been commending my relatives for choosing to eat a humanely raised chicken and sparing the fate of a factory farmed chicken, even if for only one meal. And I would have better appreciated the eggs that my family ate from humanely kept chickens, as opposed to the vast majority of eggs on the market that are laid by suffering chickens living miserable lives in battery cages.

In most cases, I think it's better to know than not to know. Even when knowing might be inconvenient.

I'm really grateful for this book. The amount of research that went into it is impressive. The authors visited three families who ate three very different meals. They then tracked down as much information as possible about where each food product came from. This included many visits to various farms and interviews with producers. They even applied for and accepted jobs at a factory farm in order to see what it's really like, up close and personal.

So much of this book is just pure information. Knowing where our food comes from can definitely help us make better decisions about what we choose to eat. Our food choices affect our world. What we eat is an ethical matter because it affects the well-being of others. If you want to avoid contributing to the unnecessary suffering of people and other animals, then it's good to know the facts.

I found the sections explaining issues around genetically modified organisms, organic food, fair trade products and eating locally especially informative. Singer and Mason demystify these issues, explaining what they are and dispelling common misperceptions. They treat each issue very even-handedly, providing arguments both for and against each thing and providing very reasonable critiques. I now feel that I can make much better choices when it comes to buying things related to these issues.

I don't think I'll ever see food in the same way again. I can really appreciate it at a different level. I'm glad to know that I can make the world a better place through what I choose to eat.(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like the school bully who gets in his hardest kicks once you’re down on the ground and have essentially given up, this book drives home a message in powerful, painful punches. “For modern animal agriculture, the less the consumer knows about what’s happening before the meat hits the plate, the better… one of the best things modern animal agriculture has going for it is that most people in the developed countries are several generations removed from the farm and haven’t a clue how animals are rai...more Like the school bully who gets in his hardest kicks once you’re down on the ground and have essentially given up, this book drives home a message in powerful, painful punches. “For modern animal agriculture, the less the consumer knows about what’s happening before the meat hits the plate, the better… one of the best things modern animal agriculture has going for it is that most people in the developed countries are several generations removed from the farm and haven’t a clue how animals are raised and processed.” (p.11) With this, Peter Singer lobs the ball in the air and then proceeds to light the court on fire.

Some of it is hard to read. “For ten hours we grabbed and wrestled birds, jerking them upside down, facing their pushed-open [$%&@], dodging their spurting [$%&@], while breathing air filled with dust and feathers stirred up by panicked birds.” (p.29) I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
The dairy cow section was hard to read too, and I admit to my ignorance here. I suppose I thought dairy cows just made milk. I’ve thought that to be a humane way to farm with cows, and you can imagine a gawky 8-year-old boy straddling a three-legged stool in some ancient barn as the sun rises over the meadow, milking the lone family dairy cow before heading out to school. My quaint image was shattered when Mason informed me otherwise, painting a picture of a cow bellowing for the calf taken from her, and then we’re told the calf is dead within a few days, “his body was lying on the farm’s compost pile.” (p.58) Oh, do I HAVE to keep reading?!

I didn’t believe the part about the “drop kicking” of chickens (p.27) so I looked it up on the Internet. Not too hard to find the Pilgrim’s Pride video… and in watching it, my husband asked of me, “why are you watching this?!” I told him how disgusting this all was, that I could never buy a Tyson food product again (how many “bad lists” are they on, anyway?). For Pete’s sake, where could I find a humanely raised chicken to eat? Then my husband asked if we should add fryers to our egg-laying hens this year.

The gloves came off in the final round of the book. The last 50 pages of The Ethics of What We Eat delved hard into omnivore versus herbivore – with the authors’ call to action clearly being for all us to convert to vegans in order to achieve ethical eating bliss. The language was harsh, reminding us that the industrial food model is “systematically abusive” and that “discomfort is the norm, pain is routine, growth is abnormal, and diet is unnatural.” (p.242) Even Pope Benedict XVI is brought into the argument, being quoted on hens becoming “caricatures of birds” (which is also lyrically descriptive – Singer is a very good writer).

The pages devoted to freeganism, or dumpster diving, were also interesting, and my mind brought up images of documentary coverage I had seen on TV a while back. While I generally don’t have a problem with this – I’m not, say, grossed out by this or repulsed by the idea of eating wrapped food from the garbage… I think most parents have salvaged something incorrectly thrown away at one point or another – but I also posit that it isn’t a practical way for a family to eat on a regular basis. I’m not going to pack up my kids late at night (or leave them home alone) to go sort through urban trash bins looking for stuff to pack in tomorrow’s lunch boxes – so it’s a bit laughable that this passage is essentially included in the call to action on what readers should do to make more ethical choices.

The concrete What Should We Eat chapter tries to lay a clear foundation with simply-stated guidelines like “look for farmers’ markets and buy directly from local farmers” (p.275). But the authors loaded too many heavy concepts, which shattered the foundation, and for me, rendered the final section ineffective.

However, I really loved this: “It’s this whole American thing about having cheap food. It’s a fallacy. That guy thinks his food is cheap, but you and I are subsidizing that cheap food by paying for the social and ecological issues that are occurring in that community.” (p.98) That’s the real story behind much of this whole food ethics/politics/sustainability issue, and I hadn’t seen it articulated so well until this passage.

If you’re up for it, this is a fantastic book worth reading. But if you find yourself nauseous, or lacking an appetite while strolling through your local supermarket, or offended by any of the [real] horror stories described in detail throughout the book… I warned you.
(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Andrea Paterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: food, environment, non-fiction

The authors investigate the diets of three families: typical omnivores eating a standard american diet, conscientious omnivores who try to eat foods that meet a certain ethical and environmental standard, and strict vegans. After following each family on a shopping trip Singer and Mason deconstruct a number of specific food items, revealing where they came from, how they were produced, what their labels really mean, and whether they truly live up to their claims of being ethically produced.

This...more The authors investigate the diets of three families: typical omnivores eating a standard american diet, conscientious omnivores who try to eat foods that meet a certain ethical and environmental standard, and strict vegans. After following each family on a shopping trip Singer and Mason deconstruct a number of specific food items, revealing where they came from, how they were produced, what their labels really mean, and whether they truly live up to their claims of being ethically produced.

This book covers everything. It isn't just about animals and meat products. The authors talk about human rights for workers, animal rights, fair trade products, organic growing, the local food movement, vegan nutrition, and the true meaning of terms like "free range." They visit farms, interview scientists, and try to get the other side of the story from those in the food industry who have been vilified. They even tag along with some dumpster-diving "Freegans" to see what they're up to. Then, based on carefully constructed philisophical arguments, they sum everything up and try to decide what dietary strategies are the most ethically and environmentally sound.

A very balanced and carefully researched book that can become a bit overwhelming in that it points out so many broken aspects of our food system. By the end you sort of wonder if it's even possible to eat food that isn't destructive on some level. The authors realize this and help consumers to feel that food choices are not an all or nothing deal. They give the example of a women who is mostly a vegan, but when she is travelling and finds herself in world class, fancy restaurants she allows herself to eat whatever she feels like, including meat. This isn't an ethical decision for her, it's a decision based on desire. She suggests that giving in to cravings every few months allows her to commit to a vegan lifestyle the rest of the time without feeling deprived. The authors suggest that wherever you draw the line in terms of your food choices, remaining somewhat flexible is probably key to success. So many vegans give up entirely because they caved once and ate bacon and the authors think this is unreasonable. You can remain devoted to your food principles while making exceptions once in awhile.(less)

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Feb 28, 2009 Kimberlee rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you care at all about what you put into your body (and if you don't care, you should) then you should read this book. The Way We Eat manages to look at the issues surrounding the food industry - from slaughterhouses, to agriculture, to the environment and onward - without either flinching, or imparting too much judgement. Not so much a book to make choices for you, as to inform the choices you make yourself. It presents information from both sides of various arguements, in the hopes that a mo...more

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Dec 09, 2008 Arjen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Man, eating is hard... Meat comes from places you don't want to know about. Fish is good for you and tastes great, but the oceans are being depleted. Bottom line is that our Western behavior is unsustainable.

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May 08, 2007 Biscuits rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Greenies

So far this book has a good overview of the impact food processing has on the environment and the global economy. One of the authors is Peter Singer, who wrote "Animal Liberation," which is a seminal animal rights book. While this book does deal with animal suffering, it also deals with the organic and humane food movements, fair trade, buying locally, etc. The writers observe the eating habits of 3 families and follow the food trail.

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Feb 08, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Only read this book if you are ready to change the way you eat. Because once you read it you cannot go back to the way things were before. The authors explain what it is your actually eating and how it is produced. Once you know all the details it changes everything, especially about meat and dairy.
It's easy to be ignorant, as we lead busy lives and the media represents everything so nicely. It's always the big companies that have the best ads and are the cheapest so we buy their products the m...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Brandon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: societal-mechanics, environment, owned-books

I've enjoyed reading this book. It truly opened my eyes to the cruel practices of the food industry along with the term "factory farming." The book has made me want to enforce the vegetarian practices I've began to maintain, especially during my Spring Break (I thought my parents would make meat-related products, but I've seemed to do excellently well in avoiding them.).

With this said, I do not believe that everyone who reads this book will immediately begin questioning where their food originat...more I've enjoyed reading this book. It truly opened my eyes to the cruel practices of the food industry along with the term "factory farming." The book has made me want to enforce the vegetarian practices I've began to maintain, especially during my Spring Break (I thought my parents would make meat-related products, but I've seemed to do excellently well in avoiding them.).

With this said, I do not believe that everyone who reads this book will immediately begin questioning where their food originates. However, I believe one will notice the vegetarians and vegans (and the freegans) out there and be potentially more open to the idea...for those who can be open-minded people. My Mom does a lot of the shopping of food in the house, and she truly is closed-minded. When the book said to not be fooled by "all-natural" or "fresh," it made me truly question my Mom's words of wisdom over the years. She believes that restaurants like Baja Fresh, Subway, etc. are "fresh," but where does the food come from? She has failed to do that, although shockingly enough, my Mom recently told me she does not buy food from Africa.

As a son, I've come to realize that my parents will respect my eating decisions, and will understand a change in taste buds. While I admire my Mom's cooking, I cannot admire her close-mindedness to how food is grown nor the environmental impacts it has. My family does not support environmentalism and I see this in many ways. My Mom and little brother will leave the lights on during the day for the enhancement of their vision while I support natural lighting, or my parents will put many lights too extra for the same purpose. I complain continuously that it's blinding and actually in a way a distraction from my work, but refuse to listen to me (I have one light in my bedroom that supports natural lighting. All the others are artifical other than the sunlight that pierces through my window.). For the reasons of her closed-mindedness, I choose to be well-informed over fall into the lies and other things that exist.

Besides from this though, I support the book's philosophical nature as it truly adds to the need to keep in mind the animals. The questions on morality it proposes truly makes one question human nature, and while I still say I do not know, I can say comfortably now that I know one thing of morality from this book. We have moral obligations, and one of the most definite I've seen is the protection of human nature, which right now is mostly not being done. I look forward to further research of the vegetarian and vegan diets. :)

Jeff, thank you for the honor of reading this book. If you don't mind, I want to keep it a bit longer for my last speech in Communications. I think it's time I try convincing some people of vegetarianism.(less)

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Mar 14, 2010 Greg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In this book Singer and Mason examine the origins of the foods composing the diets of three different American families: one that buys its groceries from Walmart and eats a lot of fast food, another that shops at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's but occasionally eats less healthily, and a vegan family whose primary concern in life is eating in a healthy and sustainable manner. Most of the book is taken up with descriptions of factory and smaller farms, different growing practices, and the requiremen...more

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May 24, 2010 Frances rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2000-2009, nf-food, non-fiction, obtained-audible

The best book I've read in awhile. This book may really make me move much farther towards a meatless diet. Although I thought for many years that there are many reasons to eat less meat (including the environment and health), the ethical issue regarding animals is the most compelling for me personally. In fact, this book makes me realize that being vegetarian would only be one step along the way. Chickens raised to lay eggs and cows raised to give milk do not have a better story. I think I need...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Ed rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vegetarian

I really enjoyed this book, even though I found the organization to be a little awkward.

Each ethical argument is presented in a clear, logical way, reasoning from data whenever possible. The book is also well footnoted, citing sources for the data it uses.

I found the three-family organization to be somewhat gimmicky, although it does provide a good starting point for concrete discussion (since summarizing entire diets is too prone to generalization otherwise).

The arguments the book presents for...more I really enjoyed this book, even though I found the organization to be a little awkward.

Each ethical argument is presented in a clear, logical way, reasoning from data whenever possible. The book is also well footnoted, citing sources for the data it uses.

I found the three-family organization to be somewhat gimmicky, although it does provide a good starting point for concrete discussion (since summarizing entire diets is too prone to generalization otherwise).

The arguments the book presents for vegetarianism aren't as directly argued as, for example, those in Eating Animals. For instance, the assertion that it isn't ethical to cause suffering when there are other viable food options is not presented directly until the section on invertebrate seafood (crab, shrimp, etc), which comes after sections on cows, chicken, etc. This is an awkward time to introduce this argument, since the authors consider it an open question as to whether these invertebrate animals can feel pain. I suspect this argument comes so far into the book to not overwhelm a general audience with animal rights arguments too early on.

In the latter part of the book, there is serious ethical discussion, with each decision reasoned through from available data. Data that conflicts with their overall decision is introduced fairly, and is not dismissed or hidden. This was my favorite part of the book, so I'd encourage people to stick with the book, even if they find the first part of the book to be a little slow or elementary.

Generally, I found the authors' arguments convincing. I'd have preferred for them to state more clearly whether they think a "conscientious omnivore" diet is ethical. (Their conclusion is that "it seems more appropriate to praise conscientious omnivores for how far they have come, rather than to criticize them for not having gone further", which is politic, but not really as clear as I'd like.)

I'd also have liked some realistic discussion about the feasibility of being a truly conscientious omnivore full-time. Typically in a restaurant or social setting, getting information about the source of each animal product is either not possible, socially awkward, or would require a prohibitive amount of work. If you're a dinner guest and the host has prepared a meal, it is not really socially viable to ask myriad questions about animal food origins and then possibly reject food that the host has prepared (compared to simply saying "I'm vegan" beforehand, which is a realistic option). I haven't seen conscientious omnivore authors really tackle this issue -- Michael Pollan finds factory farmed meat to be indefensible, but then asserts that personal dietary restrictions are bad manners, for instance.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book extended beyond just animal cruelty arguments, also examining the ethical impact of diet on poverty in developing nations, etc. Programs like fair trade for coffee, chocolate, etc., are discussed in detail, and the authors present convincing arguments against a strictly local diet which I had not previously considered. True to its name, the book covers general food ethics, and not just a single-issue vegetarian / animal rights argument.(less)

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Sep 12, 2009 Jessie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Amazingly enlightening. I became a Pescatarian after reading this book, and I'll likely move towards Veganism the more that I learn. This book not only points out the more obvious reasons for boycotting factory-farmed food, but clearly describes the devastating effects it's had on the environment--deforrestation, global warming, air, water and land pollution, etc.

When you know what goes on behind the scenes-how your food is produced and where it comes from-you have to make a choice. Sure, you ca...more

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Jan 04, 2009 Bobby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, vegetarianism

An excellent book by Peter Singer and Jim Mason which covers a diverse set of food-pertaining issues, e.g. eating locally, meat vs vegetarian diets, organic cs conventional, fair trade certification, and so on. Although in my opinion the writers aren't as "eloquent" as Michael Pollan, their arguements are just as--if not more--convincing. They argue their positions very well and often back them up with solid data. In their scope, they go beyond Pollan and most other food writers I've read (in fa...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was great. It had me thinking about organic and local food in different ways in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and economic impacts, and it opened my eyes to the detrimental effects of factory farmed chickens on surrounding communities. I had always known about the pollutive effects on the natural environment, but I was unaware of the problems factory chicken farms cause in residential areas for people. Also, it made a good case for being vegan in terms of the hard scientific facts...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book helps one to make an informed choice about what are going to eat, if one is concerned about this issue. Many are either in a state of denial or are blissfully unaware that factory farming is cruel to animals. The current system doesn't make it easy to buy humanely raised meat although I think things are changing... But there has to be consumer demand. After reading this book, I feel more energized to eat more vegetarian meals. I have been buying organic food and purchase beef and pork...more

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Jun 16, 2009 thad.miller rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting and thorough examination of the ethical issues encountered in what we choose to eat. From factor farms to organic food to local food and even seafood, Singer and Mason trace the ethical implications of food production and consumption in an easy-to-read and very practical manner. I would have liked to see a bit more ethical and philosophical reasoning, but appreciated the practicality of the writing. I'm going to use this for an environmental ethics for undergrads course and I think i...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: food-and-nutrition, non-fiction, sustainability

This is an excellent book that, were I a different person, a saint and not a sinner, might have changed my life. I think it probably will change it somewhat; I will continue with the baby steps of eating and buying food more mindfully, as I've already begun to do, but I'm not becoming vegan any time soon. The Way We Eat gives the reader many points to ponder about the philosophical questions that arise about eating animals, the treatment of animals who provide food for us, the tension between ea...more This is an excellent book that, were I a different person, a saint and not a sinner, might have changed my life. I think it probably will change it somewhat; I will continue with the baby steps of eating and buying food more mindfully, as I've already begun to do, but I'm not becoming vegan any time soon. The Way We Eat gives the reader many points to ponder about the philosophical questions that arise about eating animals, the treatment of animals who provide food for us, the tension between eating locally and supporting farmers in developing countries, and many more.

But this is not merely a work of philosophy. The authors begin by examining the food shopping and preparation practices of three families. One family eats the typical American diet with lots of meat, convenience foods and fast food, shopping mainly at Walmart or another supermarket. The next, with a vegetarian husband and a carefully omnivorous wife and child, prefers organic and local food and shops at a variety of places including farmers' markets. The third family eats a completely vegan diet and grows much of its own food. Although it's easy to tell that Family #3 is the one the authors admire, each of the families is treated respectfully and the reasons for their choices are respected. The authors provide a lot of information about where each family's food comes from and what happens before it gets to the table. I appreciated the thoughtful and non-sensationalist way that all this information was presented. Whenever possible (since some of the farmers and businesspeople on the more "industrial" end of the spectrum refused interviews), Singer and his co-authors interviewed people on both sides of a question or at least read and quoted extensively from their work. When they disagreed with someone and dissected his arguments, they did so fairly.

The conclusion: it would be best for the welfare of the world (humans, animals, plant life, water, soil and atmosphere) if everyone began to eat a vegan diet as soon as possible. But, realizing that this is unlikely, the authors give a short list of steps that can bring all of our diets closer to sustainability and a higher morality.

I would recommend this book without reservation; I think it was the best non-fiction book I've read all year.(less)

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Feb 11, 2011 May-Ling rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: foodie

i'm not quite sure what i think after reading this book. it's difficult reading ethics because at the end, everything feels like a gray area that you need to investigate further. when it comes to food choices and wanting to eat ethically, this ambiguity is pretty frustrating.

so what is my takeaway? pretty much that if you believe animals feel pain (which they pretty much do and it's proven) and you don't want to inflict that pain, being vegan is the answer. it's strange, because peter singer com...more

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Aug 29, 2009 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure if I'd like this. I'm already a vegetarian and sometimes find animal rights stuff a preachy to the point that it would only appeal to the already converted. This book was still a little preachy but very informative and fairly sophisticated in its philosophical analysis of the choices we make.

If you're looking for a simple description of what you should eat ("aside from be a vegan"), forget it, it doesn't and can't exist. Everything is way too complicated. If you want to know more...more

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Aug 20, 2009 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: food, nonfiction, social-issues

I knew going into this book that I wasn't likely to get an objective, unbiased view of the food system from the author of "Animal Liberation" but I tried to keep an open mind. Most of the book is really well done -- informative, factual, thought-provoking, and well-researched. I read this shortly after reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" so a lot of the information was familiar to me, but I appreciated the reinforcement of ideas I've already read about.

My biggest problem with this book is that Sing...more

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Feb 11, 2012 g-na rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: food-and-nutrition, 5-star-faves

I find this book to be a thorough, yet unbiased look at exactly what sorts of farming and ranching practices go into bringing a selection of foods to the table. The authors look at the food choices of three families - one eating a typical American diet, one set of "conscientious omnivores", and one vegan - and track their foods to the source. The book has a good "conclusions" section, and offers suggestions as to how you can best support your own personal ethics through your buying and eating ha...more

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Dec 19, 2009 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting book that looks at different food industries and food issues such as animal welfare, organic foods, locally grown foods, and fair trade items. It looks at the lives of three different families and the way they shop for food and why, and the ramifications of those choices. The book shows an obvious bias when it comes to animal rights and environmental issues, but I thought did a good job at exploring arguments from many different viewpoints. Although I don't agree with...more

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Jul 18, 2010 E rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is similar to Food Inc. and Omnivore's Dilemma in lifting the veil of where our food comes from and the price (beyond the monetary sense) we pay for our food choices. The issues of ethics come up as the focus of the book isn't about how what you eat impacts you but how your food choices impact others. I appreciated the chapters on fishing/seafood catching practices and has me reconsidering my seafood consumption as well as their discussions of the vastly different conditions of farms t...more

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Oct 24, 2009 Elena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: farming-food-environment

Excellent book about America's large scale animal agriculture. The book describes it's inherent brutality and horrifice environmental impact on ground water, and air quality. In addition, to these negatives, the impact on people who work within the animal production industry is multi-faceted.
Slaughterhouse workers Suffer from one of the highest occupational injury rates, as well as the highest turnover rates.
Increasingly, this work is being done by illegal immigrants who have no access to worke...more

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About Peter Singer

Peter Albert David Singer is an Australian philosopher. He is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and laureate professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE), University of Melbourne. He specializes in applied ethics, approaching ethical issues from a secular preference utilitarian perspective.

He has served, on two occasions, as chair of phil...more

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The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty

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Quotes from The Way We Eat: Why Ou...

“Personal purity isn’t really the issue. Not supporting animal abuse – and persuading others not to support it – is.” — 2 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29377.The_Way_We_Eat?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316130253l/29377.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29377.The_Way_We_Eat?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter by Peter Singer[/url]

The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter

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