Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought

by Sue Heavenrich, Christy Mihaly

The United Nations supports a compelling solution to world eat insects! Explore the vast world of unexpected foods that may help solve the global hunger crisis. Weeds, wild plants, invasive and feral species, and bugs are all food for thought. Learn about the nutritional value of various plant and animal species; visit a cricket farm; try a recipe for dandelion pancakes, kudzu salsa, or pickled purslane; and discover more about climate change, sustainability, green agriculture, indigenous foods, farm-to-table restaurants, and how to be an eco-friendly producer, consumer, and chef. Meet average folks and experts in the field who will help you stretch your culinary imagination!

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Food, Science, Middle Grade, Environment, Cookbooks

128 pages, Library Binding

Published August 1, 2018

Reviews

[Alicia]

For being as quick as this one was, it moves through all the kinds of sustainable food we should start consuming (wild pigs to crickets) and everything in between. AND, it includes recipes, pictures, and a short history of how some of the foods consumed are actually invasive species and how they got to invade the area.

It is really a nice mashup of science and climate action, food and innovation. And still for some, food for thought since some can’t fathom this (I’m on board) and would be interested to eat some lionfish and iguana specifically. It’s a bright and useful book.

[Jennifer]

I think this book is for kids because they kept saying, make sure an adult helps you… I’ll still probably have an adult help me, ha. I love the idea of foraging. I already do eat a lot of weeds that grow here, but it often makes me a little nervous. Why does poisonous stuff like to masquerade as tasty stuff? Also, I really want to put a sign in the yard that says, “No pooping. We eat our weeds.” What do you think?

[Suzanne Dix]

Not for the faint of heart, Diet for a Changing Climate, encourages readers to change their diet in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Better than fighting climate change by reducing car emissions, this books argues that changing our world’s reliance on farming, which leads to flooding, deforestations and high carbon emissions, can make a greater impact. Countless suggestions for adapting to an alternative daily diet include eating insects, certain weeds, invasive plants like kudzu, even invasive species like iguanas, mussels and types of fish like tilapia. Recipes are provided throughout each chapter as well as tips on how to catch or forage for these items to eat. This book offers a very different and even radical look at the food we could be eating. Its appeal to readers will be limited however the many colorful photos of grubs, crickets, lionfish and other “edibles” will peak interest. Diagrams, interesting sidebars and data tables are provided throughout the chapters and the text concludes with a glossary, a vast selected bibliography and a lengthy list of suggested books, websites and videos. Aimed for upper middle school to high school reading levels, this book will make for a very unique pairing with mainstream cookbooks.

[Jessica]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! This book was an interesting read. I can’t say I’m going to start eating bugs any time soon, but I’ve often wondered about edible greens. The author makes a good case for eating these natural food options, and I think it’s presented well for young readers as well with good visuals and photographs throughout. My only concern is people mixing up edible and non-edible/poisonous items. The author does say to always forage with an adult and what-not, so she has covered her bases. It was just something I had in the back of my mind as I read. I can see some kids getting into it and sharing this info with parents.
Overall, interesting and well-researched and presented!

[CR]

My Review: When you think of eating better do you think crickets? Ya, I didn't either but this book Diet for a Changing Climate does. It may not be for everyone esp. for the fact that I do not think I will be making Chirpy Chip Cookies anytime soon. But I do think that it is a great book to have if you want to branch out and eat outside your door. This book gives you a lot of great information from how to clean a lionfish to the right way to eat a dandelion. So although it may not be for everyone it still does give a lot of great tips about how to eat for today.

Do I Recommend this book? Yes, it gives some really good tips about how to do things!

Go Into This One Knowing: Food for thought, Way out there choices, Amazing Ideas!

[Anne]

This book gives lots of ideas for alternative eating in an effort to reduce harmful effects of raising livestock as well as other environmentally detrimental things happening now. I cringed reading most of the things they suggested, but that's because most of them were still meat alternatives and eating insects and grubs and other fish still does not sound good to me. I would try the plant alternatives, however. I think kids will read it for the "ewww factor". As the author notes, they will be more likely to try things than adults. Recipes included. Cautions included. Conversions from metric. Restaurants in certain countries and states (including Seattle!) Photo acknowledgements. Lots of further info sites, including videos.
3.5 stars

[Gauri Parab]

Eye opening! In an effort to counter the green house emissions due to factory farming of livestock and industrial agriculture, the author encourages us to include meat and vegetable alternatives in our food intake. Plants that you never thought of putting in a salad, fish and animals that you thought were pests and bugs and insects that made your skin crawl! They are cheap, nutritious replacements in our diet that won’t ruin the planet . There are easy to make recipes and tips on how to start your own insect farm. Kids, being more accepting, would enjoy these alternatives and adults would be encouraged to be open minded about food. It’s a sign of times to come.

[Susan]

A feast of information on ways of eating that could prove more sustainable for out planet. I already knew about the movement to eat insect protein like cricket flour, but I didn't know about some of the foods mentioned. Will I snack on a scorpion lollipop or eat iguana meat after reading this? No, probably not, but I would be curious to try some of the invasive plants mentioned. I think kids will want to read this book for the ick factor, but they'll also learn more about the environment in the process.

[Alison]

A lot quicker to read than I thought (reading it as an ebook was deceptive). More for kids, so easy read and simple language (Tweens & early teens) looking at the reality of eating things that we would normally turn our nose up at including 'weeds' such as dandelions, crickets and iguanas and looking at the environmental impact of food. Maybe a little preachy on the environmental factors, but not a bad little book, loads of pictures and quick to read.

[Heidi]

This book was a truly eye-opening read. I had no idea there was a movement underway intended to encourage people to eat weeds and bugs and invasive animals. I found the book fascinating if rather revolting at times. I'll admit that the thought of eating some of the things that are mentioned in this book made me a bit sick to my stomach. But that is mostly because I've grown up in a culture where those things aren't considered to be food. The book mentions a variety of different cultures where bugs and things have always been considered to be a valid food source. In addition to describing the variety of different plants (weeds), bugs, and invasive species that can be eaten, the book also shares recipes, websites, and individual stories of those who pursue this diet. An informative book that would be perfect for those looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly and are willing to consider stepping out of their eating comfort zone. The book design is beautiful and eye-catching.

[Kait McNamee]

Hmm. Education about climate change and food systems is important, but this goes too far, too fast. Yes, crickets might be a great food source, but the book doesn't explain the complexities behind food systems before offering up crickets as a solution. It also doesn't go into depth on the science of climate change, just that it's happening. Meh.

[LaShel]

Turns out at least half of the weeds in my backyard are edible - it's fun to think about not just foraging, but specifically targeting invasive species. That said, this book was short and didn't have much depth.

[Debbie Armbruster]

A fascinating read. I can’t wait to booktalk this in my middle school library.

[Reading]

Bit of a mixed bag though a worthwhile primer on alternative food options and why and how to find, grow/raise and prepare them.

[Flesha]

Short sweet tidbits about how you can choose to eat to create less impact on our earth. Here you can learn about invasive species, foraging and eating bugs.

[Mara]

Can’t wait to eat some bugs

[Michelle]

An interesting and informative read on how we can adapt our diet to positively impact our environment. This book is full of facts on "unusual" food sources such as insects, kudzu and foraging for wild greens. Equal parts gross and fascinating, this book will show how to change the way we look at invasive species, and most importantly-recipes!