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PrimaFoodie: Summer Book Roundup 2024

Summer is kicking off, and we're thrilled to be prepping for some reading time—on a beach, plane, hammock, blanket, or wherever we can catch some downtime in the sun.  

In that light, welcome to our PrimaFoodie Summer Reading Roundup. We've corralled the books that inspire us to take better care of our bodies and environment and to cook fresh meals in the kitchen. Our list includes a mix of classics—some even a decade-plus old—that we continue to turn to over and over, as well as some compelling just-released titles. You'll find a range from straight-up cookbooks to wellness guides, with every book anchored in the mission to spread good health.  

Let this guide direct you to a season of deeper care and (hopefully!) meaningful downtime. And if you have a suggestion we should add, send us a message!

Cookbooks that (Also) Tell a Brilliant Story

Salt Fat Acid Heat

by Samin Nosrat

Samin Nosrat, a Chez Panisse alum and brilliant cook, authored this guide to understanding the essential elements of cooking. It's a joy to read and includes all the science, chemistry, and components that make a meal mouthwatering.

The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution: A Cookbook

By Alice Waters

There may be no better storyteller of the slow food movement than Alice Waters, one of its founders. The famed farm-to-table chef and restaurateur shares her insight on making seasonal foods, shopping locally, and stocking your pantry.  

Simply Julia

By Julia Turshen

Julia Turshen has a knack for putting people at ease in the kitchen. It may be her intuitive approach to ingredients or her thoughtful, keep-it-simple mindset to cooking. Turshen is a soulful teacher, and she also includes excellent essays here that touch on self-love, body image, and cooking for loved ones.

Compelling Books on Our Food System

Food Rules

By Michael Pollan

You'll likely tear through this tiny but mighty book in one sitting, but you'll leave its pages with life-shifting knowledge on our food system and how to eat mindfully. Pollan is a wonder of a raconteur and journalist.

A Farm on Every Corner

By David A. Lange

Author David A. Lange takes us on a journey around the country, from coastal Alaska to the pavement sidewalks of Los Angeles, to illustrate the state of our food system and how we can encourage our local communities to eat and live better. He highlights the unsustainable practices hurting us and reveals ways to localize food production and support small farmers.

Beyond the Kitchen Table: Black Women and Global Food Systems

Edited by Priscilla McCutcheon, Latrica E. Best, and Theresa Ann Rajack-

Books about our food system have historically overlooked race, gender, equity, and cultural roots. Beyond the Kitchen Table looks at these issues woven into our food, what we all must know, and how we can fight for more equitable nourishment around our country. The editors focus on Black women's social and cultural impact when addressing food access and insecurity.

Beautiful Fiction about Food and the Environment

Prodigal Summer

By Barbara Kingsolver

A dreamy story of love, nature, and searching by one of the greatest novelists today. Barbara Kingsolver sets her characters, one of whom is a nature biologist, in the deep forest and on a small farm in southern Appalachia.

Lessons in Chemistry

By Bonnie Garmus

There's a reason everyone clutched this book last year—it's truly irresistible. The story follows Elizabeth Zott, a woman chemist who finds her voice and fuels her ambitions in both the lab and kitchen.

New and Noteworthy Books on Health and Wellness

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health

By Dr. Casey Means

Dr. Casey Means, co-founder of Levels, reveals the keys to bolstering metabolic function, which she believes is the most critical (and misunderstood) factor in our overall health. She walks us through how our cells create and use energy, and we can optimally power them to prevent disease and create energy for a longer, healthier life.

The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop

By Dr. Judson Brewer

Armed with decades of experience as a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Judson Brewer pens the latest in neuroscience to help us better understand what triggers emotional eating. His words are compassionate and offer new light on eating healthily and intuitively.