What is Food
How to Eat
Shopping and Cooking
Food Wisdom
Avoid Fakery
100
What’s one way to tell if a food product is highly processed just by looking at the ingredient list?
It contains many ingredients you wouldn’t cook with at home or can’t pronounce.
100
What’s the purpose of using smaller plates or bowls when eating?
It helps control portion size and prevents overeating.
100
Why are the outer edges of the supermarket better places to shop than the center aisles?
They contain fresh, whole foods like produce, dairy, and meat.
100
Why is it healthier to eat an apple than drink apple juice? What does an apple have that apple juice doesn't? Be specific.
Fiber slows absorption of sugar to avoid glucose spikes and it also fills you so you don't take in too much sugar. 
100
Why are “lite” or “low-fat” products often misleading in terms of health? (Need an answer beyond just processed food or added chemicals.) Often "low-fat" has....
“Lite” or “low-fat” products often have high sugar content. 
200
Why is it better to eat food that eventually spoils rather than food that stays shelf-stable for years?
Spoiling indicates the presence of real, living ingredients rather than preservatives and chemicals.
200
What cultural practice (from which culture) encourages stopping eating when you’re 80% full, and why is it beneficial?
The Japanese practice of hara hachi bu promotes longevity and prevents overconsumption.
200
Why is soil health important when choosing fruits and vegetables?
Nutrient-rich soil produces more nutritious food.
200
This is which teacher's favorite breakfast? 
Ms. Wheatley's breakfast today- and its her birthday today!
200
What’s one example of a food pretending to be something it’s not, and why is that problematic?
Margarine pretending to be butter — it’s often made with unhealthy trans fats.
300
Why might a long ingredient list be a red flag when choosing what to eat?
It often signals artificial additives, preservatives, and ultra-processing.
300
What’s one psychological reason people eat when they’re not hungry?
Emotional eating — using food to cope with boredom, stress, or sadness.
300
What’s one reason cooking your own meals improves your nutrition? (Give at least one specific reason, not just very general.)
You control ingredients and avoid hidden sugars, salts, and additives.
300
What’s one reason - besides that they eat whole foods - that traditional food cultures are usually healthier than modern Western diets?
Besides emphasizing whole foods, traditional food cultures eat communally and in moderation.
300
What does it say about a cereal if it turns your milk bright colors?
It contains artificial dyes and excessive sugar.
400
What does it suggest about a food if it makes health claims like “low-fat” or “heart-healthy” on the package?
It’s likely a processed product designed for marketing, not actual health.
400
Why does eating at a table (rather than in front of a screen) improve digestion and awareness?
It encourages mindful eating and better recognition of fullness cues.
400
What’s one reason grass-fed or pasture-raised meat is nutritionally superior to factory-farmed meat? (One specific: more of this or less of that.)
It contains healthier fats and fewer antibiotics or hormones.
400
Why should meat be treated as a side dish rather than the main course? (Give one specific reason - more of this or less of that.)
It reduces saturated fat intake and emphasizes plant-based nutrition.
400
Why might fasting or eating lightly when sick be beneficial?
It allows the body to focus energy on healing rather than digestion.
500
What’s the nutritional consequence of eating refined grains like white bread instead of whole grains?
Refined grains spike blood sugar and lack fiber, leading to poorer metabolic health.
500
Why does Pollan suggest occasionally breaking food rules?
To maintain a healthy relationship with food and avoid rigidity or guilt.
500
What’s one reason fermented foods like yogurt or kimchi are recommended? (Specific reason needed.)
They support gut health through beneficial bacteria.
500
What word means live microorganisms, often found in yogurt and supplements and sometimes called 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria?
Probiotic/s
500
What traditional Asian food has been so altered so much that Pollan recommends only eating it the way it was prepared by the ancestors, not the modern novelty versions?
Soy products, such as tofun skins.