The Brian Lehrer Show Eating Well Today
5 snips
Dec 9, 2025 
Marion Nestle, a renowned professor emeerita of nutrition and author of "What to Eat Now," shares her insights on navigating today's food landscape. She discusses significant food system changes, including the rise of plant-based meats and ultra-processed foods. Nestle explains how supermarkets influence consumer choices through tactics and design. She also highlights the importance of organic produce and criticizes U.S. food subsidies. Additionally, her take on school gardens reveals their positive impact on children's diets, while she warns about microplastics in our food.
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The Food Landscape Has Radically Shifted
- Marion Nestle found the 2025 update became essentially a new book because the food system changed dramatically over 20 years.
- Changes include plant-based meats, online ordering, ultra-processed dominance, and supermarket rearrangements.
Use The Supermarket As Your Guide
- Use the supermarket as an organizing lens because most Americans get their food there and it reveals production, sourcing, and health issues.
- Marion Nestle uses aisle-by-aisle analysis to help shoppers understand origins and impacts of foods.
Stores Are Designed To Sell Not To Nourish
- Supermarkets are engineered to push purchases because food companies must maximize profits amid excess supply.
- Nestle emphasizes that marketing, placement, and design scream "buy me" and most shoppers barely notice.
