Cooking Solves Everything: How Time in the Kitchen Can Save Your Health, Your Budget, and Even the Planet

by Mark Bittman

Mark Bittman is one of the nation’s most trusted and beloved food writers, but there was a time when he lived primarily on vanilla ice cream and McDonald’s. Then he discovered cooking, and everything changed. In this story from the new digital publisher Byliner, the New York Times columnist and bestselling author of "How to Cook Everything" traces his journey from grilled-cheese-making neophyte to confident cook. More than that, he makes the case for why all of us should spend more time in the kitchen, regardless of how comfortable we are there. After all, even he was a beginner once.Bittman argues that a simple meal prepared at home is a powerful It’s one small step toward improving your health and, by extension, the health of the planet. Our reliance on prepared food—in the form of snacks, soft drinks, frozen meals, and fast food—supports a system of agriculture that is playing havoc with our bodies, our economy, and the environment. How can we break the cycle? By cooking. "People who prepare meals—even infrequently—achieve outcomes that extend far beyond the morsel at the end of the fork," writes Bittman. "Cooking may not solve everything, but it solves a lot. When people make food a priority in their lives, they actively contribute to society. Cooking can change our collective lives for the better.""Cooking Solves Everything" is an engaging manifesto that inspires non-cooks to reach for a pan (Bittman’s shopping list and foolproof recipes will get them started) and encourages all of us to take a closer look at how we feed ourselves and our loved ones.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Cookbooks, Health, Essays, Food and Drink

37 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

MARK BITTMAN is one of the country's best-known and most widely respected food writers. His How to Cook Everything books, with one million copies in print, are a mainstay of the modern kitchen. Bittman writes for the Opinion section of New York Times on food policy and cooking, and is a columnist for the New York Times Magazine. His "The Minimalist" cooking show, based on his popular NYT column, can be seen on the Cooking Channel. His most recent book, VB6, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week on sale.

Reviews

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own Bittman's book How to Cook Everything which is an invaluable reference for any kitchen. This Byliner Original is essentially an essay by Bittman on why we should forego convenience foods and get back to cooking.

Is Byliner still around? I could have told them this short Kindle essay-sold-as-an-ebook model wouldn't work. It looks like their website is gone and their twitter feed is dead. This would have reached a lot more people as an article in either New Yorker or the Atlantic. This is why we have magazines--to bundle good stuff like this on one package.

[Ruthie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's an extreme sense of urgency in this little book, which is a good thing. Cooking healthy at home is good for the body, environment, economy, society, and especially family. While Bittman is reiterating what we should already know, he does it in way that's helpful and encouraging. Choosing to fix our meals at home (and avoiding over-processed foods) gives us ownership in our eating that has systematically disappeared because of big business and the brainwashing that we are incapable of food preparation and/or that we are inconvenienced if we cook at home. Yes, restaurants (fast food, casual, posh, and take-out) as well as processed foods are very convenient, but the cost of this convenience is proving to be astronomical in terms of economy and healthcare and other things.

I actually prefer to eat at home (mine or the homes of friends and family). Lately, the idea of strangers handling my food and creating a plate filled with mystery ingredients in unhealthy portions has become a huge turn off. I can't always avoid eating out (it's usually a must when traveling), but I can continue to take ownership and cook in my kitchen more often than not.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, upbeat ode to cooking, with plenty of information to make you feel good about the time you spend in the kitchen. He covers the economy of food production, gives recipes that are fast and healthy, and much more.

Here are two of the many passages I highlighted: "Real cooking is not monotonous; it's as varied and challenging and rewarding a task as exists. . . cooking will pay you back in spades every single time you do it."

"People who prepare meals - even infrequently - achieve outcomes that extend far beyond the morsel at the end of the fork. Cooking may not solve everything, but it solves a lot. When people make food a priority in their lives, they actively contribute to society. Cooking can change our collective lives for the better. It can even change the planet for the better. And this is not hyperbole." Bittman then goes on to explain why - in depth.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and inspiring read that can be life changing. I have found the joy in cooking over the past few years and agree that if its popularity and 'trendiness' continues it will have nothing but positive outcomes in our communities on a local and global scale.

[Caroline Niziol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mostly facts and ideas I already knew but I needed the reminder.

[Seth Heasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to cook. I love that my son has come to expect pancakes made from scratch on the weekend. Oatmeal pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, sweet potato pancakes…yum! I love to make my own pasta sauce, try out new soup ideas, so on and son on, etcetera, etcetera.

But if I needed another reason to cook, other than it's awesome, Mark Bittman's little manifesto Cooking Solves Everything: How Time in the Kitchen Can Save Your Health, Your Budget, and Even the Planet provided several.

When I say little, we're talking a few dozen pages. So it probably stretches the definition of book by quite a bit. It's actually more like an essay. But I bought it from the NOOK Bookstore, so that's all the definition I need. It's one of many such short titles being sold these days for eReaders, intended to be consumed in a single reading session.

Who doesn't love a nice, short book about cooking? Mark Bittman is evidently a big name in the cookbook world, with his How to Cook Everything regularly showing up on lists of essential reads. I may have to double back and read some of Bittman's other work now that I've got a taste of his writing. (Unintended culinary pun there.)

Full review on my blog.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did. As someone who cooks probably about 90% of my meals out of How to Cook Everything and an occasional follower of Bittman's Minimalist column (when he wrote it), I was really excited for this book. But I found myself skimming through it, trying to race to the end. It's not that Bittman isn't right, or that his insight isn't, well, insightful. It's that I know most of it all already.

For those who already are familiar with the issues around the politics of food, this might feel like a refresher course, written in Bittman's engaging, friendly, non-judgmental (while still passing judgement) style. It's nothing new, but it's a nice reminder. For those who aren't, who are maybe starting to cook and are starting to think more about buying local foods, I would say that this would be a great introduction to a lot of the issues around food, and how the first step toward solving or resolving or just mitigating them is something we all have the power to do: cook at home.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine, short essay of 10 points for how cooking solves everything, everything being all the problems we suspect but rarely engage with as concerns the food we eat and how it comes to us.

It's a gentle, fine first essay on Big Ag and Food Politics for folks who may want to know more but who are turned off by evangelical Vegans, trendy Locavores, and militant PETA. The tone is reasonable, and often humorous.

There's no indictment of factory-farming, just some reasonable questions to ask after looking at the facts. I can't see this book turning people vegetarian, or into overnight Whole Foodsies.

But it may just motivate you to try some homemade meals, which really can be fun.

I've cooked since I was a teenager, and I know how the act builds friendships and communities. It's nice to see how this pleasant activity may do even more good than I thought.

[briz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new here; which is unfortunate. I loved Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, one of the first books to really open my eyes and inspire me on the issue of the American food industry (which, if you don't already know, IS BAD). Mark Bittman's another well-known soldier in this fight, and so I'm immediately interested in whatever he has to say about Big Food. This slim volume was a bit of a let-down though: he mostly lists well-known truths such as "eating in saves money and is good for your health". Well... duh. The best bit is probably the handful of recipes in the back; I love Bittman recipes, devoid as they are of measurement, timing, or any scientific detail. It's all an art! these recipes seem to imply. Ah, he has such faith in us as cooks/would-be-food-ruiners!

[Maxime Ouellet-payeur · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short essay that could've been even shorter. However, I liked to read it and I agree with the author. Learn to cook. It won't solve everything in your world, but it will help.

[Meredith Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable read that gives information about the paradoxes of modern cooking/eating why everyone should learn to cook and shares the emotion associated with cooking.

[Kathe]

Well, it doesn't really, but Mark Bittman is an affable expert on how people (especially his fellow Americans) can eat better, get more bang for their food bucks, and benefit the planet at the same time. In my experience, he's right--buying healthy food and spending time in the kitchen certainly makes me happier and healthier.

That's not news, of course. Alas, he's preaching to the choir. Perhaps copies of this slim book should be left on tables at McDonald's?

[Van Huy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are interested in philosophy/history of cooking, I recommend watching "Cooked" series on Netflix too.

[Shirley j Johansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

More people should read this. It would help loosing weight. I hate fast food but reading this makes me realize why.

[Janet Waugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opened my eyes!! Cooking food is way more than I thought

[Kai]

everything, in time by underburningstars
⭐️⭐️⭐️.2

[Jen B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An essay on cooking, and how the simple act of choosing to buy ingredients and cook meals instead of eating out and purchasing processed foods can make a huge change that ripples throughout the local economy, big agriculture, even politics. Bittman's essay is short & sweet -- he makes his points quickly and then moves on. I liked that he wasn't preachy about it; he simply shared his understanding of the entire process and made a case for cooking, for getting families and friends back in the kitchen. Worth a read.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been using Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for years, and I've always loved his writing. So when I saw this on Byliner, I couldn't resist downloading the iBooks version. This is a terrific Sunday morning read ... Make your own breakfast from scratch, sit down at the table, and devour the meal and the book (manifesto?) in one sitting. At least that's what I did.

[Evan Saxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd have given this three stars because most of the info in this essay was old-hat to someone who regularly reads Bittman and vaguely follows food politics issues. However, I feel it was redeemed by the fact that this essay gave a wonderful overview of these matters, perfectly suited for the lay-person who doesn't actively follow this stuff. And because these topics are so important to individual health as well as the health of our communities, I just can't begrudge the article that.

I'm happy I read it, even for a refresher, and recommended you do as well.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't really a book, but more of a booklet. People who already know about cooking and food policy won't find much new in here, but I already liked Mark Bittman so I thought it was worth checking out. I liked his point about how most people now spend more time watching people cook on TV than actually cooking themselves, and it did motivate me to locate a farmer's market on a cold rainy day in the Northeast.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short read about the problems of processed foods versus home cooking. I enjoyed the statistics on costs of eating out versus cooking a home including s few references to childhood issues like ADHD and obesity. however, If you have read any of Michael Pollans books, or seen movies like fast foot nation or super size me, this short read isn't so new information but a continued reminder to move away from America's SAD diet and get back to our roots.... In our own kitchen.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this book was a case of "preaching to the choir" as it contained little that I didn't already know. However, it was a good concise wrap up of why we should cook our own food, especially for people who are new to the subject. The book contains a few recipes that he gives as examples of how good food can be prepared quickly and with few ingredients. I am looking forward to trying them, and to trying his recipe for "Roasted anything" and "three foolproof seasonings."

[Jennifer]

Not a book, but a Kindle single. Easy reading, and not much new that has not been said before. But it was good for another motivational boost for me in the kitchen. And it is always interesting to read American perspectives on the food industry, supermarkets, etc. since I am raising my children in Japan.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Mark Bittman and enjoy his conversational writing style. This long essay is informative and full of reasonable arguments of why cooking is important, even for those who think they're too busy to cook. That being said, I feel like I've heard or read everything in this book through Bittman's NPR interviews and NY Times editorials.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the title still reads slightly hyperbolic to me, Bittman provides a remarkably concise overview of the American food system and ways of eating in this pint sized book. While some of his arguments are more compelling than others, his words will certainly motivate most any reader to find the time, energy, and skills to cook more and realize the joy in doing so.

[Jennifer Sardam · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy reading what Michael Pollan has to say about food, you will enjoy this, plain and simple. A thoughtfully written, great short read I downloaded to my Kindle. Bittman also includes a few great cooking tips for creating simple meals, toward the end of the book, as well as a list of what a decently stocked cook's pantry should include.

[Barbara (The Bibliophage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this short book / long essay, especially the recipes at the end. Bittman has some funny and insightful ways to convey his points about cooking. And I definitely agree about the importance of the family dinner - around a table with plates - not in the car!

[Candace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Manages to go on and on without saying anything new or interesting. In fact it points out who has already said the things he's reiterating. Much of it is anecdotal, but in a bad way. Not worth your time.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Mark Bittman. He's down to earth and he's passionate without being impractical. This book is just what it says it is. A solid, well-presented argument for cooking our food more often than not.

[Carlos Quijano · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boiled down version of "Food Matters," this book reads more like a manifesto than anything else. It's a bit preachy at times, but bittman makes some excellent points on how we should approach food and eating.