Feed the Resistance: Recipes + Ideas for Getting Involved

by Julia Turshen

From favorite cookbook author Julia Turshen comes this practical and inspiring handbook for political activism—with recipes. As the millions who marched in January 2017 demonstrated, activism is the new normal. When people search for ways to resist injustice and express support for civil rights, environmental protections, and more, they begin by gathering around the table to talk and plan. These dishes foster community and provide sustenance for the mind and soul, including a dozen of the healthy, affordable recipes Turshen is known for, plus over 15 more recipes from a diverse range of celebrated chefs. With stimulating lists, extensive resources, and essays from activists in the worlds of food, politics, and social causes, Feed the Resistance is a must have handbook for anyone hoping to make a difference.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Activism, Social Justice, Politics

144 pages, Hardcover

Published October 3, 2017

About the author

Julia Turshen is the bestselling author of Now & Again, a Goodreads Choice Awards 2018 semi-finalist (vote for her here), as well as Feed the Resistance, named the Best Cookbook of 2017 by Eater, and Small Victories, named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2016 by the New York Times and NPR.

Epicurious has called her one of the 100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time. She is the founder of Equity At The Table (EATT), an inclusive digital directory of women and non-binary individuals in food. Julia lives in the Hudson Valley with her wife and pets.

Reviews

[Ashanté · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, easy read. As someone who researches food access, I appreciated the combination of recipes (embodied experience) and essays reflecting on justice and equity. The essays are short and assume you have some knowledge of the people who wrote them. I didn’t, so I had to google. My favorite essay was written by Shakirah Simley, because she explicitly addresses anti-black racism and state violence at the intersection of food.

Overall, good read. At some point, I’ll cook my way through the recipes and update the review.

[Sanjida · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this as a gift, so I feel shitty not feeling it. Some of the recipes look interesting, and I'll pass them to my spouse who has the patience to follow recipes. It suggests you can be the person in the resistance who can make nutritious food. This sounds like personal fullfilment through right-thinking virtue signaling. On the other hand, it's great that the proceeds went to the ACLU. My place in the resistence is to know where fast cheap ready made comfort food is available, to tell you GMOs are perfectly safe and important for food security in the developing world, gentrification is only a thing because your nice white neighborhood had restrictive covenants and still has restrictive zoning, and that structural discrimination and dehumanization will take more than dinner parties to combat.

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this surprisingly inspiring. It is a collection of essays and recipes by people in resistance movements. While some of the recipes seemed more complicated than I usually like, there were some simple and appealing ones, and I really appreciated the ethnic diversity included. My main take-away was that we all have something to contribute. Some people can write well, some can organize marches, some can knit pink pussy hats, some can cook or bake delicious and sustaining foods. I needed that message right now. Glad my library got a copy of this book.

[Aylin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really admire what this book is trying to do. “Feed the Resistance” is warm and clearly written from a place of care for community and justice. The idea of using food as a tool for organizing and nourishment (in every sense) is powerful, and the book offers some beautiful essays and practical recipes to support that mission.

That said, I was surprised (and honestly very disappointed) by how little the book engages with plant-based or ethical food practices. Many of the recipes rely heavily on meat, and there’s no real discussion about the politics of industrial meat production, which feels like a missed opportunity in a book that is otherwise so attuned to systems of power and marginalization.

At one point, the book says something like: “We have to stop looking at each single fight. We need to start looking at what type of world we want to see.” Exactly! So why doesn’t that vision include animals or the ecological and ethical costs of animal agriculture? Factory farming is not just an animal rights issue afterall, it’s a climate issue, a labor issue, a public health issue, and a resistance issue. If we’re serious about building a better world, our food choices have to reflect that bigger picture.

Of course, not every book can do everything. But for one so focused on collective liberation, the absence of any real engagement with plant-based ethics left me questioning the limits of its inclusivity.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read cookbooks that are not vegan or at least vegetarian, but this book is an amazing resource beyond the recipes it provides. I especially loved the essay on Practical Activism by Mikki Halpin (I will be applying some of their advice to my life and practice, for sure!) as well as the Ground Rules to Organized Activism by Callie Jayne (not really new information for me, but great to see it laid out like this!). I also thought the How Food Can Be a Platform for Activism essay by Shakirah Simley invaluable. I am grateful to have come across this wonderful resource.

[ara]

bulk recipes

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway and the following is my honest opinion.

I found the book hard to read, not because of the writing, but because it talks about the world in which we live in today. I also found it comforting to think of people seeing food as a form of comforting those who are affected by the current political climate, as well as a way to contribute to the protests we all need to be making.

A read for those who are involved and those who want to be.

[Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ohhhhhh, I liked this book, but I had wanted to love it. (Julia Turshen ILU so much, please don't hate me if you read this.) As someone who's already pretty immersed in social justice, perhaps I'm not the target audience? But I was hoping for more actual connections between theory and food-related activity, and this ended up with mostly a lot of calls to action. The lists of ways to engage at the end were welcome, but bog standard, and in some situations unhelpful.

Having worked at a lot of nonprofits, many of them definitely do not want meals for meetings, or snacks dropped for their staff. When I've worked in activism and the non-profit sector, the two things orgs actually need are money and time volunteered in (very!) specific ways. Anything else is usually a nicety created to make volunteers and donors feel good about what they're doing. I was hoping for an examination of ways that food can be helpful outside of trying to fit it inside of that matrix, but perhaps the thing here is that there actually aren't a lot of those.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time for an attitude shift: this book was uplifting, inspiring and left me eager to bake. Written by a cookbook author, activist and put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is super human, Julia Turshen compiled this book of inspiring essays and recipes by grass roots organizers working around the country to improve lives in their communities. The proceeds from the book go the ACLU. Check out Julia Turshen's Instagram for more inspiration.

[Channon Coats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Political Cookery?

I don't consider myself very political, so I got this book for two reasons: I love Turshen's thoughtful approach to cooking and the title sounded something more seriously different about cooking which I really have been thinking about lately, i.e., food speaks to more than nourishing bodies, it aldo nourishes minds and emotions. Thank you for crystallization in a way I hadn't quite considered. Marx said (much more intelligently than I) that if he had someone philosophically by the age of six, he had them intellectually the rest of their lives, and when one adds in the full parameters of feeding them, it makes perfect sense. Thus, if I want someone to think as I do, act as I do, or simply as I would desire, I need to go all in. If I want to help them, change them, or indeed, change the world, I start simply and saintly, doing my best: feeding my culture, my religion, my hopes, doubts, fears and most of all, my love without any ideas attached, just feeding them to whomsoever was around at the moment. In some weird way this makes perfect sense. My father always said we were obligated by Life (or God) to leave our piece of the world better than we found it, down to wiping splashed water off the sink after washing our hands (even though my brother was a slob and left a wet mess that wasn't my fault, dammit!) without blame or fault as to who made the mess, just fix it bcs you can. Julia Turshen seems to believe one can fix a lot with food. I humbly agree and it helps that there are some unique and wonderful recipes in this book. The simple sweet potatoes and starkly divine. The bread pudding is to die for. The causes are up to us as she points out: every cause is served better with food, and some of my own precious ones are even served better without my words. Good on, Julia. Sorry, but by the grace of Julia Child, a Julia speaking to the inherent justice, equality and love in food allows first person relationship with that cook forever. Cuidada, chica, you are heard well. Yes, five stars as the issue includes recipes, kitchens, hearts, minds, and souls.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book filled with good intentions and heart. Ms. Turshen offers stories of caring and activism sprinkled with recipes from many people from a spectrum of backgrounds. Some feed the activist at home or while at the march or waiting to speak to their elected officials. Other recipes can feed the room as you organize next steps, clarify intentions, and in other ways make the world a better place. The book did make me hungry for more specific ways to get involved that might spark movement for particular people. I get this, or some version of it, a lot, “I’m just not sure what to do. I’m not sure of the right place for me to get involved. I know I need it to be active in an area I relate to and that allows me to use skills I am comfortable with. Otherwise, I know myself. I am likely to end up giving up and using my few free moments to curl up on the couch” (probably in fetal position). Some of my standard ideas and responses seem not to hit the mark. Appreciated the book and that the proceeds go to the ACLU, one of my cherished organizations.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 3 out of 5]

There really has to be two ways to read this book. One has to be the recipes and the other is the guide to the activism. I really wanted both to be tied together more closely as in food as resistance but found it more as a backdrop to activism. There are varied recipes in terms of diversity and some connections between activism and food kitchens. (Black Panthers and their food for example).

I had already been trying to figure out how to go about making a more intentional community and I have been enamoured with the ideal of intellectual salons for a long time. So, this book has pushed me a bit forward along the path.

I have posted more about that here.

So, I am sure that this would be good for someone who does not have a huge exposure to inclusive food or to activist friends. Maybe a youngster or someone coming into their own awakening.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being interested in food, really caring about it, has a domino effect. You start caring about where it comes from, what it means to the people you are feeding, and what it means to be fed. (11–12)

Better in theory than execution, with some decent recipe ideas and a strong push for intersectionality. On the whole, the essays were better than the recipes, although I wished for a stronger editorial voice and more information about each of the writers.

h/t: Washington Post and Eater

[Emmalita · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the kind of book that isn’t going to make anyone completely happy, but it is a good thing that it is out in the world. I would have liked more stories and essays from history, from community organizers, and fewer recipes. Cooking for large groups is hard and I know too much about it, so I was nitpicking a lot of the recipes. And to be honest, if you really need super low effort, too busy to cook recipes, check out The Sad Bastard Cookbook. The too busy to cook recipes in here are the person for whom cooking is easy too busy to cook. But, I really enjoyed the essays and I appreciated the contributions from a wide variety of people. Because I am reading this in 2025, I would have liked more essays from folks with more experience feeding large crowds, because I think we’re going to need that. This one is the gift I’ll be giving everyone

[Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Being interested in food, really caring about it, has a domino effect. You start caring about where it comes from, what it means to the people you are feeding, and what it means to be fed. To think deeply about food is to also think deeply about the environment, the economy, immigration, education, community, culture, families, race, gender, and identity.”

This is so true! Can’t believe I’ve never made this connection before. Food is so integral to learning about a community down to each individual person like an ingredient is to a recipe.

This book is SO COOL! It’s essays about how to get involved with volunteer work intermixed with really delicious looking recipes. It even has ideas at the end for how to get started volunteering in your community.

[rachkatr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feed The Resistance is short and sweet — powerful essays and practical advice to both drive empathy for groups of lesser privilege AND teach key tools to engage in activism. It’s so overwhelming to face an entire world of issues and problems, this book provides steps to get started on making a difference.

I love the recipes in this book as well. Ranging across many cultures, I loved especially the recipes for groups of people and I resonate deeply with the idea that people can be brought together more than physically, but emotionally and spiritually over the table.

[Darren Cormier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, yet inspiring book about how food is political and can be a great source of getting involved in activism.
There are some really good, fast recipes in here to try out, even if you're too anxious to get involved; and some more slow-burn meals if you're serving for a lot of people.
If you're feeling demoralized at the state of the world, this is the perfect book to help out; activism can be as simple as donating to a food bank, exposing someone to new dishes, or even trying new cuisines from places you normally wouldn't.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book in late 2017 because the proceeds from its sale are donated to the ACLU. Initially, I found it distressing to read as it reminded me of all sorts of things I wanted to escape thinking about, but I kept reading it one recipe or entry at a time and eventually found it comforting and inspiring. I've made two of the recipes (so far), and they turned out great. So, there are many reasons to love this little book.

[Debbie De Salvo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible that this was written after the 2016 election and here we are, once again, having failed to elect a person of decency and instead a criminal was elected.
Having said that, a group of us were gathered at a friend’s and she gave each of us a copy. I am most grateful not only for the words written and the recipes, but, mostly, for the pages that included sound advice, ways to act, reach out, & get involved.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was more about activism and organizing than recipes, so it's my fault for being disappointed. If you're looking for simple recipes that can easily scale up for a crowd, there are some useful ones here. And there are a few short essays about activism, but the bulk of the book is recipes.

[Sara-Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept, appealing layout / formatting, and interesting / diverse voices contributing. Left me wanting a little more, though. And many of the recipes seemed highly impractical. I love the idea of this book more than the actual finished product.

[Donna Hutt Stapfer Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food for the body as well as the fighting spirit

I'm going to see how many copies of this I can give away as gifts this Christmas - portable support, both for feeding and giving sound advice!

[Maya Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my type of book

Some big ideas are the main focus of this book but I feel like they’re not elaborated on enough. It’s a very quick read. I haven’t tried any of the recipes but some seemed very interesting.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great context around some really good recipes. It reminds me of when I discovered Moosewood Cookbook and joined my local food coop. Fast forward 40 years and here we are! I wish it was a longer book but it simply means I need to check out Julia Turshen's other books.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like cookbooks with full color photos and spines that allow you to lay the book flat on the counter but I like the message of this book and the recipes too so I’m giving it four stars despite its format. Looking forward to some great meals!

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely and important little volume with a lot of heart. As with any contribution-based affair, there was some variation in quality from piece to piece, and I could tell that this was a little rushed in its conception, but I still enjoyed it very much.

[Mara Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring words from people who are persisting in their efforts to make society more equitable. PLUS, delicious dishes you can make affordably for feeding large crowds of co-persisters. I bought 4 copies as gifts for a few of my inspirations.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious, inspiring, and for a good cause. A great combination.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational book . I cannot put into words how much I enjoyed it.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical
Copy of this book to add to my collection! The essays are well written and informative and inspiring! Can’t wait to try out a few of the recipes!