What Do We Eat? is a delicious celebration of human creativity and cooperation, wrapped up in bite-sized slices of history, with a look at what scientists and inventors are cooking for the future. We are gobbling up Earth’s resources and food is not shared equally. But today there’s a magic tree transforming the dry African plains, food “ambulances” on the move, and cities that have declared access to food a human right.

Megan Clendenan’s What Do We Eat? How Humans Find, Grow and Share Food is an enlightening and engaging exploration of humanity’s relationship with food. This book offers readers a comprehensive overview of how food production, consumption, and distribution have evolved. Clendenan deftly combines historical context with modern practices, making complex agricultural and culinary concepts accessible to a broad audience.

The book is divided into three main sections: finding food, growing food, and sharing food. Each section is meticulously researched and richly detailed, highlighting how diverse cultures and societies approach these fundamental aspects of sustenance. Clendenan’s narrative is peppered with fascinating anecdotes, from ancient farming techniques to contemporary food innovations, providing a global perspective on the subject.

One of the book’s strengths is its emphasis on the interconnection between food systems and cultural practices. Clendenan does not shy away from discussing the impact of industrialization and globalization on traditional foodways, offering a nuanced view of the challenges and opportunities faced by modern food systems.

What Do We Eat? is not just informative, but also thought-provoking. Clendenan encourages readers to reflect on their own food choices and the broader implications for health, environment, and society. The book is richly illustrated with photographs and diagrams that complement the text, making it visually appealing and enhancing the reader’s understanding.

Clendenan’s work is a compelling read for anyone interested in food history, sustainability, or cultural studies. It serves as both an educational resource and a catalyst for deeper contemplation about the food we eat and its significance in our lives.

This was an interesting book about what different cultures have eaten and how they have gotten food throughout history, and how people have found enough to eat in difficult times. Like all the Orca books it is well researched and includes lots of photos to break up the text and add interest. Ultimately though the topic was of less interest to me than some of the other Orca books. My kiddo (10) didn't show any interest in it, even though he is usually into the Orca books topics.

*Thanks to Orca Books for providing an early copy for review.

Thank you Orca Book Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC!

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it has a lot to teach young readers about the different ways we have eaten food throughout the past. It discusses the different ways people stored food and the different things they ate, whether they were at war or on ships, talked about food inequality and ways we can combat that, and even talked about the physical act of sharing meals within our community. The book has a nice color scheme and contains an abundance of charming illustrations and colorful photographs. One of my favorite things was the different food "menus" they would write down detailing a common diet of whomever you were reading about at the time.

All in all, a strong addition to libraries who are looking to develop their nonfiction sections a bit more.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinion are completely my own.

Full of interesting history and fun facts, this book is the intimate research tool. I do wish the illustrations were a bit more colorful and fun.

I was afforded the opportunity to read “What Do We Eat?” by Megan Clendenan for free from NetGalley. “What Do We Eat” is a wonderful and short read about this history, present and future of humans and our relationship with food. Clendenan’s book covered several incredibly interesting topics such as food in wartime (and how it influenced our foods today), foods during famine, foods to survive harsh climates and the future of lab grown and alternative foods.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Every page presented new and interesting facts about food from all over the world and all throughout time. The current global situation and future of food is a bit intimidating. The section on lab-grown meats was frankly scary. But I think that the fact that alternatives are being brought to light is wonderful, and awakening to the fact that something needs to be done for the future of our planet.

The illustrations are incredibly beautiful as well! In fact, the cover illustrations are the reason I ultimately chose to read this book to begin with.

I was able to read this book on my phone and I did notice some formatting errors, but it didn’t detract from the information at all.

Overall, very interesting read that is suitable for a wide range of ages!

‘What Do We Eat?’ by Megan Clendenan is a captivating non-fiction book that explores the evolution of meals throughout time. It delves into how our eating habits have changed, influenced by cultural, social, and technological factors, making it a fascinating read for both young and adult readers interested in history and food.

Accuracy: ★★★★☆

The book is well-researched and provides accurate information about historical and contemporary eating practices. Clendenan draws from a variety of sources, including historical records and scientific research, to present a comprehensive view of how our diets have evolved over the centuries.

Perspective: ★★★★☆

Clendenan offers a balanced perspective, highlighting the diversity of diets across different cultures and time periods. She emphasizes the interconnectedness of food, culture, and history, providing readers with a holistic understanding of how what we eat reflects broader societal changes. The perspective is educational and thought-provoking, encouraging readers to appreciate the complexities of food history.

Relevance: ★★★★☆

The book is highly relevant, especially in today's world where there is a growing interest in food sustainability and cultural food practices. By understanding the history of our meals, readers can gain insights into current dietary trends and issues. This relevance makes the book a valuable resource for both educational settings and personal reading.

Engagement: ★★★☆☆

While the content is fascinating, the engagement factor may be average for some readers. The historical and factual nature of the book can feel dense at times, which might affect the overall engagement for younger readers or those looking for a lighter read. However, the inclusion of interesting anecdotes and vivid descriptions helps to maintain interest.

Readability: ★★★★☆

The readability of the book is good, with clear and concise language that makes complex historical and cultural concepts accessible. Clendenan’s writing style is engaging and informative, making it easier for readers of all ages to follow along and understand the material.

Enjoyment: ★★★☆☆

Enjoyment may vary depending on the reader’s interest in the subject matter. Those with a keen interest in food history and cultural practices will find the book delightful and informative. However, for readers less interested in these topics, it might feel more like an educational read than an entertaining one.


‘What Do We Eat?’ by Megan Clendenan is a wonderful non-fiction book that provides a thorough and engaging exploration of meals throughout history. With accurate information, a balanced perspective, and high relevance, it is a valuable resource for understanding the evolution of our diets. While engagement and enjoyment may vary, the book’s educational value and insightful content make it a worthwhile read.

"what do we eat?" is a book about the history and anthropology of food and eating. It includes facts about the timeline of how we make food and what we know about food. Its written in a way that a range of age groups can read and enjoy it. As someone who is interested in social studies, it was an enjoyable read. It might not be everyones cup of tea, as it can be very content heavy at times.

The book includes a lot of photos and illustrations that fit into the timeline and content that the text is trying to convey. The photos aren't just there to fill space on the page, i feel like all the illustrations have been added with a lot of purpose and thought.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I like books about food. This fits the desire to read about food in a non-cookbook form. The book is broken into sections relating to how people relate to food, and in way that are probably relatable to middle-grade readers -- food on the go, food in war, growing food, eating together, and ensuring food security. The book includes linking science to food and how that connection keeps people healthy. The illustrations and photographs in the book help to make the text relatable and interesting. There is a glossary and an index which will help to make this a good introductory non-fiction book for students to learn how to use those tools. Overall a very lovely book.

**DNF**
The reason why I didn't finish this book was because it was so. Freaking. Boring. I managed to get to page 29 before I stopped. There were some interesting facts at the beginning of the book, but after that everything just got old and stale. Adding onto that, the way the chapters were written were just so repetitive. There's a difference between a motif and annoying repetition. This book falls into the latter category. This book is more intended for young readers but kids that can read on their own. This age group will not have interest in this book due to the writing style and content. Don't get me wrong, there will be a handful of kids that find this book super interesting, but the majority of kids will not like this book. They will get bored quickly, as I did. The only good thing I can say about this book is that the illustrations and pictures added a bit to the book, but not enough to make me want to continue reading. Lastly, I thought that the way this book was organized was weird. There were loose groups made by the chapters, but even the chapters got confusing because the author didn't put events into chronological order. This took me out of the book and jumbled any thoughts I had around the book.

Great to have a book with photographs and illustrations on current global food topics. This would be a great addition to any library.

4 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of What Do We Eat?, in exchange for an honest review.

What Do We Eat, by Megan Clendenan caught my eye with its beautiful cover and description. I thought this would be a cool book to use in our homeschool. Its a book about how all humans, no matter what we do- need fuel, and that fuel is food. It goes into detail about how people all over the world will come together over a meal. How some meals are delivered and slices of history mixed in between. It also takes a look at the future of food, and what scientists are planning for in the future regarding food and its production. Other topics mentioned are pollution, climate issues and water scarcity. I really enjoyed the descriptions and the pictures. Each new section had a challenge and a menu, which was really neat. Overall, I found this to be a cool little book to read with kids to prompt conversations and look deeper into something so simple as food. Would Recommend.

This book was so good! I just found it so interesting with all of the information it had. The way it was laid out too was just so fun for the reader. I really enjoyed it.