I come from a family of writers. Although I studied other things in college, my natural curiosity eventually led me to journalism. Aside from my ongoing work for The New York Times, I have written for a range of publications including The Washington Post, Time, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appétit, WIRED, EatingWell, Edible San Francisco, Parents, Food Tank, and Sunset. Whether it’s biking versus driving to work, or eating lunch at our desks, my interests always come down to why we do the things we do—and how the world around us often subconsciously shapes our habits.
WASHINGTON POST
I finally had the chance to answer the question on every parent’s mind: Is milk really the magic elixir we’ve always been told it is? Is it really essential to helping kids grow? Bonus feature: I was invited to dive into this in detail on my favorite podcast, Pressure Cooker, hosted by the amazing Jane Black and Elizabeth Dunn.
WASHINGTON POST
We're not the first to say it and certainly won't be the last, but one way or another, we simply felt it needed saying: In the hype about #plantbasedfoods, we've forgotten about the plants. It was a huge pleasure to work with the amazing writer and thought partner, Eve Turow-Paul to co-author this Perspective piece in the The Washington Post. Enjoy!
Illustration by Iris Gottlieb, from “How to Be a Conscious Eater”
Photo by Tom Brunberg on Unsplash
Food Tank
To start off 2021, Eve Turow-Paul and I felt the need to weigh in on the disappointment of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which were quietly released in December 2020. See our piece explaining “There Are No Healthy People on an Unhealthy Planet.”
The WASHINGTON POST
Illustration by Iris Gottlieb, from “How to Be a Conscious Eater”
In the spring of 2020, I had the joy of working with Eve Turow-Paul to share our perspective in the Climate Solutions section of The Washington Post about why the food trends of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown reveal hope for climate action.
Parents
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
I’ve written for years about the most impactful and delicious ways to eat in support of both human and environmental health, but as part of Parents magazine’s overall “Mother Earth” issue in 2020, this piece put my dozens of recommendations in the context of raising children. You can think of it as: feeding your family like the planet depends on it.
EATINGWELL
Photo by Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash
The Future of Food: In 2019, I sat down with nine trend whisperers—from nutrition and agriculture experts to lab-grown-meat gurus and microbiome researchers—to find out what transformative technologies, policies, and products will define the next decade of eating in America. What did I discover? The road ahead will take us through some wild territory, with a lot to look forward to.
The Washington Post
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
Stunned by the findings of a new survey on Americans' perceptions of food and health, I explored some of the potential reasons why food tribes are on the rise. And ohhh did the comments pour in for this one.
The Washington Post
I sent in my DNA to find out my unique nutrition blueprint, and I observed how the diagnosis of my newfound eater identity began to affect my relationship with food. Here’s what happened — and what it could mean for the future of eating in America.
Photo by Vitalii Pavlyshynets on Unsplash
EatingWell
Whether it grosses you out or gives you great hope, lab-grown meat is now a thing. When it comes to health, taste, sustainability, and availability, we don't yet have all the answers. But with this piece, at least you'll know some of the right questions to ask.
Edible San Francisco
Illustration by Leigh Wells, from Edible San Francisco
Throughout 2017, I authored a four-part series on food and work. My essay in the summer issue, "All Work and No Breakfast: Food as Fuel," was probably my favorite.
Mic
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
As the Super Bowl approached in February 2017, during a most divisive time in the United States, I suggested that chicken wings can bring people together.
Time
In a toast to Mother’s Day, my Time Ideas essay argues that in today’s food culture, the weekend brunch ritual is more important than ever. In fact, brunch can save your soul.
Photo by Colin Michel on Unsplash
The Wall Street Journal
Photo by Mathieu LESNIAK on Unsplash
If there is one thing I learned from the launch of my book, it’s that most everybody wants to know what’s up with gluten. In this op-ed, I cut through the confusion and cut to the chase.
Bon Appétit
Photo by Rachael Gorjestani on Unsplash
My book, Devoured, explores the modern American food landscape, but how is today’s diet most dramatically different compared to a generation ago? That was the question Bon Appétit’s editor posed to me, and this article answers it with “The Defining Dozen.”
WIRED
My story, “Stunt Foods,” took the cover of WIRED’s first food issue. It was part of a feature package that was a finalist for a 2014 National Magazine Award. I traced the birth of Taco Bell’s insanely popular Doritos Locos Tacos, and examined why we just can’t get enough.
Sunset
As a travel writer, I was lucky enough to spend my days sleuthing for the best spots to soak up the American West – from biking in Snoqualmie Valley, WA and backcountry skiing in the Sierras to carless Christmas shopping in Littleton, CO. As a food writer, I played in the Sunset test kitchen, researched topics like the history of farmers’ markets, and, well, ate a lot of food. Across 25+ stories, I shared my discoveries with millions of readers.
From Sunset magazine