Eat This, Not That! Book Review

David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding have written a series of three books titled "Eat This, Not That!" that aim to help Americans make better food choices. The three subtitles are "Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds - or More!," "Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution," and "For Kids: Be the Leanest, Fittest Family on the Block!"

The first book, "Thousands of Simple Food Swaps," focuses on the fast food industry. The idea behind the book is that it will help you to lose weight without dieting because it teaches you how to choose foods that have fewer calories. The book includes foods from your favorite restaurants and even vending machines. It explains how some foods can sound healthy but the way they are prepared makes them bad options. The book also teaches you what the best restaurant is to go to depending on what food you are currently craving. Using this product, I can quickly identify the healthiest options on the menu in many familiar restaurants.

The second book, "Supermarket Survival Guide," is similar to the first but it focuses on packaged foods in the grocery story. For example, Smart Start cereal may sound like a good option, but regular Cheerios are really a better choice. Obviously it is healthier to buy fresh foods rather than packaged ones, but this book helps me to make better decisions for those convenient foods I pick up because they are easier to prepare.

The third book, "For Kids!," is directed toward correcting the problem of increasing childhood obesity. It works in much the same way as the other two books but focuses more on the foods children are likely to eat. It teaches you how to pack the perfect school lunch and how to help your children make better choices if they are buying lunch at school. The book has definitely helped me to get my children more interested in healthy eating because it is so bright and kid friendly.

I really enjoy these books because they do not have a lot off dull reading like many other diet books. They contain pages full of brightly colored photos of the foods that you should be eating and those that you should not be. There are quick descriptions of each food near their picture to explain why some are better choices than others. On the right page, there are high calorie foods. On the right side, healthier options are matched with their unhealthy partners. The books are fun to flip through and even make fun conversation pieces when left on our coffee table.