--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is that we let…" description: "\"The problem is that we let special-occasion food become everyday food. That goes for soda and french fries.\" — Michael Pollan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/michael-pollan-408_everyday_the-problem-is-that-we-let-special-occas_12910.png" --- # The problem is that we let special-occasion food become… ![“The problem is that we let special-occasion food become everyday food. That goes for soda and french fries.” quote by Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/michael-pollan-408_everyday_the-problem-is-that-we-let-special-occas_12910.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/michael-pollan-408_everyday_the-problem-is-that-we-let-special-occas_12910.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/michael-pollan-408_everyday_the-problem-is-that-we-let-special-occas_12910.png) > “The problem is that we let special-occasion food become everyday food. That goes for soda and french fries.” [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We normalize unhealthy foods by treating them as routine meals, eroding dietary standards. **In simple terms:** Convenient foods become default choices. Key Takeaway Everyday consumption of junk harms health. Themes nutrition culture habit health industrial food Mood concerned critical Type observation social commentary When to use this quote - family dinners - school lunches - office snacks - fast‑food drive‑thrus Key Concepts food industry consumer behavior public health Practical Applications - public health campaigns - nutrition education programs Questions to Reflect On - How does convenience shape our diet? - What alternatives exist for daily meals? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Special occasion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-occasion/) ## Related quotes > [“My first rule, everyday, was to find enough food to make it to the next day. Then I could afford the luxury of worrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bul-dau/my-first-rule-everyday-was-to-find-enough-food-to-make-it-to-the-next/) John Bul Dau > [I eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables not so much meat and fish. Baguettes and croissants are not an everyday food for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-khoo/i-eat-a-lot-of-fresh-fruit-and-vegetables-not-so-much-meat-and-fish/) [Rachel Khoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-khoo/) > [The problem is when that fun stuff becomes the habit. And I think that's what's happened in our culture. Fast food has become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-problem-is-when-that-fun-stuff-becomes-the-habit-and-i-think-that/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Food is "everyday"-it has to be, or we would not survive for long. But food is never just something to eat. It is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/food-is-everyday-it-has-to-be-or-we-would-not-survive-for-long-but/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [Food is "everyday"-it has to be, or we would not survive for long. But food is never just something to eat. It is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-visser/food-is-everyday-it-has-to-be-or-we-would-not-survive-for-long-but-2/) [Margaret Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-visser/) > [Cooking meat over a fire is one of the most stirring of those ritual acts, usually performed outdoors, on special occasions, in public, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/cooking-meat-over-a-fire-is-one-of-the-most-stirring-of-those-ritual/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [There is nothing wrong with special occasion foods, as long as every day is not a special occasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/there-is-nothing-wrong-with-special-occasion-foods-as-long-as-every/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [If you made all the French fries you ate, you would eat them much less often, if only because they're so much work. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/if-you-made-all-the-french-fries-you-ate-you-would-eat-them-much-less/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Organic Oreos are not a health food. When Coca-Cola begins selling organic Coke, as it surely will, the company will have struck a blow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/organic-oreos-are-not-a-health-food-when-coca-cola-begins-selling/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [To wash down your chicken nuggets with virtually any soft drink in the supermarket is to have some corn with your corn. Since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/to-wash-down-your-chicken-nuggets-with-virtually-any-soft-drink-in/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I'll buy a special occasion dress even if I don't know when or where I'll wear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-bowers/i-ll-buy-a-special-occasion-dress-even-if-i-don-t-know-when-or-where/) [Mary Helen Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-helen-bowers/) > [Dont save things for a special occasion. Every day of your life is a special occasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/dont-save-things-for-a-special-occasion-every-day-of-your-life-is-a/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [Growing up I never had a perfume. I was like oh, one day when I'm grownup and have money I'm going to wear perfume.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/growing-up-i-never-had-a-perfume-i-was-like-oh-one-day-when-i-m/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [“Start living now. Stop saving the good china for that special occasion. Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes. Every day you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-manin-morrissey/start-living-now-stop-saving-the-good-china-for-that-special-occasion/) [Mary Manin Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-manin-morrissey/) > [A hug,a kiss,and a call ,are one of the finest and expensive gifts from my heart to someone special like you on this special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-hug-a-kiss-and-a-call-are-one-of-the-finest-and-expensive-gifts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Michael Pollan > [“In the same way that the picturesque designers were always careful to include some reminder of our mortality in their gardens -- a ruin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-same-way-that-the-picturesque-designers-were-always-careful-to/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Every peasant cuisine has incredible ingenious tricks for getting a lot of nutrition out of a small amount of ingredients. There are people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/every-peasant-cuisine-has-incredible-ingenious-tricks-for-getting-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“In ancient Greece, the word for “cook,” “butcher,” and “priest” was the same—mageiros—and the word shares an etymological root with “magic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-ancient-greece-the-word-for-cook-butcher-and-priest-was-the-same/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [In the end I'm still a writer. I'm still a journalist, and my first responsibility is to my readers. That's where I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-end-i-m-still-a-writer-i-m-still-a-journalist-and-my-first/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Seeds have the power to preserve species, to enhance cultural as well as genetic diversity, to counter economic monopoly and to check the advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/seeds-have-the-power-to-preserve-species-to-enhance-cultural-as-well/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“The bubble logic driving tulipomania has since acquired a name: “the greater fool theory.” Although by any conventional measure it is folly to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/the-bubble-logic-driving-tulipomania-has-since-acquired-a-name-the/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“Of the seven deadly sins, surely it is pride that most afflicts the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/of-the-seven-deadly-sins-surely-it-is-pride-that-most-afflicts-the/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Eat with consciousness. When you eat with consciousness, and you know what you're eating, and you eat it in full appreciation of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/eat-with-consciousness-when-you-eat-with-consciousness-and-you-know/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [This is part of human nature, the desire to change consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/this-is-part-of-human-nature-the-desire-to-change-consciousness/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“...whenever I hear people say clean food is expensive, I tell them it's actually the cheapest food you can buy. That always gets their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/whenever-i-hear-people-say-clean-food-is-expensive-i-tell-them-it-s/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“Imagine if we had a food system that actually produced wholesome food. Imagine if it produced that food in a way that restored the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/imagine-if-we-had-a-food-system-that-actually-produced-wholesome-food/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“CONSULT YOUR GUT.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/consult-your-gut/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I think cooking is really key because it's the only way you're going to take back control of your diet from the corporations who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/i-think-cooking-is-really-key-because-it-s-the-only-way-you-re-going/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) [Explore all 584 Michael Pollan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) ## More Everyday quotes > [I love you with all my heart, but I didn't know true love hurts so hard, I love and I miss you, every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-with-all-my-heart-but-i-didn-t-know-true-love-hurts-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Babe, I hear that everyday. all I can do is pray your not losing interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyfe-jennings/babe-i-hear-that-everyday-all-i-can-do-is-pray-your-not-losing/) [Lyfe Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyfe-jennings/) > [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [Photography's potential as a great image-maker and communicator is really no different from the same potential in the best poetry where familiar, everyday words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-caponigro/photography-s-potential-as-a-great-image-maker-and-communicator-is/) [Paul Caponigro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-caponigro/) > [I love fashion. I like dressing how I feel, and my music shows how I feel - they go hand in hand. My performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/i-love-fashion-i-like-dressing-how-i-feel-and-my-music-shows-how-i/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I miss our conversations, I miss how we used to talk every minute of everyday and how I was able to tell you everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-miss-our-conversations-i-miss-how-we-used-to-talk-every-minute-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Life on a small farm might seem primitive, but by living such a life we become able to discover the Great Path. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masanobu-fukuoka/life-on-a-small-farm-might-seem-primitive-but-by-living-such-a-life/) [Masanobu Fukuoka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masanobu-fukuoka/) > [Everyday is a book-full of untold stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert/everyday-is-a-book-full-of-untold-stories/) Albert > [I'm just trusting my work. Putting it in everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shai-gilgeous-alexander/i-m-just-trusting-my-work-putting-it-in-everyday/) [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shai-gilgeous-alexander/) > [Often I'm told I'm an inspiration to people which I will forever be grateful for. But the reality is that I'm only able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/often-i-m-told-i-m-an-inspiration-to-people-which-i-will-forever-be/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Everyday is a gift never take it for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyday-is-a-gift-never-take-it-for-granted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,473 Everyday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem is that we let special-occasion food become everyday food. 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