Nineteen magazines for people who eat, cook, or grow

Food affects the environment, the economy, health, social justice, politics, and more. There are a number of magazines that explore the world of food from these many perspectives.

|
Mike Blake/Reuters/File
Tyson foods Inc and Hillshire Brands Jimmy Dean sausages are shown in this photo illustration in Encinitas, Calif.

When it comes to deciding what is for dinner, eaters’ decisions can be determined by more than taste alone. Food choices affect the environment, the economy, health, social justice, politics, and more. Luckily, there are a number of magazines that can help all of us make better food decisions.

According to Bon Appétit Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport, “we as a nation of eaters have evolved. We’ve transitioned away from a world of food TV and celebrity chefs—where you had to be a card-carrying foodie to talk about food with any authority—to one where everyone has a stake in the game. Food has gone wide—it has become, of all things, cool.”

Modern Farmer Editor-in-Chief Sarah Gray Miller says, “if you are a passionate foodie, there is more for you, and if you want to farm, there is enough there, too,” regarding the magazine’s recent rerelease. The magazine promises to highlight “products picked from farmers, not fashion editors.”

Food Tank has selected 19 magazines that will help inspire eaters, farmers, cooks, and food activists.

Acres U.S.A.Acres U.S.A. is a national magazine focused on sustainable agriculture. With more than 40 years of continuous publication, it draws on its bountiful knowledge to inform readers of growing tips that are both ecologically and economically sound. The magazine draws from the work of both scientists and farmers and features articles on cover cropping, government regulations, rotational grazing, and more.

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and DevelopmentThe African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal based in Kenya. The journal was originally started in 2001 by Ruth Oniang’o, an expert in nutrition policy and renewed advocate for women’s health. The journal is one of the first continuously published agriculture-related publications in Africa and offers information on region-specific issues, such as providing water-efficient maize to smallholder farms in Western Kenya and combating aflatoxins in Eastern Africa.

Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition Magazine: The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation’s magazine debuted in 2013 with its "Food for Health" issue, exploring the social, environmental, health, and economic impacts of lifestyle and diet choices. The foundation is a multidisciplinary, independent think tank that analyzes the various causes and effects of food to help people make conscious decisions about diet, health, and sustainability. The magazine’s article topics range from the social and economic effects of childhood obesity to the impact of hunger on cognitive development.

Choices: Published by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Choices is a quarterly online, peer-reviewed magazine exploring economic implications of food, agriculture policy, and resource use issues. Recent themes feature stories on the impacts of water scarcity and the need for economy-wide considerations, cost-effective conservation programs, and the economic prospects of genetically engineered crops.

ChopChop: Readers of ChopChop will find nutritious, kid-friendly recipes, fun food facts, games, and interviews inside. It is published in both Spanish and English and was the winner of the 2013 James Beard Foundation Award for Publication of the Year. ChopChop is filled with nutritious, ethnically diverse, and inexpensive recipes like strawberry orange ice pops and roasted eggplant and tomato ratatouille.

EatingWell: Originally launched in 1990, EatingWell provides the resources to “make eating healthy a way of life” through recipes, nutrition advice, and cooking techniques. EatingWell appeals to a wide audience by providing healthful receipts that fit a wide variety of busy lifestyles, with articles like “50 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work.”

Edible Communities: Edible Communities, Inc. publishes region-specific publications, such as Edible BostonEdible San Francisco, and Edible Orange County. Each magazine celebrates the local food culture and community and seeks to foster relationships between consumers and their local growers, retailers, chefs, and food artisans.

Edible ManhattanEdible Manhattan is a part of the family of Edible Communities magazines. The magazine features local food and drink makers, restaurants, events, and markets. In addition, the publication hosts its own events, including Good Beer, highlighting local breweries, and Edible Escape, which showcases globally-inspired food prepared by local chefs.

EnsiaEnsia is an independent, nonprofit magazine that shares thought-provoking articles on environmental challenges and solutions. Stories motivate readers to take action in their communities to reduce environmental impacts and create a more sustainable future. Past articles have featured entrepreneurs using technology to combat food waste, environmentally friendly superfoods, and how CRISPR will affect agriculture.

Farming MattersFarming Matters magazine offers discussions, news, opinions, research, and real-life examples around how family farming and agroecology contribute to a sustainable food system. Its latest issue features the role of traditional plants in nutrition, culture, and food sovereignty.

Food & Nutrition Magazine: Published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Food & Nutrition is a bimonthly magazine that helps keep both nutrition professionals and non-professionals interested in nutrition up-to-date with the latest scientific nutrition findings. The magazine is also a great source of healthy recipes, all which have been vetted by registered dietitians.

Insights: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an international agriculture research center that aims to improve the understanding of the impact of national agricultural and food policies on innovation and development. IFPRI's Insights is a magazine designed to showcase the work of IFPRI researchers and why it matters in the effort to improve the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged. Past issues have featured stories on the impact of world trade agreements on developing economies, a green revolution in Africa, and how people’s aspirations impact their decisions and investments.

Indie FarmerIndie Farmer is an independent magazine focused on sustainable food culture. Based in the UK, the magazine is a resource for small-scale producers, growers, and livestock keepers for nontraditional farmers around the world. Indie Farmer also hosts a monthly podcast, called Farmerama Radio, that shares the inspirational and personal stories of various small-scale farmers.

Modern FarmerModern Farmer is the authoritative resource for food producers and consumers of all types, from professional chefs to home growers. In addition to tasty recipes and growing tips, it offers readers enlightening stories on how our food choices impact the world around us. Some of its latest stores feature an abandoned quarry turned organic farm in Rio’s Olympic Village, a profile on an avid apiarist, and new ways to keep eggs fresh.

Mother JonesMother Jones is a nonprofit news organization that reports on a wide range of topics including politics, food, the environment, and crime. With a reach of more than nine million readers per month, its bimonthly magazine is known for its independent, investigative reporting and regularly features high-quality coverage of food and agriculture news.

Slow: USA: Slow Food is a global grassroots organization connecting individuals and communities to good, clean, and fair food. Slow Food USA publishes a biannual magazine called Slow: USA. Readers can find selected articles on their blog, including one exploring the fermented foods movement and another on the history of Southern barbecue.

Tufts NutritionTufts Nutrition is a publication of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. Its twice-yearly publications highlight the work of Friedman researchers, alumni, and other leaders in the food and nutrition sector. Its most recent publication showcases research on the influence of parents’ eating habits on their children, the health impacts of sleep deprivation, and tips to make healthy snacks more visually appealing.

Urban Ag News: Founded in 2012, Urban Ag News informs growers of industry happenings and the latest agricultural technologies. Founder Chris Higgins aims to connect food producers of all levels with manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers. Its latest issue features Kimbal Musk, the younger brother of Elon Musk. Musk discusses his “community though food” philosophy and founding the Learning Gardens, gardens that serve as outdoor classrooms.

World Ark Magazine: Heifer International is a charity that aims to end hunger by providing livestock and sustainable agriculture education to communities around the world. Their magazine, World Ark, releases new issues every season and features diverse topics such as adaptation efforts to changing weather, market opportunities in Nicaragua, and the power of youth in ending global hunger and poverty.

This story originally appeared on Food Tank.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
What is the Monitor difference? Tackling the tough headlines – with humanity. Listening to sources – with respect. Seeing the story that others are missing by reporting what so often gets overlooked: the values that connect us. That’s Monitor reporting – news that changes how you see the world.

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

“Many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist Joseph Grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. My work in Kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a Christian Science Monitor article I had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. Sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.”

If you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the Monitor, that would probably be it. We’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. We’re the bran muffin of journalism.

But you know what? We change lives. And I’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in.

The Monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. We’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. We’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908.

We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. We’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “You are bigger and more capable than you realize. And we can prove it.”

If you’re looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. You’ll get the Monitor Weekly magazine, the Monitor Daily email, and unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.

QR Code to Nineteen magazines for people who eat, cook, or grow
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Bite/2016/1026/Nineteen-magazines-for-people-who-eat-cook-or-grow
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe