I can really see us saving money by using this book. And not just because it lessens the appeal of snack food and desserts. There were several cases where it recommended replacing our usual purchases with brands that are not just apparently healthier but that I know to be cheaper. So that's something. The advice seemed more consistent here than in the restaurant version. And it really drove home how in denial I've been about how fattening certain foods (cheddar cheese, for example) are. There is some definite pop science in some of the vitamin recommendations, but the emphasis on things like fiber is appreciated. ( )

Great book, with pictures, even! Small enough to take with you to the supermarket. I've been shopping for a *very* long time, and I learned a lot from this book.Highly recommended! ( )

First Line: It can be a place of wonder and excitement, of bright shiny colors, delectable scents, and enticingly sweet delights.

I have to admit that I'd never heard of this book. Grocery shopping is one of my least favorite chores, and there's no way that I would agree with the first line I typed in above. Perhaps it's because I hate to cook. Perhaps it's because I've been in retail too long and I know too many marketing strategies aimed at having consumers do the wrong thing. However, after a visit to his doctor, my husband came home rabidly against carbonated soft drinks, and when I saw Eat This Not That! on a shelf in Target's book department, I opened it and immediately saw that it was packed full of things that I could use, not only to my husband's advantage, but to mine as well.

I think one of the reasons why I hate to grocery shop is that, in order to buy the right things, I have to spend an inordinate amount of time reading the blasted labels on everything. The Food and Drug Administration does very little to curb misleading information on food packaging. Ever read portion sizes? Hah! Do you believe labels when they tell you "Zero Trans Fat!"? Hah! Do you know the difference between "whole grain" and "multi grain"? (They both sound healthy, don't they?)

Eat This Not That and its author, David Zinczenko, will take a lot of guess work out of grocery shopping for you. The first part of the book explains what's happened to our food over the years. In many ways, it's not nearly as healthy as it used to be, and explanations are given. It doesn't make for comfortable reading, but it's certainly necessary reading.

The main part of the book is divided into sections just like a supermarket. One side of the page will show common items that are healthier to eat and give the reasons why they are, while the opposite side of the page will show more common items in the same category that are not healthy eating as well as why they aren't the best items to choose to eat.

Although the entire book wasn't eye-opening, many pages were, and I took several notes while I read. I've now passed the book on to Denis, so he can read it and understand why a few things are forever disappearing from the menu.

Eat This Not That is touted as a No Diet weight loss solution, and if you only have a couple of pounds to lose, have been eating healthy to begin with and get regular exercise, making the substitutions suggested in this book will help you to lose weight. (Denis and I have already lost a few pounds.) If you have a lot of weight to lose, it's going to take more than the substitutions this book suggests. But you knew that already, didn't you?

After reading Zinczenko's book, the major thing I took from it was how the companies that give us such a wide variety of food to put on our tables are allowed to lie...and it's all perfectly legal. It made me angry--almost to the point where I wanted to be a modern-day Carrie Nation and stomp into the nearest grocery store carrying a hatchet. Since I'd probably do myself a mischief with the hatchet, I'll make my point with my wallet while I try to see what can be done about forcing companies to put the truth on their packaging instead of lies that can kill us.

No matter how much you think you know about the food in your local grocery store, you owe it to yourself and your family to read this book. You can also click on the author's name at the top of this post to visit the Eat This website to sign up for newsletters and to read more information. ( )

This is the second in a series of books, explaining how simply paying a bit of attention and reading a few labels at the supermarket can help you to lose weight without depriving yourself of the snack and comfort foods that you grew up loving. Zinczenko has even done most of the research himself to get you started. The first chapters of this book cover such things as basic nutrition, the "psychology" of advertising and the layout of the grocery store, 11 secrets the food industry doesn't want you to know, and the 20 worst packaged foods in America (#1 being Marie Callender's Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie with a whopping 1060 calories, 1440 mg of sodium and 64 g. of fat in that small aluminum pan). This book, like the first in the series, is crammed full of photographs after the introductory chapters, in the same format -- "eat this" foods on the left page and "Not That!" food on the right. Food is broken down into categories, produce, meats and fish, the refrigerator case, pantry staples, snacks and sweets, the freezer section, and the beverage aisle, with brand name stuff already sorted out for you. Again, the premise is that with a little bit of knowledge and forethought and label reading, it's possible to lose 20 - 40 pounds over the course of a year, just implementing what's in this book. I enjoyed this book, like I did it's companion (reviewed earlier) and will be dragging it off the shelf for reference for years to come. ( )

Did I REALLY need to know how bad my favorite brown sugar-cinnamon poptarts are for me? Read at your own risk, and be aware of better choices you can make in the foods you use.