The book grew out of Pollan's 2007 essay Unhappy Meals published in the New York Times Magazine.

[3] Pollan has also said that he wrote In Defense of Food as a response to people asking him what they should eat after having read his previous book, The Omnivore's Dilemma.

"[5] Pollan argues that nutritionism as an ideology has overcomplicated and harmed American eating habits.

[5] Pollan recommends that Americans spend more money and time on food, and buy locally.

[8] A professor from the university's department of dairy science wrote to oppose this decision, saying that Pollan's writing expressed "an individual's biased and disputed view of today's food and agricultural systems.