MasterClass: Michael Pollan Teaches Intentional Eating

This class is open to anyone curious about food and eating — no prior background in nutrition, cooking, or sustainability is required. It will appeal to readers of Michael Pollan’s books, home cooks, and anyone tired of cycling through fad diets who wants a more grounded, values-driven way to think about meals and grocery choices in everyday life.

The class is organised into 13 chapters that move from how we think about food to how we shop, cook, and share meals. Early lessons focus on rethinking your relationship with food and confronting common barriers to eating with intention. From there, Pollan traces where food actually comes from — including a field trip to City Slicker Farms — and unpacks the present and future of meat.

The middle chapters introduce his own framework: ‘Follow food rules, not diets,’ ‘Eat food,’ ‘Not too much,’ and ‘Eat mostly plants.’ Later lessons examine the impact of caffeine and sugar on daily life, the case for cooking at home, and the role of the communal meal as the foundation of a healthy food culture. Across the 13 chapters, Pollan blends journalism, philosophy, and practical guidance to help you make food choices that reflect both your health and your values.

The class is taught by Michael Pollan, an award-winning journalist and the New York Times bestselling author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. He has spent more than 30 years writing and reporting on the intersection of humans, food, and nature, and in this class he distils that research into a practical framework for everyday eating.

The class is delivered through pre-recorded video lessons that you watch at your own pace, with lifetime access through a MasterClass membership. Total runtime is about 3 hours and 18 minutes across 13 chapters, ranging from short field segments to longer lectures. Membership also unlocks access to MasterClass’s full library of more than 200 classes, and is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

There is no certificate with this class. The skills it sets out are practical ones: discovering where your food comes from, balancing caffeine and sugar, following a few simple food rules, and not eating too much. A downloadable class guide adds ethical food resources and reflective assignments for putting Pollan’s intentional-eating approach into daily practice.