While reading Michael Pollan’s book, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, I thought about my recent visit to a local Costco.

Michael Pollan’s manifesto of “Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants,” is relevant to my shopping experience. Firstly, I think it is safe to say, many food products on the shelves at Costco do not qualify as “food.” If we use Pollan’s definition that food should be recognizable to our great, great grandmothers and, when we look at the ingredients, we should be able to recognize (in addition to pronounce) everything listed. I noticed the large quantity of food products displaying Costco’s private label, Kirkland Signature. There is something very disturbing about a store carrying such a wide variety of foods under one label.

I had a hard time distracting myself from the obvious observation — “why do we Americans like to buy in bulk?” I know the answer involves saving money and, for large families, buying wholesale probably does help cut costs. But I doubt most Costco shoppers fall into this category.

Michael Pollan’s concept of “Not Too Much” and Costco run in diametrical opposition to one another. Pollan’s suggestion to “Pay More, Eat Less” sounds almost “un-American” (I’m being tongue-in-cheek here). Paying less for something, getting a bargain, a discount, something for wholesale, is part of the American way — and eating less food, well — we are living in the “super size me” nation. But in America, we spend less money on food than France, Italy, and Spain. And until we are willing to pay for better quality food and have a bit less of it we may continue to be the sickest country in the world.

My last thought about Costco, Pollen’s suggestion “don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does,” applies to my version of the principle: “don’t get your food from the same place you buy your flat screen television.”