Eat Like the People Who Live Happily to 100 (with Dan Buettner)
New Episode of The Happiness Lab: Eat Like the People Who Live Happily to 100 (with Dan Buettner)
“The standard American diet is killing us.” That’s not my line—it’s from National Geographic explorer and longevity researcher Dan Buettner’s new cookbook, The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals: 100 Recipes to Live to 100.
You probably know Dan for his work on Blue Zones—the regions of the world where people live the longest, enjoying both health and happiness into old age. Dan has spent decades studying what helps people thrive into their 90s and beyond. And what he’s found is that food is a huge part of the picture.
Here’s the good news: the foods that support a long, healthy life aren’t expensive “superfoods” or complicated recipes. They’re cheap, plant-based staples like beans, grains, tubers, and vegetables. And when prepared well, they’re delicious.
So in this episode, Dan and I talk about how channeling Blue Zone habits into your own kitchen can improve your health and happiness.
Listen to the full conversation, “Eat Like the People Who Live Happily to 100 (with Dan Buettner)”
The only real way you’re going to eat healthy, or eat for longevity, is to cook at home. — Dan Buettner
How to Cook Your Way to Happiness
1. Keep it simple.
Blue Zone meals use just a handful of affordable, plant-based ingredients like beans, grains, and veggies that you can throw together in one pot. That means less time stuck in the kitchen—and more “time affluence”: time to savor the meal with others, linger in conversation, or do other activities you love—without the stress of elaborate two-hour meal prep.
2. Make taste the priority.
Healthy food only works if you’ll actually eat it. Cooking flavor-packed recipes will keep you coming back for more (and might even add years to your life). Just remember to hold the extra calories, sodium, and sugar, the ingredients that make restaurant meals unhealthy.
3. Share the table.
Cooking at home often means eating with others. Shared meals strengthen our social bonds, encourage us to eat slower, and give us a meaningful happiness boost.
Take action today: Cook a simple, plant-based meal at home and share it with someone you care about. Not sure what to cook? For delicious recipe inspiration, check out Dan’s book, The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals: 100 Recipes to Live to 100. My favorite so far is Dan’s Crispy Roasted Chickpeas.
Here’s to bringing the Blue Zones into your own kitchen!
Looking for more?
You can find all our companion guides from this season of The Happiness Lab on DrLaurieSantos.com/Newsletter.
Did you get this newsletter from a friend? Sign up here to receive weekly happiness tips directly in your inbox!