Ep. 332: Andrea Freeman - Here's the Real Story Behind What's On Your Plate
PLANTSTRONG Podcast
Rip Esselstyn
4.8 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 18 December 2025
⏱️ 70 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Rip sits down with Andrea Freeman, James Beard Award-winning author of Ruin Their Crops on the Ground. Drawing on more than 20 years of research, Andrea unpacks how food, race, and class have shaped America’s food system, exploring the historical roots of inequality that still influence what ends up on our plates today.
Their conversation takes listeners on a journey from the Trail of Tears to contemporary food policies, revealing how government decisions and corporate interests have systematically marginalized communities, perpetuating cycles of poor health and limited access to nutritious food. Andrea’s insights illuminate the ways in which food systems have been—and continue to be—tools of oppression, while also showing how understanding this history empowers us to advocate for meaningful change.
Rob and Andrea dive into key topics including:
- The politics of food and its intersections with race and class
- Food deserts, systemic barriers, and ongoing food justice challenge
- The historical impact of school lunch programs and agricultural subsidies
- How corporate influence shapes dietary guidelines and marketing
- The lasting effects of colonial-era food policies on modern diets
Andrea also emphasizes the power of advocacy, inspiring listeners to see food not just as sustenance, but as a reflection of cultural identity and social justice. She encourages critical thinking about the choices available to consumers and how we can support policies that prioritize health and equity over profit.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I'm Ray Besselston and you're listening to the Plan Strong podcast. |
| 0:06.0 | The food on your plate tells a very important story and understanding it can be very empowering. |
| 0:12.0 | In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Andrea Freeman. |
| 0:17.0 | She is the author of the James Beard Award winning book, |
| 0:21.5 | Ruin Their Crops on the Ground, |
| 0:24.1 | to uncover exactly how food, race, and class have shaped America |
| 0:30.3 | and how understanding this history can help us build a fairer, more just food system. |
| 0:42.7 | This conversation will influence the way you see your food and inspire you to think about the impact that we all can have. We'll meet Andrea |
| 0:49.1 | right after these words from Plant Strong. |
| 0:55.6 | January is right around the corner, and we are getting ready to launch something huge, |
| 1:02.6 | something that's grounded in real food, real movement, and real change. No restrictions, |
| 1:10.7 | no gimmicks, no wellness theater, just strength you can feel. |
| 1:18.1 | If you're tired of quick fixes and you're ready to build habits that actually last, stay close. |
| 1:25.1 | This January, we are kicking off a month-long reset that's built on our three pillars |
| 1:31.4 | of real health, and I want to invite you. It's simple, it's doable, and it's real. More details are |
| 1:40.3 | coming soon. Be sure to join our Facebook community or visit planstrong.com and subscribe to our |
| 1:47.5 | emails so you don't miss this epic experience. 2026 is going to be our biggest year yet. And if you've |
| 1:58.0 | been waiting for the perfect moment to immerse yourself in real food, |
| 2:03.8 | real learning, and real transformation, this is going to be it. We're hosting four signature |
| 2:10.5 | Plan Strong events in 2006. Our first is our Plans Strong retreat in April. |
| 2:18.4 | This is six unforgettable days in beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina, where you get to learn, move, eat deliciously insane food, and reconnect with what matters most. |
| 2:33.3 | Next up, we have Vital Signs, 2000-26 in June. |
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