The science of the microbiome is exciting and disrupting, with far-reaching consequences for our health and well-being. It is also rapidly commercialised by providers of direct-to-consumer microbiome testing (DTC- MT). Food and diet feature prominently in these services, with microbiome-tailored dietary interventions being marketed as the pathway to a healthier gut, and, subsequently, a healthier self. The practices of DTC-MT both fuel and are fuelled by a narrative of self-management as empowerment; upon closer inspection, however, this promise proves hollow and problematic. In this work, we seek ways to engage citizens with the technology of microbiome testing while resisting the dominant narrative that accompanies it. Our efforts materialised in “Food stories for the microbiome”, a public engagement initiative about the dynamic nature of the gut microbiome and its strong connections to food and culture. The innovative aspects of this initiative are both methodological and thematic. Methodologically, we employ a distinctive hands-on (i.e. embodied and emotional) approach to public engagement. Thematically, we introduce a deliberate cultural frame to the citizens’ initial encounter with microbiome testing. As a first exercise towards a more critical encounter with microbiome testing, “Food stories for the microbiome” shows that it is possible to engage citizens with an emerging scientific topic of societal relevance on equalitarian terms. Clinical trial number: not applicable.