What the World Eats

Time magazine has published a thought-provoking photo essay titled, "What the World Eats". It is an excerpt from a book called "Hungry Planet" by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. Each photograph depicts a family along with the foods they have consumed in one week.

The Ukita family from Kodaira City, Japan (shown above) spends around $317.25 USD eating a lot of fish, but also a lot of processed, packaged, or instant foods. In sharp contrast, the Aboubakar family from Darfur spends a paltry $1.23 USD in a refugee camp in Chad to feed six. The Revis family from North Carolina goes through a stunning $341.98 USD on one week, predictably on a lot of junk food. Probably the most wholesome-looking diet is maintained by the Namgay family of Shingkhey Village, Bhutan: for $5.03, this family of 13 feeds on a generous amount of vegetables, grains, some fruit and a very modest amount of meat. Not a bottle of pop or bag of potato chips in sight.

There's no judgment here -- this is just how things are in different parts of the world. I think the closer people are to the earth and the animals they eat, the less they need to spend on packaged food and groceries in general. I also find the photo essay endearing in its list of family favorites. The Polish family's favorite is pig's knuckles with root vegetables. Mutton seems to be a favorite in Egypt and Mongolia. Coca Cola seems to be the universal favorite among soda drinkers (except for the Italians); as a Pepsi-hater, I approve! It makes me laugh to see Kellogg brand cereal among the staples of the families from Kuwait and Italy.

When I first moved out on my own, I made a third of what I do today. I was extremely frugal and also very health-conscious, having lost a quarter of my body weight through rigorous exercise and calorie management. I learned very quickly that meat and packaged foods are the fastest way to blow a budget; fresh produce gives the most bang for the buck. I did my $40 CAD groceries once every 2 weeks and rarely ate out. I have no memories of feeling deprived or limited in any way.

It is said that people who make more spend more, and I have to concede that it's true. $40 is now my minimum weekly food budget, not including birthday dinners and parties which can average $40-80 per head.

For sustainability and ethical farming reasons, I'm starting to go back to my frugal ways. I treat meat and animal products as a luxury and buy no more than one cut of meat per week for myself. Two if I'm cooking for someone else. At that rate, it is possible (and sensible) to expend the extra dollars on ethically and organically raised meat. I load up on fruits and vegetables weekly, if not twice a week. The weekly farmer's market held next door to my office is now part of my regular ritual. I have the occasional weakness for wine or Diet Coke, but I don't bring junk food into my home and toss out all take-out flyers for recycling.

What do you do to spend less for better health (yours and the environment's)?