what the world eats

processing our latest shipment of children's books
i came across this book:



which is the children's edition of this book:



in which husband and wife peter menzel and faith d'aluisio
photographed families around the world with a weeks
worth of food and gave extensive grocery lists and
price charts.


Guatemala


China

Grains & Other Starchy Foods:
$6.52
Xiaozhan rice (a type of rice grown in China), 11 lb; white bread, 2 loaves; French bread, 2 baguettes.

Dairy:
$26.29
Bright yogurt, plain, 2.1 qt; Bright milk, whole, 1.1 qt; Häagan-Dazs ice cream, assorted flavors, 11.4 oz; butter, unsalted, 7.1 oz; Häagan-Dazs vanilla ice cream, 5.5 oz; Häagan-Dazs vanilla almond ice cream, 3 oz.

Meat, Fish & Eggs:
$26.97
Flatfish, 3 lb; beef flank, 2.4 lb; pigs feet, 1.8 lb; beef shank, 1.3 lb; chicken wings, 1.3 lb; eggs, 9; beef, marinated in soy sauce, 1 lb; salmon, fresh, 9.8 oz; pigs elbows, 8.6 oz; sausage links, 7 oz; sirloin steak, 5.3 oz.

Fruits, Vegetables & Nuts:
$16.45
Cantaloupe, 6 lb; oranges, 4.2 lb; firedrake fruit (sweet flavored cactus fruit), 2.3 lb; lemons, 1.5 lb; plums, 1.1 lb; tomatoes, 2.4 lb; cucumbers, 2.3 lb; cauliflower, 1 head; celery, 1.4 lb; carrots, 1 lb; taro, 13.8 oz; cherry tomatoes, 13.4 oz; long beans, 10.6 oz; white onions, 10.6 oz; shiitake mushrooms, dried, 8.8 oz; shiitake mushrooms, fresh, 5.6 oz; black fungus (agaric), 3.5 oz.

Condiments:
$17.26
Luhua peanut oil, 1.1 qt; Hijoblanca olive oil, 16.9 fl oz; soy bean juice, 16.9 fl oz; orange jam, 12 oz; hot pepper sauce, 9.7 oz; salad dressing, 7.1 oz; white sugar, 7.1 oz; Maxwell House coffee creamer, 6.7 oz; sesame oil, 6.8 fl oz; BB sweet hot sauce, 5.6 oz; citron day lily, 5.3 oz, dried flower bud is used for flavoring; honey, 5.3 oz; vinegar, 5.3 fl oz, eaten with boiled dumplings; pepper paste, 3.5 oz; sour cowpea (blackeyed peas), preserved, 3.5 oz; seafood sauce, 3.4 fl oz; Knorr chicken-flavored MSG, 1.8 oz; MSG, 1.8 oz; salt, 1.8 oz; curry powder, 0.4 oz.

Snacks & Desserts:
$17.70
Snack chips, 7 bags; Ferrero Rocher chocolates, 14.1 oz; Xylitol gum, 1 bottle; Dove chocolate, 8.5 oz lb; Xylitol blueberry gum, 3 pk; Xylitol gum, 3 pk.

Prepared Food:
$6.12
Sushi rolls, packaged, 1.1 lb; eel strips, baked, 8.2 oz; Knorr chicken bouillon, 0.7 oz.

Fast Food:
$9.17
KFC: 2 chicken hamburgers, 2 chicken burritos; 4 Coca-Cola; 2 pkgs french fries.

Beverages:
$27.95
Grapefruit juice, 2.1 gal; Asahi beer, 6 12-fl -oz cans; Bright orange juice, 2.1 qt; Tongyi orange juice drink, 2.1 qt; Coca- Cola, 3 12-fl -oz cans; Great Wall dry red wine, 25.4 fl oz; diet Coca-Cola, 12 fl oz; Jinliufu rice wine, 8.5 fl oz; Nescafe instant coffee, 3.5 oz; tap water, boiled for drinking and cooking.

Miscellaneous:
$0.63
Zhongnanhai cigarettes, 1 pk.

Food Expenditure for One Week: 1,233.76 yuan/$155.06 USD


Ecuador


Mexico


Poland


USA - North Carolina

Grains & Other Starchy Foods:
$17.92
Red potatoes, 2.3 lb; Natures Own bread, sliced, 1 loaf; Trix cereal, 1.5 lb; Mueller fettuccini, 1 lb; Mueller spaghetti, 1 lb; Uncle Ben’s Original white rice, 1 lb; Flatout flatbread wraps, 14 oz; New York Original Texas garlic toast, 11.3 oz; Harris Teeter (store brand) Flaky Brown-n-Serve dinner rolls, 11 oz.

Dairy:
$14.51
Harris Teeter milk, 1 gal; Kraft cheese, shredded, 8 oz; Kraft sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced, 8 oz; Kraft Swiss cheese, sliced, 8 oz; Kraft Cheese Singles, 6 oz; Kraft Parmesan cheese, grated, 3 oz; Harris Teeter butter, 2 oz.

Meat, Fish & Eggs:
$54.92
Harris Teeter beef, pot roast, 2.5 lb; Harris Teeter pork chops, 1.9 lb; Harris Teeter chicken drumsticks, 1.7 lb; eggs, 12; Harris Teeter chicken wings, 1.5 lb; Armour Italian-style meat balls, 1 lb; Gwaltney bacon, Virginia-cured with brown sugar, 1 lb; Harris Teeter ground turkey, 1 lb; shrimp,‡ 1 lb; StarKist tuna, canned, 12 oz; honey-baked ham, sliced, 9 oz; smoked turkey, sliced, 7.8 oz.

Fruits, Vegetables & Nuts:
$41.07
Dole yellow bananas, 2.9 lb; red seedless grapes, 2.4 lb; green seedless grapes, 2.2 lb; Birds Eye baby broccoli, frozen, 4 lb; yellow onions, 3 lb; Green Giant corn, canned, 1.9 lb; Green Giant green beans, canned, 1.8 lb; Bush’s vegetarian baked beans, canned, 1.8 lb; cucumbers, 1.4 lb; Harris Teeter tomatoes, vine-ripened, 1.2 lb; Del Monte whole leaf spinach, canned, 13.5 oz; garden salad, packaged, 10 oz; Italian salad mix, packaged, 8.8 oz; pickled mushrooms, 7.3 oz; Harris Teeter peanuts, 1 lb.

Condiments:
$12.51
White sugar, 1.6 lb; Ruffles ranch dip, 11 oz; Crisco vegetable oil, 6 fl oz; Nestle Coffee-Mate, French vanilla, nonfat, 6 fl oz; Food Lion garlic salt, 5.3 oz; Hellmann’s mayonnaise, 4 oz; Newman’s Own salad dressing, 4 oz; Jiffy peanut butter,‡ 3 oz; black pepper, 2 oz; Harris Teeter Original yellow mustard, 2 oz; Heinz ketchup, 2 oz; salt, 2 oz; Colonial Kitchen meat tenderizer, 1 oz; Durkee celery seed, 1 oz; Encore garlic powder, 1 oz.

Snacks & Desserts:
$21.27
Mott’s apple sauce, 1.5 lb; Munchies Classic mix, 15.5 oz; Kellogg’s yogurt-flavored pop tarts,‡ 14.7 oz; Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn, 9 oz; Harris Teeter sunflower seeds, 7.3 oz; Lays Classic potato chips, 5.5 oz; Lays Wavy potato chips, 5.5 oz; Del Monte fruit in cherry gel, 4.5 oz; Extra chewing gum, 3 pks; Snickers candy bar, 2.1 oz; M&M’s peanut candy, 1.7 oz.

Prepared Food:
$24.27
Bertolli portobello alfredo sauce, 1 lb; Ragu spaghetti sauce, chunky mushroom and bell peppers, 1 lb; Maruchan shrimp flavored ramen, 15 oz; California sushi rolls, 14 oz; Campbell’s cream of celery soup, 10.8 oz; Hot Pockets, jalapeño, steak & cheese, 9 oz; shrimp sushi rolls, 7 oz.

Fast Food:
$71.61
McDonald’s: 10-pc chicken McNuggets, large fries, large Coca-Cola, Filet-o-Fish meal; Taco Bell: 4 nachos Bell Grande, 2 soft tacos, taco supreme, taco pizza, taco, bean burrito, large lemonade; Burger King: double cheeseburger, onion rings, large Coca-Cola; KFC: 2-pc chicken with mashed potatoes, large Coca-Cola; Subway: 6-inch wheat veggie sub, 6-inch wheat seafood crab sub; Milano’s Pizzeria: large sausage pizza, large pepperoni pizza; I Love NY Pizza: 4 pizza slices.

Restaurants:
$6.15
China Market: shrimp fried rice, 2 orders; large fruit punch.

Beverages:
$77.75
Budweiser, 24 12-fl -oz cans; bottled water, 2 gal; Harris Teeter cranberry-apple juice cocktail, 4 2-qt bottles; diet Coca-Cola, 12 12-fl -oz cans; A&W cream soda, 2 2.1-qt bottles; 7UP, 6 16.9- fl -oz bottles; Harris Teeter cranberry-raspberry juice cocktail, 2 2-qt bottles; Harris Teeter ruby grapefruit juice cocktail, 2 2-qt bottles; Capri Sun, 10 6.8-fl -oz pkgs; soda,‡ 5 12-fl -oz cans, purchased daily by Brandon at school; Arbor Mist strawberry wine blenders, 1.1 qt; Gatorade,‡ 16 fl oz; Powerade,‡ 16 fl oz; Snapple, Go Bananas juice drink, 16 fl oz; Maxwell House instant coffee, 1.5 oz; Kool-Aid, black cherry, 0.5 oz; breakfast tea, 5 teabags; tap water for drinking and cooking. ‡ Not in Photo

Food Expenditure for One Week: $341.98


Bhutan


Egypt


Mongolia


Japan


USA


Chad

Grains & Other Starchy Foods:
**Sorghum ration, unmilled, 39.3 lb; corn-soy blend ration (called CSB), 4.6 lb.

Dairy: Not available to them.

Meat, Fish & Eggs:
$0.58**
Goat meat, dried and on bone, 9 oz; fish, dried, 7 oz.
Note: Periodically, such as at the end of Ramadan, several families collectively purchase a live animal to slaughter and share. Some of its meat is eaten fresh in soup and the rest is dried.

Fruits, Vegetables & Nuts:
$0.51**
Limes, small, 5; pulses ration, 4.6 lb, the seeds of legumes such as peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans. Red onions, 1 lb; garlic, 8 oz; okra, dried, 5 oz; red peppers, dried, 5 oz; tomatoes, dried, 5 oz.

Condiments:
$0.13**
Sunflower oil ration, 2.1 qt; white sugar ration, 1.4 lb; dried pepper, 12 oz; salt ration, 7.4 oz; ginger, 4 oz.

Beverages:
Water, 77.7 gal, provided by Oxfam, and includes water for all purposes.

Rations organized by the United Nations with the World Food Programme.

Food Expenditure for One Week: 685 CFA francs/$1.23

**Market value of food rations, if purchased locally: $24.37



listen to an npr story and interview on the book here
new york times interview with the authors here