Sunday, November 30, 2008

What the World Eats is a fascinating read

The British family in the book seems to eat the most sweets of all.

I just spent a lazy Thanksgiving day poring over What the World Eats, a fascinating look at 25 families in 21 countries and what kind of food they buy each week. Peter Menzel, who previously did the same thing in Hungry Planet, has updated the idea with new families and new statistics on poverty, diabetes, etc. This book is sure to make you consider your diet, your priorities and your food expenditures in comparison to what it's like for the rest of the world. I couldn't help but think which family I would choose if I had to live in another country. The Turkish family's food looks really healthy and tasty, although they're mostly vegetarian. The French family, not surprisingly, seems to eat pretty well, but spending $450 a week on food seems outrageous. The Japanese family eats many kinds of fish, but also lots of junk food and prepared foods. The only thing I wish they had included was another American family that is a bit more aware of what they eat instead of the more traditional soda-swilling family ($80 a week on beverages!). There's no L.A. angle, and I have no connection to this book -- but if you need a present for either an older kid or a foodie adult, What the World Eats is highly recommended.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I didn't realize What the World Eats had become a book. Good find. I caught the exhibition at COPIA in early 2007. The photos of what each family eats, and how much each bill costs, was eye-opening.