By Sarah Jost
In 2005, Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio published Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, a collection of portraits of the typical week’s groceries of 30 families in 24 countries. Below are some of the portraits, as well as where each family is from and their weekly food budget in US dollars.
Sicily, Italy: $260.11
Bargteheide, Germany: $500.07
North Carolina, United States: $341.98
Cuernavaca, Mexico: $189.09
Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland: $151.27
Cairo, Egypt: $68.53
Tingo, Ecuador: $31.55
Shingkhey Village, Bhutan: $5.03
Breidjing Camp, Chad: $1.23
One thing that struck me, besides the vast disparity among the budgets and amounts of food, was the lack of fruits and vegetables shown in the American photo compared to the relatively large amounts in other countries. I was also surprised by the prevalence of soda. I can’t help but feel like the American diet is a big corporate joke. And I’m suddenly very hungry for some leafy greens.
What do your weekly groceries look like?
well, clearly germany knows how to party.
but what strikes me most is how neat the polish family’s groceries are, on their little tables with doilies. oh hello my life.
love this post!
Prost, Germany! Look at all those bevs! And awww, my little Polish doily! Love it! Love you! -Sarah
thank you for posting this! so interesting, and pretty unbelievable!
341 dollars speaking for america any ways can buy way more food than that way more
I agree however they have quite a few take out containers. There is some KFC, Burger King and Pizza….eating out for a family of four can add up even if you stick to the dollar menu of a place. I also noticed the US had the second least amount of veggies only outdoing Chad.