The Ayme family of Tingo, Ecuador and the Melanson family of Iqualit, Canada appear to be polar opposites. The Aymes spend $3.50 per person per week for their food, while the Melansons spend $69 – a staggering 1,970% increase in cost. The Aymes are subsistence farmers and eat produce and grain nearly exclusively, while the Melansons consume far more meat,… Read more »
The wide range of families and diets portrayed by Menzel and D’Alusio’s illustrate both the diversity in cultural foods, while also highlighting the wide spread disparities. When looking at the dietary contents of the various cultures, a striking number of cultures were consuming a lot of processed and pre-packaged foods, this was more prevalent in areas that would typically be… Read more »
Americans have a bad reputation for their eating habits, for good reason. The Revis’ of North Carolina spend $341.98 a week on food – but very little of it is actually “food”. It is particularly challenging to find even one piece of fresh produce among the packaged goods. In contrast, the Egyptian family from Cairo, the Ahmeds, spend the equivalent… Read more »
Compare the diets of the LeMoines of France and the Batsuuris of Mongolia, as Menzel and D’Aluisio have in Hungry Planet (2005), and the impact of climate, culture, and industrialization becomes clear: The LeMoines’ larder is full of packaged, ready-to eat fare while the Batsuuris’ table still recalls the traditional diet of nomadic herders. Mongolia’s harsh winters and short, inhospitable… Read more »
The world’s food system is intricately connected through a myriad of national and international organizations and policies. Ironically, at the same time that millions of people are dying from a lack of access to food, the Western diet of an overconsumption and processed foods is increasing mortality through diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Food and trade… Read more »