What the World Eats

  Photographs and text by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Alusio

A pictorial comparison of 25 families from around the world - representation of one week's worth of food purchased to feed their families.

Photos are presented in descending order of food expenditure (US$).

While reviewing the photos, take note of the quantity of food, the types of foods (processed vs fresh), as well as the number of family members.

From the Book, "Hungry Planet"

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide

Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07 US
Favorite foods: fried potatoes with onions, bacon and herring, fried noodles with eggs and cheese, pizza, vanilla pudding

Luxembourg: The Kuttan-Kasses of Erpeldange

Food expenditure for one week: 347.64 Euros or $465.84 US
Favorite Foods: Shrimp pizza, Chicken in wine sauce, Turkish kebabs

France: The Le Moines of Montreuil

Food expenditure for one week: 315.17 euros or $419.95 US
Favorite Foods: Delphine Le Moine's Apricot Tarts, pasta carbonara, Thai food

Australia: The Browns of River View

Food expenditure for one week: 481.14 Australian dollars or US$376.45 US
Family Recipe: Marge Brown's Quandong (an Australian peach) Pie, Yogurt

Canada: The Melansons of Iqaluit, Nunavut Territory

Food expenditure for one week: $345.00 US
Favorite Foods: narwhal, polar bear, extra cheese stuffed crust pizza, watermelon

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina

Food expenditure for one week: $341.98 US
Favorite foods: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken

Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira City

Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25 US
Favorite foods: sashimi, fruit, cake, potato chips

Greenland: The Madsens of Cap Hope

Food expenditure for one week: 1,928.80 Danish krone or $277.12 US
Favorite Foods: polar bear, narwhal skin, seal stew

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily

Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11 US
Favorite foods: fish, pasta with ragu, hot dogs, frozen fish sticks

Great Britain: The Bainton family of Cllingbourne Ducis

Food expenditure for one week: 155.54 British Pounds or $253.15 US
Favorite foods: avocado, mayonnaise sandwich, prawn cocktail, chocolate fudge cake with cream

United States: The Fernandezes of Texas

Food expenditure for one week: $242.48 US
Favorite Foods: Shrimp with Alfredo sauce, chicken mole, barbecue ribs, pizza

Kuwait: The Al Haggan family of Kuwait City

Food expenditure for one week: 63.63 dinar or $221.45 US

Family recipe: Chicken biryani with basmati rice

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca

Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09 US
Favorite foods: pizza, crab, pasta, chicken

United States: The Caven family of California

Food expenditure for one week: $159.18 US
Favorite foods: beef stew, berry yogurt sundae, clam chowder, ice cream

China: The Dong family of Beijing

Food expenditure for one week: 1,233.76 Yuan or $155.06 US
Favorite foods: fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna

Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27 US
Family recipe: Pig's knuckles with carrots, celery and parsnips

Turkey: The Celiks of Istanbul

Food expenditure for one week: 198.48 New Turkish liras or $145.88 US
Favorite Foods: Melahat's Puffed Pastries

Guatemala: The Mendozas of Todos Santos

Food expenditure for one week: 573 Quetzales or $75.70 US
Family Recipe: Turkey Stew and Susana Perez Matias's Sheep Soup

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo

Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53 US
Family recipe: Okra and mutton

Mongolia: The Batsuuri family of Ulaanbaatar

Food expenditure for one week: 41,985.85 togrogs or $40.02 US
Family recipe: Mutton dumplings

India: The Patkars of Ujjain

Food expenditure for one week: 1,636.25 rupees or $39.27 US
Family Recipe: Sangeeta Patkar's Poha (Rice Flakes)

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo

Food expenditure for one week: $31.55 US
Family recipe: Potato soup with cabbage

Mali: The Natomos of Kouakourou

Food expenditure for one week: 17,670 francs or $26.39 US
Family Recipe: Natomo Family Rice Dish

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village

Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03 US
Family recipe: Mushroom, cheese and pork

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp

Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23 US
Favorite foods: soup with fresh sheep meat