Food Consumption Around the World

I love when synchronicity presents itself in my life, and this week with my new found interest in saving money, and also adapting our diet to be gluten and dairy free, this post was sent to me from a friend in America.

The article originally appeared in Time Magazine and you can read it in full here. I found it very enlightening and as I was saying to my friend in relation to eating vegetarian, I'm not an evangelist, I think its more about being respectful about food, and not wasteful. So here's the post (the photos are the work of Peter Menzel Photography) which is what each spends in a week on food:

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily.
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide.
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07.


United States: The Revis family of North Carolina.
Food expenditure for one week $341.98.

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca.
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09.

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna.
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27.


Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo.

Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53.

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo.
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55.

Bhutan, Himalayas: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03.

Chad, Africa: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp.

Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Because this was an American article, everything is converted to dollars, and unfortunately the UK was not represented. I suspect however, that the average UK family table would look very similar to the US one. Our own expenditure I would say falls somewhere between the Polish family and the Egyptian family in terms of food represented. We spend on average £60.00 per week not including any alcohol, which we try to keep in moderation and to the weekend, so that might come to an additional £15 pounds. Unfortunately I put away this weeks groceries before writing this, so I couldn't be asked to drag it all out and photo it!! I may do so next week just for fun.

I find it very shocking indeed to see how the expenditure pares down when you leave the more westernized countries, how the absolute basics are all that's available. And what's with all the soda in so many places??? I can't stand the stuff!!