When I lived in Zambia, my neighbors frequently asked what the “staple food” in the US is. Considering their diet is based almost exclusively on one food (maize), they assumed Americans ate one thing at virtually every meal.
Initially, I explained that Americans eat a lot of corn, vegetables, meats, and dairy, but for a quick answer, I usually said, “potatoes.” This answer was convenient: it was short; they knew what potatoes were; and it didn’t make me appear especially privileged.
Of course, people eat lots of different kinds of food. Time is running an excellent photo essay called What the World Eats — excerpted from one of our favorite books, Hungry Planet — that profiles 16 different families; how much they spend each week on groceries; and detailing their favorite foods. This family in Chad survives on $1.23 a week; meanwhile, the German family spends upwards of $500 per week on food!
Sadly, after seeing the American family’s groceries, versus those of, say, the Sicilian family, it’s no wonder we’re a nation of overweight people. Where’s my banana?
[Via Vagabondish]