Have you ever thought about how much food your family consumes in a week? How about how much money you spend on that week’s worth of food? I recently came across this photo essay from Time on what families around the world eat. The families are photographed with their weekly consumption of food neatly arranged around them.
Clicking through the slideshow, I was a little surprised to see that Germany topped the chart at a whopping $500 of food per week. But I wasn’t surprised to see that an American family was next in line, with $341 of food per week.
With America one of the world's fattest countries, it also wasn’t a surprise to see a photo of a smiling American family surrounded by pizzas, chips, candy, soda, and fast food. (Although, if you look close enough, I think you can spot some grapes and tomatoes tucked away in there.) Many of the other families’ diets consist of fruits and vegetables; some have just a sack of rice they combine with their own livestock to create their favorite dish. It also looks as though the families that spend the least amount on food have the most family members.
This photo essay really puts into perspective how much we Americans buy and consume, and even how much we waste. With the economy in shambles, we need as much help as possible to cut corners. Now, I’m not saying we should starve, but even small changes can help your wallet and your health. Our budgeting worksheet can help you save money as well as help you stay aware of where cuts can be made.
Recap of what one family's food cost is in each country:
- Japan: $317.25
- Italy: $260.11
- Chad: $1.23
- Kuwait: $221.45
- USA (North Carolina): $341.98
- Mexico: $189.09
- China: $155.06
- Poland: $151.27
- Egypt: $68.53
- Ecuador: $31.55
- USA (California): $159.18
- Mongolia: $40.02
- Great Britain: $253.15
- Bhutan: $5.03
- Germany: $500.07