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Hungry Planet
On the banks of Mali's Niger River, Soumana Natomo and his family gather for a communal dinner of millet porridge with tamarind juice. In the USA, the Ronayne-Caven family enjoys corndogs-on-a-stick with a tossed green salad. This age-old practice of sitting down to a family meal is undergoing unprecedented change as rising world affluence and trade, along with the spread of global food conglomerates, transform diets worldwide. In HUNGRY PLANET, the creative team behind the best-selling Material World, Women in the Material World, and MAN EATING BUGS presents a photographic study of families from around the world, revealing what people eat during the course of one week. Each family's profile includes a detailed description.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
November 11, 2015
Here is another book from Menzel, about 10 years on from "Material World". Four families from that book are also included here (Natomos in Mali, Ukitas in Japan, Namgays in Bhutan and Costas in Cuba). You can see changes in these families, including new children. The purpose of this book is to show 30 families in 24 countries, circa 2003/4, pictured with a week's worth of food and drink grouped in categories (like meat, dairy, grains, beverages), plus the miscellaneous category which includes cigarettes, supplements plus vitamisns, betel nuts, and pet food (cat, dog, bird). Some food are homegrown or hunted, which is mentioned in the list.
Included are also essays (preparing methods, slow food, street food vs. fast food, disconnection from food-making methods, fishing issues, weight issues) and photos on certain subjects (kitchen, fast food, street food, meat, fish, meals. Digital cameras, cellphones and computer were of good use in gathering information and asking late questions when making this book. Each family shares a recipe or two. At the book's end is the familier statistics table, with a lean towards food information.
As one reads, one notices the level of packaging - some countries' people have hardly any, some have it on everything pretty much. Most of the time the amount makes a mound. Many kinds of food: global, snack, fast, junk, healthy, functional, complimentary, fortified, organic, processed. You can also see clear food preference changes from generation to generation, and not always in good direction. Learned that sugar cane came originally from New Guinea.
There are clear difference even within a country (not just America, but countries like China, Australia, Chad and Japan). The Bhutan family gets electricity finally - but they have to buy lightbulbs in the future :) In Cuba there is still rations on certain foods, but otherwise freer than in the past. In Greenland they hunt for birds, fish, seal and some other animals weekly. Surprising good-sushi instance found in Poland. The Turkey family ate two of the counted breads while waiting to be photographed. And one family in Australia goes through 175 bags of tea in a week - and the information notes "this number is *not* a typo" *LOL*
For some families, seeing the food amount was thought-provoking and motivating. Or the amount of cigarettes in case (where Menzel quickly counted that they spend 2500 Euros on them per year). But it's clear here and globally that when people become better off, the trigger to eat in a way that leads towards obesity and illnesses is easy to push. The tables reflect traditions, poverty or wealth, conflicts in some cases, brands and global connections (you bump into Coca-Cola a lot)... also food avaibilities, prices and certain tastes.
You really end up thinking what the total meaning of these mounds of food mean, and certainly in my case I also started thinking what my family's display would look like. What would be 'bare' and what would be in a package? How healthy things would look like? Certainly seeing all this makes me think. It is a good book with beautiful pictures and many messages. Worth reading.
Included are also essays (preparing methods, slow food, street food vs. fast food, disconnection from food-making methods, fishing issues, weight issues) and photos on certain subjects (kitchen, fast food, street food, meat, fish, meals. Digital cameras, cellphones and computer were of good use in gathering information and asking late questions when making this book. Each family shares a recipe or two. At the book's end is the familier statistics table, with a lean towards food information.
As one reads, one notices the level of packaging - some countries' people have hardly any, some have it on everything pretty much. Most of the time the amount makes a mound. Many kinds of food: global, snack, fast, junk, healthy, functional, complimentary, fortified, organic, processed. You can also see clear food preference changes from generation to generation, and not always in good direction. Learned that sugar cane came originally from New Guinea.
There are clear difference even within a country (not just America, but countries like China, Australia, Chad and Japan). The Bhutan family gets electricity finally - but they have to buy lightbulbs in the future :) In Cuba there is still rations on certain foods, but otherwise freer than in the past. In Greenland they hunt for birds, fish, seal and some other animals weekly. Surprising good-sushi instance found in Poland. The Turkey family ate two of the counted breads while waiting to be photographed. And one family in Australia goes through 175 bags of tea in a week - and the information notes "this number is *not* a typo" *LOL*
For some families, seeing the food amount was thought-provoking and motivating. Or the amount of cigarettes in case (where Menzel quickly counted that they spend 2500 Euros on them per year). But it's clear here and globally that when people become better off, the trigger to eat in a way that leads towards obesity and illnesses is easy to push. The tables reflect traditions, poverty or wealth, conflicts in some cases, brands and global connections (you bump into Coca-Cola a lot)... also food avaibilities, prices and certain tastes.
You really end up thinking what the total meaning of these mounds of food mean, and certainly in my case I also started thinking what my family's display would look like. What would be 'bare' and what would be in a package? How healthy things would look like? Certainly seeing all this makes me think. It is a good book with beautiful pictures and many messages. Worth reading.
April 22, 2022
If you enjoy food, like to read about it, and want to know more about it, this is the perfect book for you. The concept is simple and so brilliant. It involves photos of a family taken with one week of food that they would typically consume. This in itself is a revelation as the families are from all over the world, and we get to see how different or the same people are. Moreover, there are details about all the foods along with some mentions of how the families prepare them.
August 13, 2008
I would give this book 8 stars if I could.
What a great idea! I've seen the book where they place families and all their possessions outside their dwelling around the world, but this takes one weeks worth of food the family eats and places it in front of them.
The family may be the father/mother/children or elderly couple with a more elderly parent or widowed mother/children.
Not only is it the amazing photographs, every food item is categorized including quantity and price, but the entire grocery bill (or market value as some garden and some hunt) in the native currency as well as the dollar amount.
We also find out the favorite foods of many and get a recipe or two from each family. It's really not a cookbook, but an exploration of how many eat all around the world.
This book is VERY well done and very thorough. I was so amazed I showed it to my husband, who was almost late going to work because he couldn't put it down either.
What a great idea! I've seen the book where they place families and all their possessions outside their dwelling around the world, but this takes one weeks worth of food the family eats and places it in front of them.
The family may be the father/mother/children or elderly couple with a more elderly parent or widowed mother/children.
Not only is it the amazing photographs, every food item is categorized including quantity and price, but the entire grocery bill (or market value as some garden and some hunt) in the native currency as well as the dollar amount.
We also find out the favorite foods of many and get a recipe or two from each family. It's really not a cookbook, but an exploration of how many eat all around the world.
This book is VERY well done and very thorough. I was so amazed I showed it to my husband, who was almost late going to work because he couldn't put it down either.
March 24, 2017
This is a wonderful travel, food and photography book all in one. The authors take us along a round the world trip visting families in countries from all continents and giving us an account, not just about what they eat, but also how they live, making this a travel book in the true sense of the word. The book also includes several essays from other authors about topics such as the impact of fisheries and collection of other seafood on marine resources, eating habits and health, etc. I really liked this book and the only criticism I have is on its format, small print and weight, that makes it uncomfortable to read - in fact, I resumed my reading to breakfast and snack times, opening the book flat on the table, while eating. I believe there are other editions of this book, with different formats, which I recommend.
May 19, 2019
This isn’t the kind of book I read cover to cover. Rather you dip into for visual and factual snapshots of how various folks around the world eat. It is about a decade old now, so somewhat dated, but it still blows your mind to see all the variety culturally.
This book illustrates the food habits of 25 countries through the lens of a typical household and its consumption in a week. As in his past book about possessions - he does this by showing folks posed with those items. Then they look at a range of facts from the cost, specific foods and more. They also include other factors / health indicators. Later on they show different examples of types of foods like “street food” and other interesting snapshots.
This book was a great way to help broaden one’s cultural lens through a universal need - food. It also encourages one to ponder what is means to have “enough” vs “abundance” - which can be hard when immersed in a culture of immediate gratification and excess.
This book illustrates the food habits of 25 countries through the lens of a typical household and its consumption in a week. As in his past book about possessions - he does this by showing folks posed with those items. Then they look at a range of facts from the cost, specific foods and more. They also include other factors / health indicators. Later on they show different examples of types of foods like “street food” and other interesting snapshots.
This book was a great way to help broaden one’s cultural lens through a universal need - food. It also encourages one to ponder what is means to have “enough” vs “abundance” - which can be hard when immersed in a culture of immediate gratification and excess.
January 22, 2020
Loved it! Very interesting book. Each chapter highlights a family from somewhere in the world. We see what they eat in a week and read about how they cook and shop, as well as why they eat the way they do. Also included are essays connecting diet and disease, or global food patterns and the environment. I will definitely read this book again.
September 4, 2020
Lovely book for flipping through or reading cover to cover. It is so interesting to see how people eat around the world. Such a wonderful way to explore cultures.
April 17, 2021
This is a masterpiece on what we can call as food anthropology. While reading one can actually feel how lives of people revolve around food throughout the world be it Iceland, Bhutan, Italy, or Japan. An amazing read!
January 27, 2017
continually use as part of our homeschool studies
March 29, 2018
Incredibly interesting and gives so much insight into how different types of people treat food and grocery shopping. Great photos too.
July 15, 2018
Fine photojournalism on one of the most basic things that binds us, and in some ways, also separates us, as people sharing one globe.
Bit of a warning: this book came out in 2005, so some of the info is certainly out of date, but I think the general portrait is still apropos.
Interesting read for anyone interested in the geography & cultural significance of food.
Bit of a warning: this book came out in 2005, so some of the info is certainly out of date, but I think the general portrait is still apropos.
Interesting read for anyone interested in the geography & cultural significance of food.
June 2, 2015
I ran across this book in the cookbook section of the library. While it has a few recipes in it, it's not a traditional cookbook. It's a comparison of various families around the world and what they eat in the course of a week. Each family is surrounded by all the food they would normally purchase and eat in one week with corresponding list of food items in the picture and food cost.
This book was put together in 2005, so the world and its economy has had time to change in 10 years. The Americans in the book seem to eat a lot of sodas, fast food, and processed food with few fruits & vegetables. However, I'd venture to guess that perhaps they eat fewer processed foods these days as a result of books and educational endeavors to change American eating habits. I would also guess that they buy less food overall with the same amount of money buying so much less food. I found it interesting how one of the families talked about how they tried adding in gym workouts to their weekly routines which ended up creating the problem of eating out more because there wasn't time to cook and work out after a day at work. I recently ditched my gym membership, too, so that I'd have more time to cook at home and do more natural types of exercise like yard work.
For most of the countries in the book, I was shocked by how much food a normal family consumes in a week. In most cases, it seemed excessive ... or that there were interesting points of excess exhibited within a culture. I was struck by how much meat Australians eat; how many chili peppers Bhutanis eat; how much bread, pasta, and cigarettes Italians consume; how much beer Germans go through; and how many African cuisines focus more on filling up with whatever grain is available than making tasty food.
The Turkish section seemed so typical of what I've experienced in Turkish cooking classes where measurements are loose and depend on knowing the size of the coffee cup that the cook uses in her kitchen to measure. And, even after a day at work, the typical Turkish cook will spend 2 hours on prepping all the little dishes they like to serve: rolled this and stuffed that. I never have the time to duplicate these types of labor-intensive dishes at home when my family wants food 15 minutes ago.
I was most impressed most by the section on Okinawa, Japan, where they have a disproportionate number of people living to be over 100. Scientist have attributed their longevity to their healthy eating habits, exercise, low stress, and the community's assistance of their elders. They eat largely seafood and vegetables and live by the motto hara hachi bu - "eat only until 80% full". What a revelation, right?
Another interesting thing about most countries is that blended families were the norm with very few families consisting of just husband, wife, and children. Most included other family members of various generations.
All in all, I found the book highly interesting. It's hard to say whether these represent truly typical families within a country, but it was a nice view into various kitchens around the world.
This book was put together in 2005, so the world and its economy has had time to change in 10 years. The Americans in the book seem to eat a lot of sodas, fast food, and processed food with few fruits & vegetables. However, I'd venture to guess that perhaps they eat fewer processed foods these days as a result of books and educational endeavors to change American eating habits. I would also guess that they buy less food overall with the same amount of money buying so much less food. I found it interesting how one of the families talked about how they tried adding in gym workouts to their weekly routines which ended up creating the problem of eating out more because there wasn't time to cook and work out after a day at work. I recently ditched my gym membership, too, so that I'd have more time to cook at home and do more natural types of exercise like yard work.
For most of the countries in the book, I was shocked by how much food a normal family consumes in a week. In most cases, it seemed excessive ... or that there were interesting points of excess exhibited within a culture. I was struck by how much meat Australians eat; how many chili peppers Bhutanis eat; how much bread, pasta, and cigarettes Italians consume; how much beer Germans go through; and how many African cuisines focus more on filling up with whatever grain is available than making tasty food.
The Turkish section seemed so typical of what I've experienced in Turkish cooking classes where measurements are loose and depend on knowing the size of the coffee cup that the cook uses in her kitchen to measure. And, even after a day at work, the typical Turkish cook will spend 2 hours on prepping all the little dishes they like to serve: rolled this and stuffed that. I never have the time to duplicate these types of labor-intensive dishes at home when my family wants food 15 minutes ago.
I was most impressed most by the section on Okinawa, Japan, where they have a disproportionate number of people living to be over 100. Scientist have attributed their longevity to their healthy eating habits, exercise, low stress, and the community's assistance of their elders. They eat largely seafood and vegetables and live by the motto hara hachi bu - "eat only until 80% full". What a revelation, right?
Another interesting thing about most countries is that blended families were the norm with very few families consisting of just husband, wife, and children. Most included other family members of various generations.
All in all, I found the book highly interesting. It's hard to say whether these represent truly typical families within a country, but it was a nice view into various kitchens around the world.
July 6, 2022
I actually like this book a lot more than other similar books such as Material World. I first saw this as an exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago and then read a copy of the hardcover book. I enjoyed it enough so that I bought the paperback version and although I have not reread it, but I have occasionally looked through it.
It doesn’t get 5 stars from me because, as with all these books comparing people’s circumstances depending on what countries/parts of the world they reside, it doesn’t provide much in the way of variations within countries/areas. I know the photographers/writers/editors can do only so much, but I consider this a significant flaw.
What was most interesting to me is how, even in destitute areas, the people in many other countries eat so much better than I/many others do in the United States and other western first world countries. The photos really tell the story: lots of processed “foods” here, and plenty of fresh produce/foods in many other places. Although I haven’t made huge changes in my own diet, this book is one of the sources that reminded me that simple is usually healthier, and often more delicious. That said, I continue to like variety and, even though I don’t have the means to grow my own food, I feel fortunate to have the financial resources to procure sufficient food.
It doesn’t get 5 stars from me because, as with all these books comparing people’s circumstances depending on what countries/parts of the world they reside, it doesn’t provide much in the way of variations within countries/areas. I know the photographers/writers/editors can do only so much, but I consider this a significant flaw.
What was most interesting to me is how, even in destitute areas, the people in many other countries eat so much better than I/many others do in the United States and other western first world countries. The photos really tell the story: lots of processed “foods” here, and plenty of fresh produce/foods in many other places. Although I haven’t made huge changes in my own diet, this book is one of the sources that reminded me that simple is usually healthier, and often more delicious. That said, I continue to like variety and, even though I don’t have the means to grow my own food, I feel fortunate to have the financial resources to procure sufficient food.
June 10, 2015
A sobering read for anyone living in a first world country. It must be a terrible thing to be undernourished and go hungry, not just for a few weeks, but for months on end. The image of the meagre amount of food the family from Chad refugee camp had to eat was heartbreaking and made me rethink the amount of money I donate to organisations like Oxfam. I feel so privileged to live where I do. Other outstanding observations: The amount of meat we eat in Australia is incredible (I personally, am not that carnivorous). The massive volume of take-away, and pre-prepared and processed foods that average US citizens eat is mind boggling – hardly any fresh food! (I’m wondering if that report is accurate.) The fact that in Ecuador, they don’t eat/can’t afford meat, but they drink tea made from Stinging Nettle (EEK!).
This is a fantastic reference book to browse through in your leisure time. I must have read through it all at least twice now. Sadly, it’s getting out of date, but the message is still there, plus a whole lot of interesting facts. I thank Amy for bringing it to my attention.
This is a fantastic reference book to browse through in your leisure time. I must have read through it all at least twice now. Sadly, it’s getting out of date, but the message is still there, plus a whole lot of interesting facts. I thank Amy for bringing it to my attention.
July 15, 2007
Part photo essay, part political/social commentary, part foodie exploration. It's an amazing book that chronicles the authors' journeys to 24 countries to see how everyday families eat. The book is arranged alphabetically by country. They have photographed the ordinary weekly food intake (at the authors' expense) of each family and written a companion essay touching on the circumstances of that family, general information about the country, and so forth. The pictures are high quality, and the essays are compelling and well-written. It is a political book on multiple levels, of course, but it doesn't beat the reader over the head with first world guilt, instead letting the food and the families speak for themselves. It certainly gave this reader pause to consider how much I consume and how I consume it.
November 11, 2007
We recieved this book as a wedding gift along with Material World, another 5 star book. Hungry Planet is a written and photogrpahic journey of the eating habits of families in various countries. Each family visually displays and lists their weekly grocery purchases. The narrative provides background on the family and the history and customs of their country. The family also provides a favorite recipe--I hope to go back and try some of these. The most interesting countries for me were Okinawa for the longevity diet of its people; Greenland for the remoteness; and The Phillipines for a true understanding of their political history. I know I will come back to this book many times and recommend it for everyone's coffee table.
November 21, 2007
The authors visited 30 families in 24 countries and asked them about their dietary habits, as well as taking a photo of them with a week's worth of food. The countries visited ranged from the US & Australia to Chad and Mongolia. Essays about food-related social issues from various authors (including Jared Diamond & Eric Schlosser, IIRC) are sprinkled throughout, and a chart comparing the countries' financial & food-related statistics is included at the back. A fascinating (& depressing) look at world-wide consumption.
June 18, 2013
Very nice pictures, and made me think about what I eat and how people look more and more healthy as they approach the ground in what they eat. The families that spent more and had everything in little bottles and packets, look also more and more unhealthy. I liked the lack of biases in this book, and the way it makes you re-evaluate your whole life by seeing all those happy faces that are so happy with so little.
February 25, 2024
Insightful! This is an excellent read for anyone considering our dietary choices. Certainly makes me reevaluate how much I think I need to spend on food and how much is actually wasted. Also, helps me appreciate the my living space.
October 25, 2018
This was really fascinating. I expected a heavy-handed shaming of American/Western overeating, but the story of foods and culture as found in this book is much is much more nuanced and complicated.
May 31, 2021
I do not recommend this book. It felt very weird, what they were trying to do. Dry and encyclopedic in parts, but clearly obsessed with the problem of obesity and the rapid reliance on processed foods. In the end I just didn't think it was well executed, and there were several things that were just odd.
Of the 50 or so vignettes, few of the families' stories really felt compelling to me and they couldn't hold my interest. I skimmed a lot of it and it was so dry I couldn't read much in a sitting. Very repetitive – the family has breakfast, people go to the market (or the equivalent source of food), some discussion about the family members' occupations during the day, and then dinner. So if the authors couldn't tell individual stories well, maybe they were looking for patterns and drawing broad conclusions. But they didn't quite do that either, and what was there felt rather amateurish and obvious. It sort of felt like the book couldn't do either thing well. I mean if you're going to write with a certain viewpoint and a certain agenda, go ahead, tell that story, make it compelling and connect the dots. I don't think this book achieved that.
The whole bit of photographing the family with a week of food rations. Except for a very few cases, there's not really much information you can glean from that photo because there is just so much food. There was one comment in the book that families were surprised about how much they ate every week, seeing it all together like that. And I was like really, because I shop for a week's provisions every week so I don't really see how it could be a revelation. And in another part they talk about another family buying in bulk for the photograph, when normally they wouldn't purchase that item in such big amounts because it doesn't keep well. So...they made them waste their money just to get a photo? And they list the weekly grocery price a family spends, but it is per family, not per person, so not very useful because the families were different sizes.
Clearly there is some culinary interest in the book but it is a very minor portion. Instead of a week's worth of food I'd have preferred more photos of the meal preparation and the recipes they actually ate. There is a recipe printed for each family; but in most cases it is only of academic interest because the ingredients are aggressively local – seal for example. The recipes are presented as more of a curiosity than something the average American cook could actually have a hope of reproducing.
Of the 50 or so vignettes, few of the families' stories really felt compelling to me and they couldn't hold my interest. I skimmed a lot of it and it was so dry I couldn't read much in a sitting. Very repetitive – the family has breakfast, people go to the market (or the equivalent source of food), some discussion about the family members' occupations during the day, and then dinner. So if the authors couldn't tell individual stories well, maybe they were looking for patterns and drawing broad conclusions. But they didn't quite do that either, and what was there felt rather amateurish and obvious. It sort of felt like the book couldn't do either thing well. I mean if you're going to write with a certain viewpoint and a certain agenda, go ahead, tell that story, make it compelling and connect the dots. I don't think this book achieved that.
The whole bit of photographing the family with a week of food rations. Except for a very few cases, there's not really much information you can glean from that photo because there is just so much food. There was one comment in the book that families were surprised about how much they ate every week, seeing it all together like that. And I was like really, because I shop for a week's provisions every week so I don't really see how it could be a revelation. And in another part they talk about another family buying in bulk for the photograph, when normally they wouldn't purchase that item in such big amounts because it doesn't keep well. So...they made them waste their money just to get a photo? And they list the weekly grocery price a family spends, but it is per family, not per person, so not very useful because the families were different sizes.
Clearly there is some culinary interest in the book but it is a very minor portion. Instead of a week's worth of food I'd have preferred more photos of the meal preparation and the recipes they actually ate. There is a recipe printed for each family; but in most cases it is only of academic interest because the ingredients are aggressively local – seal for example. The recipes are presented as more of a curiosity than something the average American cook could actually have a hope of reproducing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2017
I saw something on Facebook once that added up what the average person spent if every meal they ate was purchased. $5 at the coffee shop. $10 for lunch. $15 for dinner. "You're not too broke to travel; you're just too lazy to cook."
Fast food is cheap and convenient. Packaged foods aren't necessarily cheap, but convenient. Cooking at home is healthier and cheaper, but not many of us do it. An article in The Washington Post from March 2015 stated that less than 60 percent of suppers served at home were actually cooked at home last year. The percentage was closer to 75 percent 30 years earlier.
We live in an interesting paradox where the amount of people eating too much nearly mirrors the number of people without enough. Hungry Planet: What The World Eats explores this phenomenon by spending time with 30 families in 24 countries. They watched what they ate, how they shopped, and how they prepared their food for a week. At the end of seven days, they created a portrait with the family and the food they consumed in one week. The differences were such an eye-opener. Families in China ate so many fresh fruits and vegetables, while refuges relied on rice and mot much else. We think of Americans as the biggest consumer of fast foods, but other countries take advantage of its convenience, too -- while lamenting the downfall of their culinary culture.
Fast food is cheap and convenient. Packaged foods aren't necessarily cheap, but convenient. Cooking at home is healthier and cheaper, but not many of us do it. An article in The Washington Post from March 2015 stated that less than 60 percent of suppers served at home were actually cooked at home last year. The percentage was closer to 75 percent 30 years earlier.
We live in an interesting paradox where the amount of people eating too much nearly mirrors the number of people without enough. Hungry Planet: What The World Eats explores this phenomenon by spending time with 30 families in 24 countries. They watched what they ate, how they shopped, and how they prepared their food for a week. At the end of seven days, they created a portrait with the family and the food they consumed in one week. The differences were such an eye-opener. Families in China ate so many fresh fruits and vegetables, while refuges relied on rice and mot much else. We think of Americans as the biggest consumer of fast foods, but other countries take advantage of its convenience, too -- while lamenting the downfall of their culinary culture.
March 26, 2021
What a freaking fantastic book; this will sit on my coffee table forever. Peter and Faith present a kaleidoscope of cultures through vibrant pictures and well-written narratives of the lives of the subjects. It can be stunning to be learning about a family living in a tiny hut with no electricity in Bhutan, then to turn the page to find yourself in Australia where the family beams in front of an aboveground pool.
From refugee camp rations to gallons of Coke, we get an intimate view of what people the world over eat. Sometimes it's shocking, sometimes it's about what you expect; the more industrialized and developed a country is, the bigger the proportion of their table is crowded by packaged and processed products, while those in the Global South tend to have their tables covered in vegetables, grains, and fruit, and only sometimes meat.
Being a reader in the US, this book puts our privilege squarely in perspective, and teaches us not only to be appreciative of what we have, but gives us greater knowledge about the world unknown to us until now.
From refugee camp rations to gallons of Coke, we get an intimate view of what people the world over eat. Sometimes it's shocking, sometimes it's about what you expect; the more industrialized and developed a country is, the bigger the proportion of their table is crowded by packaged and processed products, while those in the Global South tend to have their tables covered in vegetables, grains, and fruit, and only sometimes meat.
Being a reader in the US, this book puts our privilege squarely in perspective, and teaches us not only to be appreciative of what we have, but gives us greater knowledge about the world unknown to us until now.
Read
June 28, 2022From the Publisher:
The age-old practice of sitting down to a family meal is undergoing unprecedented change as rising world affluence and trade, along with the spread of global food conglomerates, transform eating habits worldwide. HUNGRY PLANET profiles 30 families from around the world--including Bosnia, Chad, Egypt, Greenland, Japan, the United States, and France--and offers detailed descriptions of weekly food purchases; photographs of the families at home, at the market, and in their communities; and a portrait of each family surrounded by a week's worth of groceries. Featuring photo essays on international street food, meat markets, fast food, and cookery, this captivating chronicle offers a riveting look at what the world really eats.
The age-old practice of sitting down to a family meal is undergoing unprecedented change as rising world affluence and trade, along with the spread of global food conglomerates, transform eating habits worldwide. HUNGRY PLANET profiles 30 families from around the world--including Bosnia, Chad, Egypt, Greenland, Japan, the United States, and France--and offers detailed descriptions of weekly food purchases; photographs of the families at home, at the market, and in their communities; and a portrait of each family surrounded by a week's worth of groceries. Featuring photo essays on international street food, meat markets, fast food, and cookery, this captivating chronicle offers a riveting look at what the world really eats.
March 2, 2024
Menzel's book was wonderful and startling and made me think. He's hooked up with families across the globe and photographed them with a week's worth of food on the table, then priced the week's food. Oh my. The dietary variation is incredible with plant based diets in developing or isolated nations amounting to such a small selection (through a western lens) and costing so little. Developed nations are high calorie with many foods of low nutritive value, many prepared and packaged foods and so so expensive. I should do this and think hard about hunger, wealth and sustenance.
February 18, 2024
When I stumble upon such an- depth decades -long research spreading across the world I am simply stunned.
This meticular photo- research tells us the story of what the world eats and how much is being paid for it. Owing to the book I can see where the world plastic problem comes from and the tendency that bends our eating habits and consequent health deceases caused by it.
A well-worth read!
This meticular photo- research tells us the story of what the world eats and how much is being paid for it. Owing to the book I can see where the world plastic problem comes from and the tendency that bends our eating habits and consequent health deceases caused by it.
A well-worth read!
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December 4, 2015Title: Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Author: Peter Menzel & Faith D’Aluisio
Genre: Photographic Essay
Theme(s): Diversity, Differences, Nutrition
Opening line/sentence: “Peter Manzel and I invited ourselves to dinner with 30 families in 24 countries to explore humankind’s oldest social activity, eating.”
Brief Book Summary: In this wonderful photo essay, we take a trip around the world to visit different countries and experience their eating habits. Bright, delicious looking pictures of the different cuisines and diets take over the pages and introduce us to the other side of our planet.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: The authors' Hungry Planet: What the World Eats won the James Beard Foundation Award in 2005 for Book of the Year. In this new youth edition, the creators have reworked the text, added new material, and honed the book s focus to more specifically reflect the experiences of young people. The basic concept, however, remains the same: an illustrated survey of what people across the globe eat in a single week. In preparation for this project, Menzel and D’Aluisio shared meals with 25 families in 21 countries around the globe. Each chapter serves as an intimate photo-essay of a different family and their week s worth of groceries, listed (with prices in both local and U.S. currency) and pictured in a photograph of food and family members that opens each section. Stunning color photographs of mealtimes and daily activities illustrate the warm, informative, anecdotal narratives about each family. New to this volume are the many pages of statistics, displayed in eye-catching graphics that compare various countries rates of obesity, access to safe water, daily caloric intake, and other food-related issues. Like the adult edition, this is a fascinating, sobering, and instructive look at daily life around the world, and it will draw readers of a wide age range to its beautifully composed pages. (CLCD, Gillian Engberg, Booklist)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: If you have ever wondered what your counterparts around the world eat for their daily meals, some answers can be found in this impressive book. It takes a look at what a typical family in a variety of countries buys for a weeks worth of groceries. The families are pictured with the food and the cost is given in local and U.S. dollars. In addition, the foods are categorized: grains; dairy; meat, fish and eggs; fruits and vegetables; condiments; snacks; prepared food; fast food; beverages; and miscellaneous. Readers are presented with a fact box that summarizes information about the country and a presents a section of a world map to show where that country is located. The pages that follow describe life in that part of the world and how the family shops. There are also recipes of some of the traditional foods. A reader might assume that those from wealthier countries who have a variety of foods from around the world might have a healthier diet, but that is not always the case. Major and abrupt changes in diet such as those of aboriginal Australians, Native Americans and the like can bring on diseases like diabetes and issues related to obesity. The book is a treasure trove of facts most of which are presented in graphs and charts. Some that are really intriguing include the number of McDonald s restaurants and a comparison of the overweight and obese populations. You can see a correlation. Other charts relate information about annual meat consumption, life expectancy, access to safe water, literacy rate and fertility rates. There is extensive back matter including books, films, websites and lists of sources plus an extensive index. The author has created an excellent book for reference, report writing and browsing. (CLCD, Marilyn Courtot, Children’s Literature)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I agree with both reviews that the photos paired with charts full of information give the reader an inside look on what other countries eat compared to themselves. I liked that the second review mentioned the assumptions that are often made about wealthier countries eating better and this book proving that theory wrong. I agree that the amount of work and planning put into this is phenomenal as they shared dinners with 30 families in over 20 countries.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book does a phenomenal job of showing pictures and labeling them for the students to understand. These vibrant pictures allow for students to feel a part of the different countries and experience their cuisine. Labels, charts, and recipes allow for students to be introduced to different cultures, experiences, and even languages. Though this book doesn’t follow the normal plotline of a story, it walks the reader through the world through food and cultural traditions.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Since this story focuses on different cultures around the world, this would be a great book to partner with a lesson about diversity. Students will be instructed to bring in a photo of something that makes their home home . These pictures will then be added to a classroom mural to show that different cultures and backgrounds can come together to make something great.
Author: Peter Menzel & Faith D’Aluisio
Genre: Photographic Essay
Theme(s): Diversity, Differences, Nutrition
Opening line/sentence: “Peter Manzel and I invited ourselves to dinner with 30 families in 24 countries to explore humankind’s oldest social activity, eating.”
Brief Book Summary: In this wonderful photo essay, we take a trip around the world to visit different countries and experience their eating habits. Bright, delicious looking pictures of the different cuisines and diets take over the pages and introduce us to the other side of our planet.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: The authors' Hungry Planet: What the World Eats won the James Beard Foundation Award in 2005 for Book of the Year. In this new youth edition, the creators have reworked the text, added new material, and honed the book s focus to more specifically reflect the experiences of young people. The basic concept, however, remains the same: an illustrated survey of what people across the globe eat in a single week. In preparation for this project, Menzel and D’Aluisio shared meals with 25 families in 21 countries around the globe. Each chapter serves as an intimate photo-essay of a different family and their week s worth of groceries, listed (with prices in both local and U.S. currency) and pictured in a photograph of food and family members that opens each section. Stunning color photographs of mealtimes and daily activities illustrate the warm, informative, anecdotal narratives about each family. New to this volume are the many pages of statistics, displayed in eye-catching graphics that compare various countries rates of obesity, access to safe water, daily caloric intake, and other food-related issues. Like the adult edition, this is a fascinating, sobering, and instructive look at daily life around the world, and it will draw readers of a wide age range to its beautifully composed pages. (CLCD, Gillian Engberg, Booklist)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: If you have ever wondered what your counterparts around the world eat for their daily meals, some answers can be found in this impressive book. It takes a look at what a typical family in a variety of countries buys for a weeks worth of groceries. The families are pictured with the food and the cost is given in local and U.S. dollars. In addition, the foods are categorized: grains; dairy; meat, fish and eggs; fruits and vegetables; condiments; snacks; prepared food; fast food; beverages; and miscellaneous. Readers are presented with a fact box that summarizes information about the country and a presents a section of a world map to show where that country is located. The pages that follow describe life in that part of the world and how the family shops. There are also recipes of some of the traditional foods. A reader might assume that those from wealthier countries who have a variety of foods from around the world might have a healthier diet, but that is not always the case. Major and abrupt changes in diet such as those of aboriginal Australians, Native Americans and the like can bring on diseases like diabetes and issues related to obesity. The book is a treasure trove of facts most of which are presented in graphs and charts. Some that are really intriguing include the number of McDonald s restaurants and a comparison of the overweight and obese populations. You can see a correlation. Other charts relate information about annual meat consumption, life expectancy, access to safe water, literacy rate and fertility rates. There is extensive back matter including books, films, websites and lists of sources plus an extensive index. The author has created an excellent book for reference, report writing and browsing. (CLCD, Marilyn Courtot, Children’s Literature)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I agree with both reviews that the photos paired with charts full of information give the reader an inside look on what other countries eat compared to themselves. I liked that the second review mentioned the assumptions that are often made about wealthier countries eating better and this book proving that theory wrong. I agree that the amount of work and planning put into this is phenomenal as they shared dinners with 30 families in over 20 countries.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book does a phenomenal job of showing pictures and labeling them for the students to understand. These vibrant pictures allow for students to feel a part of the different countries and experience their cuisine. Labels, charts, and recipes allow for students to be introduced to different cultures, experiences, and even languages. Though this book doesn’t follow the normal plotline of a story, it walks the reader through the world through food and cultural traditions.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Since this story focuses on different cultures around the world, this would be a great book to partner with a lesson about diversity. Students will be instructed to bring in a photo of something that makes their home home . These pictures will then be added to a classroom mural to show that different cultures and backgrounds can come together to make something great.
October 4, 2019
Absolutely fantastic! What an undertaking and what an achievement! I remember seeing some of the pictures blown up along a hallway in a museum and being enthralled with them (all the other groups kept passing us by...). This book includes so much more than just the week's food pictures and the description of eating habits around the word. I can't say enough good things about it.
October 26, 2022
We use this alongside our geography studies each year, to meet different families from different countries around the world. I did use a sharpie to add clothing to a person or two, so give it a look through before opening up.
May 12, 2017
I would have liked to see more daily meals. Also, I didn't think it was fair to show some of the poorest countries when they were not in growing/harvest season.
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