What the world eats

[BeccaOH]

Americans eat a lot of junk food, but the amount that they showed was out of proportion to what I am seeing in other families around me. I would like to know how they arrived at their figures. Did they do a survey and if so, how many people were in the survey?

I don't know. Looking at other Wal-Mart shoppers' grocery carts around here, and I'd say it is pretty close to normal. Lots of prepackaged freezer foods, lots of soda, lots of chips, etc. Families tend to order pizza even once a week (or at least they were before some of the financial crunches).

I've heard the arguments from folks who say they don't have the time and money to cook from scratch (or from wholesome whole foods). I still meet several families who don't have time or inclination to garden or even stop at the farmer's market.

 

[Blackbird]

Deb, if you scroll down it has the average life expectancies for each country.

Your right Becca, they do. My sister and her husband finally stopped to prioritize their eating a bit. My sister emailed asking for some certain recipies because they're sick of eating take out and can't afford to eat out every day.

My sister also started a garden. Very small but better than nothing. Although most of her growing spots are filled with flowers that are niether edible nor medicinal.

 

[me&thegals]

I love scoping out people's grocery carts! Yes, a LOT of them are completely loaded with junk food.

That might not be the whole story, though. Sometimes when we have a big day planned (like chicken processing with family), my cart looks pretty bad, too. What people can't know is that there are NO fruits and veggies in my cart, milk products or whole grains because I'm getting all that from home.

Still, based on what I see in kids' lunchboxes (the few not taking hot lunch), people in our area of America eat pretty badly.

 

[Blackbird]

It seems whenever we're in Walmart there is always atleast one obese family with a cart full of things like donuts. Maybe its just up here, and we rarely go to the city to Walmart, but I'm serious, never fails to see it. Lol

 

[BeccaOH]

And since America is raising up a generation (or more) on processed food, many young moms (and dads) don't know what to do with whole foods.

My mom volunteers at the local food bank every other week (she is there today). She told me that one day the people going through line could choose one meat (a small roast, pork chops, or sausage dogs). That ran out of the dogs quickly, but the elderly folks were pleased with the roast and chops. Another time they had nice selections of potatoes and onions. A young mom admitted she had no idea how to use either one from scratch which saddened my mom.

It seems whenever we're in Walmart there is always at least one obese family with a cart full of things like donuts. Maybe its just up here, and we rarely go to the city to Walmart, but I'm serious, never fails to see it. Lol

It isn't just there. I see it and try not to judge.

 

[deb1]

hey deb1

you said: By the way, my family hasn't eaten fast food in a long time. We decided to splurge last night and get Burger King. Yuck. It wasn't as good as I remember plus the sandwhiches seem to have shrunk. I don't know if my taste buds have changed or if Burger King is just putting out less tasty food now.


_____
Yup when I went on my healthy eating plan I stopped the McDs and all that. When I did eat a quarterpounder on a road trip...yuck. Taste buds change back to normal when we don't eat this stuff...LOL--when we try it again, it is just sub-standard food!!!

I was looking forward to a sloppy Whopper with cheese. So I was disappointed. Maybe I will try to make my own based on what I remember.

 

[old fashioned]

I just found this SS site and was reading this thread and checked the link. Did anyone notice the families that spent the least on food, had no meat (atleast that I could see) and the family in Mali had very litte fruit and veggies, mostly just staple type foods, rice, beans etc. I'm not sure their diets are healthy enough. A few of the families also had fast food. But yes, the US family had sooo much food, fast food, processed foods, junk foods with little REAL food. I'd suspect they also throw alot of that away-either half eaten, or sits in cupboard or fridge too long. Seems like such a waste.

 

[Beekissed]

Old-fashioned!

 

[old fashioned]

Thank ya!! how ya doin?

 

[sylvie]

Welcome, Old Fashioned! I love it when new people join the site and participate by commenting on threads I missed, like this one. Thank you for that!

I'd like to visit all those families to sample the cuisines!!! Just to be sure it's of the finest quality, lol! I'll start with France.
Then apparently I need to buy stock in Coca Cola. WOW!

I read an in depth book on the long lived Vilcabamba of Equador. I am not surprised to see their array of foods because it is in keeping with what I read.
Their healthful diet was attributed to the soils that the Vilcabamba used for growing food. They're about midpoint on the mountains, with minerals washing down onto their farmlands each spring. These soils contain some amazing elements like Cadmium! Go figure!
There have been attempts to disprove the claim of longevity but it based on a few people's exaggerated memories.
You can't wander around daily in that altitude eating non processed foods from rich soils and not be on the higher end of the healthy chart, IMO.