What A Week Of Groceries Looks Like Around The World

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  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    One thing I find Striking is the Stark color differences in the pictures. Look how brightly colored the US photo is to all the others.
  • StrongerJess
    StrongerJess Posts: 185 Member
    This was interesting! Thanks for the post.
  • beckizzle
    beckizzle Posts: 118 Member
    Loved this article when I read it first! great perspective!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I'm not defending the average American diet because I know that it is horrific, but a lot of the impact of these photos is in how things are displayed. For example, every family other than the US family has their meat on platters, while the US family's is in packages, giving it a "less healthy" appearance. They also have the potato chips propped up tall so that's the first thing you notice. And as somebody else pointed out, the bright colored packaging gives the appearance that there is more "junk" food in the picture. There are prepackaged foods in most of these photos. And just about every family other than those in Africa have some form of soda. Also, there are frozen pizzas in at least four other pictures, yet the American family is proudly displaying their delivery pizzas front and center. Is delivery worse than frozen? I don't know.
  • 4_Lisa
    4_Lisa Posts: 362 Member
    I LOVE that the German pic had their weekly stock of beer in the front row... lol

    Great thread. Definitely a focus on processed crap in developed countries. Great thread.
  • jagh09
    jagh09 Posts: 555 Member
    I like Germany! WOO! Mmmm....beer.
  • basslinewild
    basslinewild Posts: 294 Member
    Interesting!
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    I'm not defending the average American diet because I know that it is horrific, but a lot of the impact of these photos is in how things are displayed. For example, every family other than the US family has their meat on platters, while the US family's is in packages, giving it a "less healthy" appearance. They also have the potato chips propped up tall so that's the first thing you notice. And as somebody else pointed out, the bright colored packaging gives the appearance that there is more "junk" food in the picture. There are prepackaged foods in most of these photos. And just about every family other than those in Africa have some form of soda.

    Interestingly Japan has a lot of pre packaged foods but they are all drab colors very neutral. Interesting from a marketing and cultural perspective.
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
    Thanks for posting this! What a big eye opener.
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  • schaapj2
    schaapj2 Posts: 320 Member
    This is so interesting. It also shows the poverty level of countries v. the US. Look at Chad compared to the US....we are truly gluttons :(
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    I've seen these photos and I just think it's kinda biased and pushes an agenda. Yeah, the average American has some crappy eating habits, but it was super played up in these photos. Is it supposed to be a week's worth? If that's true then that's insane. Look at the soda in Mexico's photo! Can you really use a giant sack of potatoes in a week?

    If I had to pick a place to eat, I'd be in line for India. lol
  • ssami_89
    ssami_89 Posts: 79
    America runs off of convenience. Almost everything is processed, We really need to buy more fruits and vegtables and cook ourselves instead of opening a big of chips.
  • TammyS327
    TammyS327 Posts: 134 Member
    Interesting post. However my groceries never look like the picture of the US family, nor any of the others for that matter. Too much bread in some, alcohol in others, and the amount of processed food, in most, is amazing.
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    I'm not defending the average American diet because I know that it is horrific, but a lot of the impact of these photos is in how things are displayed. For example, every family other than the US family has their meat on platters, while the US family's is in packages, giving it a "less healthy" appearance. They also have the potato chips propped up tall so that's the first thing you notice. And as somebody else pointed out, the bright colored packaging gives the appearance that there is more "junk" food in the picture. There are prepackaged foods in most of these photos. And just about every family other than those in Africa have some form of soda.

    Interestingly Japan has a lot of pre packaged foods but they are all drab colors very neutral. Interesting from a marketing and cultural perspective.

    This! Did anyone notice the instant noodles in Japans photo? I almost didn't.
  • mrloserpunk
    mrloserpunk Posts: 92 Member
    Funny how only the Germans own up to drinking alcohol. I would expect some wine in an Italian household, and more than one bottle in the French one...

    Great thread btw :-)

    Totally! I noticed that. Um... Kinda discredits the "typical"aspect.

    What else are they hiding? Or... Is it rue the typical French family are non drinkers?
  • fuzzieme
    fuzzieme Posts: 454 Member
    It is an over generalization but isn't that the point? From working in supermarkets I can confirm the UK one, Obviously you get people who eat much better but overall I'd say it's spot on. You also get people eating much worse. This is a brilliant thread, very interesting. I'd say the lack of alcohol is because pubs aren't included, why would they be. Most families, the adults don't get hammered at home
  • cubsgirlinny
    cubsgirlinny Posts: 282 Member
    Nice visuals.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    The greater the affordability and choice , the poorer the food choices ( except japan)
  • suemcmurry
    suemcmurry Posts: 188 Member
    Interesting thread.... Nice to know where the problem originates!
  • stealthSLOTH
    stealthSLOTH Posts: 695 Member
    interesting. thanks for posting. food for thought (groan...)
  • kitsa77
    kitsa77 Posts: 9 Member
    I saw this at a BodyWorlds exhibit about a year ago, although the Canadian picture was different. This picture seems more realistic. The picture they had I don't think was a true image of the average Canadian's diet.
  • meadowsmummy
    meadowsmummy Posts: 108
    Also, there are frozen pizzas in at least four other pictures, yet the American family is proudly displaying their delivery pizzas front and center. Is delivery worse than frozen? I don't know.

    One day i was craving pizza so i went online and compared frozen pizza to a local delivery place. The local fresh pizza was a much healthier choice - 200 less calories and the sodium i cant even remember but it was insanely lower.
    Also frozen pizza rarely has enough topping so i used to add extra
  • dltaylorii
    dltaylorii Posts: 132
    The American pic is way over generalized, but Budweiser... seriously?!? GTFO.
  • dltaylorii
    dltaylorii Posts: 132
    Interesting thread.... Nice to know where the problem originates!

    LOL. Because THIS thread definitely gets to the bottom of it.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    I gotta say that I can't imagine any of these foods being for only 1 week. I feed a family of 4 on this amount of food for a month... :tongue: And our groceries look more like that of Mongolia... weird. lol
  • EHisCDN
    EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
    It's interesting to see a snapshot of what one family in each country eats and to compare (while that particular family may not represent the entire population). It seems like Coke is the international drink of choice!

    I'm surprised with the Canadian family. They look pretty healthy, and it is similar to what my grocery shop would look like. However, I think if you went across the country or even within communities it would be different. I know my best friend's shopping for the week would look completely different than mine or the one pictured because her family is vegetarian. The lifestyle people have would impact their grocery shopping (such as income level, food preferences and access to groceries etc)
  • ashleybreanna13
    ashleybreanna13 Posts: 249 Member
    Neat! good thing I'm not the typical American anymore... fruits & veggies all the way! :)
  • lavanaloses
    lavanaloses Posts: 6 Member
    interesting
  • katiethedetermined1
    katiethedetermined1 Posts: 68 Member
    I love this thread. Do you think though that America would be healthier if the prices of produce would go down? I mean when I look at my grocery bill the most expensive things on it are the produce. I don't tend to buy a lot of process foods but when I do they are a lot cheaper then produce by far.

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