Peter Menzel & Faith D'Alusio

Hungry Planet. What the World Eats

(Available in German: So Isst der Mensch)

 

Thirty families in 24 countries portrayed with their typical weekly food purchases.

This book has been a favorite ever since I bought it, and even the boys were fascinated by the photos showing what people in various countries eat, from the family who hunts seals in Greenland to the Mexican family consuming 24 liters of Coca Cola each week.

Another book by the same authors entitled What I eat. Around the World in 80 Diets is organized by the number of calories consumed by each person, starting with 800 in Kenya and ending with an enormous number which I won't tell you here. Each person is shown with his or her daily ration and the photos are accompanied by descriptions and anecdotes.

These books are for anybody interested in food and I have hardly met anyone who didn't enjoy leafing through it. Would make great gifts. They also make you think about how your own weekly or daily rations would look if they were all arranged on a table in your home.