Have a family feast for $1.23/week

[dancing-loon]

http://homelessnation.org/en/node/7412
One week's worth of food by various cultures
Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07
Germany: Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07
United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98
USA: United States: The Revis family of North Carolina Food expenditure for one week: $341.98
Japan : The Ukita family of Kodaira City
Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25
Japan: Japan : The Ukita family of Kodaira City Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25
Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11
Italy: Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11
Mexico : The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09
Mexico: Mexico : The Casales family of Cuernavaca Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09
Poland : The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27
Poland: Poland : The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27
Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyp tian Pounds or $68.53
Egypt: Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyp tian Pounds or $68.53
Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55
Ecuador: Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo Food expenditure for one week: $31.55
Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03
Bhutan: Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03
Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23
Chad: Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

 

[s_lone]

Thank you for posting this, dancing-loon...

 

[Pangloss]

Interesting comparison, but not for the numbers involved: it's the pictures that tell the story of the relative wealth of the families.

Are all these families what each country would call middle class (presuming that is what is being compared here)? Is there any adjustment made for the relative costs of the foods? A banana in Latin America might just be cheaper than one in Poland or Germany. The reverse could be said for German beer.

What about the nutritive content of their diets? What of the lifestyles of the different families? A labourer needs more calories than a manager, all other things being the same.

Are these families representative of typical grocery expenditures for their class/region/lifestyle?

Just as a geologist can learn very little from a rock once it's been removed from its context, we can infer very little from these families, seeing as there is no context given for them.

Pangloss

 

[Unforgiven]

Now I'm hungry!

I notice that some are happy while others are sad. Also, is that actually typical or is there some amount of stageing going on to sooth the ego a little? Like people who know the camera will be on them so they comb their hair and tidy up their appearance.

 

[Westerner]

Some of them seem to be getting their money's worth. $50 here probably buys a quarter of what some of them are getting. But mind you $50 to them may be more like $200 to us.

A question to throw out there, what is everyone's grocery bill on this forum like for a week?

Mine for this week was:

Kippered Kipper (3) $3.87
1 litre Juice (2) $3.87
Whole Wheat Bread $1.19
Pinapple Fruit cups (4) $3.69
Trky Steaks $5.24
Atlantic Salmon $5.13
Beef Ribs $6.75
Ln Grd Beef (3) $10.12
Turkey Breats $9.67
Pork Chops $5.72
Ambrosia Apples 1.4 kg $2.92
Bananas 0.345 kg $1.76
Oranges (2) $0.59
Carrots $1.00
Broccolli $1.78
Mushrooms Wht 0.235 kg $0.82
Green pepper $1.03

Sub Total: $65.15
Tax 5% GST: $3.26
Deposit 0.5 (2) 0.10
Total: $68.51

 

[Pangloss]

I have a cooking day at my house on Monday, so I don't know. Three friends of mine are coming over to cook all day (and into the night) to make dinners for the next couple of weeks for our respective families.

I spent about $600 yesterday on groceries, but that will make dinners for eight people for two weeks = $1.86 a dinner.

Seems a bit low. . .of course I haven't factored in the wine we'll drink. Better adjust that to about fifteen bucks a dinner.

Pangloss

 

[Unforgiven]

It really varies for us. We're three adults now, and for two, weekly lunches are usually at a reasaurant. As well, vegitables that are in season make a lot of difference in the price.
Having my druthers, I would shop for enough food for a day or two. But Oakville isn't really set up for walking to the local shops to find what's freshest. I hope to change that once we're living aboard.

On average I would say we run about $200 per week.

 

[Outta here]

My weekly budget varies too - I'd have to track my grocery expenses for at least a month to see what it averages out to. I tend to watch for sales, load up on bulk items where I can, and just replenish the fresh produce and dairy when needed.

Yesterday I shopped at Superstore and stocked up on some of the more expensive items - hygiene supplies, cleaning stuff, laundry supplies, condiments, spices, vitamins, coffee, garbage bags...all the things that aren't really food, but are 'necessities' nonetheless. I buy enough of it to hit the $250.00 mark so I can use their $30.00 off coupon. This will last us at least a month - but then I've also spent $60.00 last week on meat & frozen goods at another low-cost distributor, and I'll likely spend at least $60.00/week on fresh food and dairy...

So it looks like I'm spending roughly $140.00 per week for a family of 3... not including meals out - we probably do that about once a week.

Then again, I can easily spend 1/2 that amount on groceries for a single meal if I'm having company for a 'nice' meal.

Looking at some of the depictions in the OP, I'm reminded just how fortunate I am. I do remember times when it was a struggle to feed my family and how that made me feel as a mother.

Interesting thing I noticed in the above pics tho - so many of the families have pop and junk food shown as part of their weekly grocery purchase. Is that normal? 8O I don't tend to stock up on that stuff regularly, if we're jonsin' for some junk, we have to make a trip to the store to go get some.

 

[L Gilbert]

I noticed the same thing that Pan saw. Wealth is a relative issue. Then climate has a lot of influence on what and how much people eat too. IE, look at the Inuit who have a high fat/carb and low veg diet(or used to), and in comparison, the San people of the Kalahari have a high veg and low carb diet. I eat quite a bit less in the summer than the winter. It also depends on the metabolism of the people considered. How efficient are their metabolisms? I haven't looked into humans regarding that asspect but notice the amount of food that a bovine consumes. I think it's in the neighborhood of about 20 lbs a day. Now look at the amount of food a cheetah consumes. I think the average is about 7 lbs a day.

 

[dancing-loon]

Good idea, Westerner, to take stock of how much we consume per week. I'll start tomorrow to write down what I eat and the cost of it.
Just as an estimate, I don't think I use more than 50 $ per week for myself. I buy water, but I don't eat out.

What came to mind when I looked at those pictures and the tiny amount of the family in
Chad with just 1.23/week, I can't help thinking, WHY are there so many starving children in Africa? Where do the millions of aid money go? It should be easy to feed the poorest of the poor, if food is that cheap.

TheGermans could drink a few beer less and donate the saved money to feed half a dozen families in Chad etc. The Mexicans could reduce their Coca Cola consumption and drink water instead!

If it only wasn't so difficult to get people seriously involved in putting aside the money saved by cutting down on non-essential items and donate that money to the food bank in Third World Countries, IF one could trust such an organization!

I'm happy, so many of you show a keen interest in this site.