What the World Eats

1307 Words6 Pages
From the time that we are small children to the time we are adults, we are taught that all people have three basic needs that must be met in order to survive. Those necessities include food, shelter, and clothing. The primary focus of this essay will be on the first necessity critical to survival, food. Because everyone needs to eat in order to function, it is probably safe to assume that most everyone in the world has participated in the task of acquiring groceries. For many of us, this means a short car ride to a local grocery store or farmer’s market, where we can acquire a variety of fresh and frozen foods. For others, it may mean a grueling walk through a refugee camp to receive a weekly rationing of rice, or other grain, maybe some lentils, and some small amounts of other vegetables. As depicted in the photos from the book, “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats,” some people can feed their families by spending a little over $1.00 per week, while others spend upwards of $400 per week. Regardless, after viewing these photos, one notion has become clear. That is, having more money equates to having more choices. Generally speaking, and from a marketing standpoint, it could be stated that having more money allows for a larger variety of tools to choose from to successfully solve problems. Further exploration of this idea begs the question of whether or not we can deduce what peoples’ values are by examining the choices they make. In an attempt to answer this question in the context of the food problem, my fellow grocery shoppers were observed one day while I completed my own grocery shopping at the local Schnuck’s. To gain some additional perspective, I discussed shopping habits with a family member who is a vegetarian. An account of my experience follows. I began that shopping adventure with my usual routine of grabbing a cart, and heading to the produce
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