WASHINGTON, D.C. June 4 (DPI) – An American freelance photographer traveled the globe to stage families with a week’s worth of groceries, a remarkably powerful presentation that’s triggered more than 800 reader comments over the last year about what it all meant.

http://fstoppers.com/what-a-week-of-groceries-looks-like-around-the-world

The conclusion among readers? The US and other western countries still consume huge amounts of processed foods.  And less developed countries – where families lived on beans, legumes and water – might actually be better off nutritionally, even when the water’s more likely to be impure.

A Mexican Family With a Typical Week’s Groceries – (Photo – Peter Menzel)

Indeed, when they weren’t attacking one another over their views, readers generally were struck by all the “water substitutes,” such as 2-liter soda bottles, in many of the pictures.

The photo montage was produced by Napa. Ca., based freelance photographer Peter Menzel.

http://www.menzelphoto.com/contacts.php

Reader comments bandied about the virtues of water compared with other liquids in the diet. Many comments too focused on the overwhelming use of processed foods in western countries:

… western cultures are based upon consumerism.. if u consume then u exist!. I noticed this because I lived in west recently, whereas most of my life I lived it in middle east when I was young. in my country there is not such huuuge ugly emphasis on material consumerism and material posessions.. also, in western countries the family is small but the food they buy feeds two other families along with them!!! and its all packaged processed food! I eat very simple basic whole grains and vegetables. I make my own bread so I can use natural sourdough.. packaged food soooo full of sugar. I feel bad for 3 whole days if I consume too much sugar in just one piece of cake!