We need to begin to think like villagers again, but will we? I hope so . . .
Seeing it like this puts our grocery buying habits in “developed” countries into perspective doesn’t it?! Much of our diet could be grown in our own back yards as done in other countries, or bought at local markets. Some of these pictures are just plain scary, don’t you think?! From the book What the World Eats by Peter Menzel (thank you to the person who supplied the source of these photos 🙂 )
A Random Harvest 
I actually have this book! I have been using it to discuss different people around the world with a boy I’m working with. Small world 🙂
Small world, indeed, Kym!!
It’s so telling, seeing the pictures all together, isn’t it?
It certainly makes for interesting conversations with children. They think everywhere is the same so it really opens up their minds to see how different other countries are.
You are so right, Kym! What sort of work are you doing with him? if it’s ok to ask, of course . . .
I’m working with a 9 year old boy who hasn’t been to school for 2 years. I am getting him ready to reenter a classroom environment. I also have been discussing food as his diet has been limited as well. We will be doing cooking this term. This book was a great way of looking at how different people have different diets.
Sounds challenging, but fun!
He’s a great age for cooking. My eldest son was about 11 or 12 when he went to a summer camp. One thing they did was to make bannock, a type of baking powder biscuit (not your ‘biscuit’!), which they cooked by twining strips of the dough around a green branch (broken off) and holding that over the campfire coals. He was SO excited when he returned home! So I taught him to make bread and he made all our bread for a couple of years, until we had to move into town.
Yeah…that’s settled it…I AM moving to Japan…
🙂
I think a lot of Canadians eat worse than the picture implies . . . but a lot of us eat better, too. In big countries, there are regional differences, too. It would have been interesting to see the comparisons a century or two ago, I think.
Very interesting. I dare say Australia back last century would have had 99% meat and a few spuds! 😉
Here, too, Narf7; at least the Euro immigrants did; First Nations people ate locally and in season ’til we lot came along . . . we should be learning from them . . .
My family ate a lot more veg in the summer, but we had home-canned tomatoes through the winter, plus tinned peas, beans and corn. The rest of the veg were what stored well in the root cellar; carrots, spuds, turnips (mangels).
Back last century it was hot here in Australia and before they had the convenience of fridges they used Coolgardie safes which operated on the principle of the cooling effects of evaporation. It’s no wonder we Aussies love curries and spicy food, it was most likely a blessing after the permanent “off” taste of meat on the turn! ;).