The Ukita Family

© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

The Ukita family—Sayo Ukita, 51, and her husband, Kazuo Ukita, 53, with children Maya, 14 (holding chips) and Mio, 17—in their dining room in Kodaira City, Japan, with one week’s worth of food. Cooking methods: gas stove, rice cooker. Food preservation: small refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods—Kazuo: sashimi. Sayo: fruit. Mio: cake. Maya: potato chips.

The Ukita family is one of the thirty families featured in the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats (p. 180). Food expenditure for one week: $317.25 USD.

The Molloy Family

© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats


The Molloy family—John, 43, Natalie, 41, Emily, 15 (called Em), and Sean, 5 (wearing his school uniform, including a hat for sun protection)—on the backyard patio by their pool in Brisbane, on Australia’s east coast, with one week’s worth of food, in January. Cooking methods: stove, microwave, and outdoor BBQ grill. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods—John: prawns and chocolate. Natalie: fresh fruits and cheese. Emily: Mexican food and homemade dips. Sean: spaghetti Bolognese and lollies.

The Molloy family is one of the thirty families featured in the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. Food expenditure for one week: $303.75 USD.