TIME: What the world eats

As I make plans for Thanksgiving dinner, I found this collection of food photos particularly interesting.  These are pictures of what people around the world are eating.  They are the things that you might find in pantries around the world.

As I flipped through these pictures, the pictures of American food was alarming.  How much of it was pre-packaged or delivered?  How few fresh fruits and vegetables were in the diets of these families?  How similar are the diets of these families to that of my family?

TIME: What the world eats, Part 1

If this isn't awakening enough, there is a What the world eats, Part 2


With a home full of food allergies, what we eat is often different from those around us.  Most of our food is made the old-fashioned way - from scratch.  Food very rarely comes from boxes or cans and is never pre-made.  There are few short-cuts in our house.  It is utterly important for my family that I know how food has been prepared.  I need to know even the smallest details about what ingredients were added, where they were cooked, and what they have touched. 

Because of this, the food in my house is as close to what you would find in nature as they would be if you grew them yourself.  I often forget what other families are eating.  I sometimes feel so clueless to discover how often families eat out or how much of their food is wholly or partially prepared outside of their home.  My husband has always been a beacon reminding me that fresh fruits and vegetables are a delicious addition to any meal or snack time.  And, I believe, this is what has always encouraged me to fill our table with homemade foods even before we discovered our angel's allergies. 

This is why these photos intrigued me so.  I couldn't help but wonder how different are we from other American families.  Help me out:

What are you eating?  Even if your family doesn't have allergies, how close is it to its natural state before it enters your kitchen?  What does a balanced diet look like in your home?

The pictures posted by TIME caused me to reflect on my habits and I hope that they will do the same for you.