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Daily Bread: What Kids Eat Around the World
As globalization alters our relationship to food, photographer Gregg Segal has embarked on a global project asking kids from around the world to take his "Daily Bread" challenge. Each child keeps a detailed journal of everything they eat in a week, and then Segal stages an elaborate portrait of them surrounded by the foods they consumed. The colorful and hyper-detailed results tell a unique story of multiculturalism and how we nourish ourselves at the dawn of the 21st century.
From Los Angeles to Sao Paulo, Dakar to Hamburg, Dubai to Mumbai we come to understand that regardless of how small and interconnected the world seems to become each year, diverse pockets of traditional cultures still exist on each continent, eating largely the same way they have been for hundreds of years. It is this rich tapestry that Segal captures with care and appreciation, showcasing the page-after-page charm of Daily Bread. Contrasted with the packaged and processed foods consumed primarily in developed nations, questions about health and sustainability are raised and the book serves as a catalyst for consideration of our status quo.
There's an old adage, "The hand that stirs the pot rules the world." Big Food is stirring the pot for children all over the world. Nonetheless, there are regions and communities where slow food will never be displaced by junk food, where home-cooked meals are the bedrock of family and culture, and where love and pride are expressed in the aromas of stews and curries.
From Los Angeles to Sao Paulo, Dakar to Hamburg, Dubai to Mumbai we come to understand that regardless of how small and interconnected the world seems to become each year, diverse pockets of traditional cultures still exist on each continent, eating largely the same way they have been for hundreds of years. It is this rich tapestry that Segal captures with care and appreciation, showcasing the page-after-page charm of Daily Bread. Contrasted with the packaged and processed foods consumed primarily in developed nations, questions about health and sustainability are raised and the book serves as a catalyst for consideration of our status quo.
There's an old adage, "The hand that stirs the pot rules the world." Big Food is stirring the pot for children all over the world. Nonetheless, there are regions and communities where slow food will never be displaced by junk food, where home-cooked meals are the bedrock of family and culture, and where love and pride are expressed in the aromas of stews and curries.
120 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2019
143 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 3, 2021
A friend on Facebook posted an article about this book, prompting me to seek it out. It's a fascinating look at the diets of children around the world, showing how food corporations have touched nearly every life on our planet.
Profiling a week's diet of children from a handful of countries, the book highlights the contrasts and the similarities of what kids eat. Quantity doesn't always equal quality, and those living in some of the wealthiest places also have the worst diets, full of packaged food and lots of sugar. I found the indigenous children in Brazil particularly striking, especially compared with their city counterparts; the former have diets that would make a nutritionist weep with happiness, while the latter would just make a nutritionist weep. Societal norms are also expressed in the children's words, like that of a nine-year-old girl from India who isn't allowed to go to school because she has to take care of her baby brother... whom her mother loves more than her.
This is a long book, and will probably take a few sittings for most readers to get through. But it's interesting, and the spreads of food are fascinating to look at. I was, however, disappointed by the amount of typos, and the selection of places is a bit sparse. That last point is understandable, given funding issues, but I would've enjoyed seeing what kids ate in other places, too: Mongolia, Russia, Iceland, northern Canada, Australia, South Africa... and many more could have been included. The fact that even the USA is highly concentrated in southern California makes the selection of children seem... well, kind of bunched up. There isn't as much diversity as there could've been, even though it was interesting to see how diets varied wildly even within a particular city.
Readers who enjoy non-fiction titles like Children Just Like Me will probably be the audience for this book. It's not necessarily a children's book, either; adults will probably find the subject matter just as fascinating.
Profiling a week's diet of children from a handful of countries, the book highlights the contrasts and the similarities of what kids eat. Quantity doesn't always equal quality, and those living in some of the wealthiest places also have the worst diets, full of packaged food and lots of sugar. I found the indigenous children in Brazil particularly striking, especially compared with their city counterparts; the former have diets that would make a nutritionist weep with happiness, while the latter would just make a nutritionist weep. Societal norms are also expressed in the children's words, like that of a nine-year-old girl from India who isn't allowed to go to school because she has to take care of her baby brother... whom her mother loves more than her.
This is a long book, and will probably take a few sittings for most readers to get through. But it's interesting, and the spreads of food are fascinating to look at. I was, however, disappointed by the amount of typos, and the selection of places is a bit sparse. That last point is understandable, given funding issues, but I would've enjoyed seeing what kids ate in other places, too: Mongolia, Russia, Iceland, northern Canada, Australia, South Africa... and many more could have been included. The fact that even the USA is highly concentrated in southern California makes the selection of children seem... well, kind of bunched up. There isn't as much diversity as there could've been, even though it was interesting to see how diets varied wildly even within a particular city.
Readers who enjoy non-fiction titles like Children Just Like Me will probably be the audience for this book. It's not necessarily a children's book, either; adults will probably find the subject matter just as fascinating.
July 21, 2019
This book deserves a lot more attention. The author asks families to keep a food diary for a week, then travel's to the child's community and photographs him/her/them surrounded by a week's worth of meals. I knew this book had stunning photographs, but I hadn't realized how thought-provoking the interviews would be. Segal asks the children and teens about favorite foods, hobbies, family life, and career ambitions, but he also asks who prepares their meals, whether they ever cook or bake, whether they have ever grown or harvested food, what they would buy with unlimited money, what they think about right before going to sleep, and when they last cried. The kids discuss processed foods, home cooking, and favorite snacks. I've never had a spaghetti sandwich before, and now I want to know where I can get one.
August 10, 2022
Coffee table book to see what kids, tweens and teens from around the world eat. I wish more cities and countries* could have been included.
*Countries included: Italy, Brazil, Malaysia, India, United States, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Senegal, and France.
*Countries included: Italy, Brazil, Malaysia, India, United States, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Senegal, and France.
May 17, 2020
Vorgestellt werden Kinder aus verschiedenen Ländern und Lebensverhältnissen auf jeweils einer Doppelseite. Ein Text beschreibt ihre Familiensituation und ihre persönlichen Ziele, ein Übersichtsfoto zeigt die Mahlzeiten einer Woche. Die Fotos allein machen neugierig darauf, welche Lebensmittel abgebildet sind und ob der Betrachter selbst sie schon einmal probiert hat. Bereits die Kleidung der Kinder erzählt über ihre Kultur, Religion, ihr Schulsystem und welche Idole das abgebildete Kind haben könnte. Die jungen Fotomodelle sind zwischen 6 und 16 Jahre alt. Auffällig viele der Eltern üben Berufe im Bereich der Ernährung aus, wie z. B. der Vater von Altaf Bin Roni aus Malaysia (auf dem Titelbild), der an einem Ess-Stand Satay-Spieße verkauft.
Bilder und Texte zusammen zeigen eine globalisierte Welt, in der häufig mehrere Völker eine Nation bilden und in der Einwanderer in ihre traditionelle Ernährung die (nicht unbedingt gesunde) Ernährungsweise des Gastlandes integrieren. Brasilien, USA, Malaysia, Indien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate stehen hier beispielhaft für die Vielfalt aus traditioneller und industriell produzierter Ernährung. Auch Deutschland, Italien, Frankreich und Senegal sind Herkunftsländer der Kinder, die Texte über die deutschen Kinder fallen eher schwach aus. Der jeweilige Text zum Foto vermittelt deutlich Widersprüche des Themas Ernährung. Wer täglich auswärts isst, hat es schwerer, sich gesund zu ernähren; Take-Away-Verpackungen weisen auf das Problem hin. Plastikflaschen zeigen auf, dass nicht alle Kulturen sauberes Trinkwasser zur Verfügung haben. Auch in anderen Ländern mögen Kinder nicht unbedingt, was die Mensa anbietet oder was Erwachsene für gesund halten. So hat eine amerikanische Familie einen eigenen Gemüsegarten und Hühner, das Kind lebt jedoch von Toastbrot, Bacon, Würstchen und Popcorn. Abwechslungsreiche Ernährung muss nicht teuer sein, niemand zwingt jedoch wohlhabendere Familien, sich von Fertiggerichten zu ernähren. Interessant wäre hier die Frage gewesen, wie viel Prozent ihres Einkommens Familien in verschiedenen Ländern für Nahrungsmittel ausgeben. Nicht alle abgebildeten Kinder werden jeden Tag satt. Das sichtbare Unter- oder Übergewicht mit der Ernährung zu begründen, scheint mir etwas zu populistisch; zumal Gregg Segal im Nachwort verdeutlicht, dass Junkfood sich stets im Windschatten von Werbung im Alltag breitmachte.
Der Fotograf Gregg Segal stieß während eines konsumkritischen Foto-Projekts über Müll auf das Thema Ernährung. Beim ersten Durchblättern seines Buchs fragte ich mich ebenfalls, wo der Verpackungsmüll der abgebildeten Mahlzeiten geblieben ist und welche Familien wohl mit ihrer Ernährungsweise einen günstigen ökologischen Fußabdruck hinterlassen. Die Arbeit an diesem Buch wurde durch eine Kickstarter-Kampagne unterstützt und begann damit, dass Segal seinen Sohn und dessen Freunde fotografierte. Ihm liegt deutlich daran, die Verdrängung regionaler, ökologisch sinnvoller Ernährungsweisen in aller Welt durch Fastfood und Süßigkeiten aufzuzeigen und die darauf folgende Zunahme von Zivilisationskrankheiten bei Kindern. Zum Vergleich, wie verschieden die Lebensbedingungen innerhalb einzelner Länder (z. B. Malaysia, Brasilien) sein können, wäre ein Register der Nationen hilfreich gewesen.
Da für die Zielgruppe ab 8 Jahren Kenntnisse über andere Länder vorausgesetzt werden und einige Zusammenhänge sich in den Begleittexten verstecken, ist eine Begleitung des Buchs durch Erwachsene sinnvoll, wie z. B. in Ernährungsprojekten.
Bilder und Texte zusammen zeigen eine globalisierte Welt, in der häufig mehrere Völker eine Nation bilden und in der Einwanderer in ihre traditionelle Ernährung die (nicht unbedingt gesunde) Ernährungsweise des Gastlandes integrieren. Brasilien, USA, Malaysia, Indien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate stehen hier beispielhaft für die Vielfalt aus traditioneller und industriell produzierter Ernährung. Auch Deutschland, Italien, Frankreich und Senegal sind Herkunftsländer der Kinder, die Texte über die deutschen Kinder fallen eher schwach aus. Der jeweilige Text zum Foto vermittelt deutlich Widersprüche des Themas Ernährung. Wer täglich auswärts isst, hat es schwerer, sich gesund zu ernähren; Take-Away-Verpackungen weisen auf das Problem hin. Plastikflaschen zeigen auf, dass nicht alle Kulturen sauberes Trinkwasser zur Verfügung haben. Auch in anderen Ländern mögen Kinder nicht unbedingt, was die Mensa anbietet oder was Erwachsene für gesund halten. So hat eine amerikanische Familie einen eigenen Gemüsegarten und Hühner, das Kind lebt jedoch von Toastbrot, Bacon, Würstchen und Popcorn. Abwechslungsreiche Ernährung muss nicht teuer sein, niemand zwingt jedoch wohlhabendere Familien, sich von Fertiggerichten zu ernähren. Interessant wäre hier die Frage gewesen, wie viel Prozent ihres Einkommens Familien in verschiedenen Ländern für Nahrungsmittel ausgeben. Nicht alle abgebildeten Kinder werden jeden Tag satt. Das sichtbare Unter- oder Übergewicht mit der Ernährung zu begründen, scheint mir etwas zu populistisch; zumal Gregg Segal im Nachwort verdeutlicht, dass Junkfood sich stets im Windschatten von Werbung im Alltag breitmachte.
Der Fotograf Gregg Segal stieß während eines konsumkritischen Foto-Projekts über Müll auf das Thema Ernährung. Beim ersten Durchblättern seines Buchs fragte ich mich ebenfalls, wo der Verpackungsmüll der abgebildeten Mahlzeiten geblieben ist und welche Familien wohl mit ihrer Ernährungsweise einen günstigen ökologischen Fußabdruck hinterlassen. Die Arbeit an diesem Buch wurde durch eine Kickstarter-Kampagne unterstützt und begann damit, dass Segal seinen Sohn und dessen Freunde fotografierte. Ihm liegt deutlich daran, die Verdrängung regionaler, ökologisch sinnvoller Ernährungsweisen in aller Welt durch Fastfood und Süßigkeiten aufzuzeigen und die darauf folgende Zunahme von Zivilisationskrankheiten bei Kindern. Zum Vergleich, wie verschieden die Lebensbedingungen innerhalb einzelner Länder (z. B. Malaysia, Brasilien) sein können, wäre ein Register der Nationen hilfreich gewesen.
Da für die Zielgruppe ab 8 Jahren Kenntnisse über andere Länder vorausgesetzt werden und einige Zusammenhänge sich in den Begleittexten verstecken, ist eine Begleitung des Buchs durch Erwachsene sinnvoll, wie z. B. in Ernährungsprojekten.
September 11, 2019
Hardback, library book.
Overall I enjoyed this book. The photographs were colorful, well done if a bit overly studio styled for my personal taste.
The accompanying information about each child, aspirations, what they liked and disliked was interesting. I wish that there had been more information about the various foods depicted.
It was sad to me to see how much western style fast food and their local derivations has infiltrated most of the world.
For a somewhat different visual record at what people eat I recommend Hungry Planet
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...
Overall I enjoyed this book. The photographs were colorful, well done if a bit overly studio styled for my personal taste.
The accompanying information about each child, aspirations, what they liked and disliked was interesting. I wish that there had been more information about the various foods depicted.
It was sad to me to see how much western style fast food and their local derivations has infiltrated most of the world.
For a somewhat different visual record at what people eat I recommend Hungry Planet
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...
September 16, 2019
The artful photographs are wonderful. I wish we could have seen more countries. I don’t often say this but there was a significant west coast bias in this book!
May 18, 2021
Leider gibt es meiner Meinung nach nicht genug Infos über das Essen, dass die Kinder auf den hübschen Fotos umgibt. Künstlerisch schön. Evtl. auch etwas für das Thema andere Kulturen aber außer dass man Essen sieht, ist da nicht besonders viel essen drin finde ich .....
May 24, 2024
I understand the importance of seeing what you eat in a week like this. It makes it pretty clear what you are having and what you are not. While it was interesting to see the difference of foods eaten by kids in the same country, I would have liked to have seen other countries as well. What soured me most is after a couple of pages all I could think about is what happens to all that food after the photo shoot?
May 20, 2020
Wonderful idea, beautiful, full-color, artistic photos worthy of framing. Fascinating material. However, I admit to being supremely disappointed that the book was not more diverse. I kept seeing the same regions over and over: France, Malaysia, Germany, UAE, Senegal, Sicily, Brazil, India. All the American kids were from California.
I loved the book, but I would have loved it a lot more to see what kids are eating in Zaire, the Philippines, Kenya, Ireland, England, Laos, Eritrea, different regions of China & Canada, Oman, Greenland, Turkey, Belize, New Zealand, etc.
You could make an entire book of just the US: a kid from Manhattan, a kid in the bible-belt corn territory, Louisiana bayous, desert reservations in Arizona, Cuba, Barbados, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, kids living on a ranch in Montana, the Mexican border, the Vegas strip, suburbs of Chicago, New England beaches...instead of just like, 5 or 6 kids from Los Angeles.
Great idea, and overall, I loved it. Please make another one, more diverse, and I'll buy that one too. :)
I loved the book, but I would have loved it a lot more to see what kids are eating in Zaire, the Philippines, Kenya, Ireland, England, Laos, Eritrea, different regions of China & Canada, Oman, Greenland, Turkey, Belize, New Zealand, etc.
You could make an entire book of just the US: a kid from Manhattan, a kid in the bible-belt corn territory, Louisiana bayous, desert reservations in Arizona, Cuba, Barbados, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, kids living on a ranch in Montana, the Mexican border, the Vegas strip, suburbs of Chicago, New England beaches...instead of just like, 5 or 6 kids from Los Angeles.
Great idea, and overall, I loved it. Please make another one, more diverse, and I'll buy that one too. :)
December 23, 2022
Somewhat sculpted/curated view of what various children around the world consume in an 'average' week. More artistic than informative, and not nearly as compelling as "What I eat" by Peter Menzel, which really highlighted the over consumption of Westerners.
Having said that, this book is 10 years on from Menzel's, and one of the ironies pointed out is that obesity is now becoming a problem in developing countries too, and they manage to access the 'high status' junk food diet of the white overlords.
Having said that, this book is 10 years on from Menzel's, and one of the ironies pointed out is that obesity is now becoming a problem in developing countries too, and they manage to access the 'high status' junk food diet of the white overlords.
April 11, 2021
Tolle Idee, schöne Fotos, aber etwas repetitiv in der Herkunft der Kinder und ihren Lebensbedingungen. Ich hatte deutlich mehr Diversität erwartet. Braucht natürlich mehr Budget, verstehe dass das nicht möglich war. Ich habe allein durchgeblättert und das auch ganz gerne, aber denke dass das Buch v.a. mit einem Kind schön zu lesen ist, da es häppchenweise Gesprächsanlässe über kulturelle Unterschiede, Ernährung, Familienmodelle, Werdegang usw. bietet.
December 12, 2022
My first thought was - What happened to all the food that was used? Only one story mentions that the kids asked to take the food home for their chickens.
This also shows where you live certainly makes a big difference to your diet.
Great to see that some kids, even at an early age, are thinking about nutrition and how certain foods affect their growth and development.
🌯🥗🥪🍜🍝🍰
This also shows where you live certainly makes a big difference to your diet.
Great to see that some kids, even at an early age, are thinking about nutrition and how certain foods affect their growth and development.
🌯🥗🥪🍜🍝🍰
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October 11, 2019I loved seeing the pictures and reading background into the children's lives and their access to food. I wish it was a little less judgemental in some cases.
September 12, 2021
Very detailed and incredible photos of children surrounded by all the food they eat in one week. Eye opening look at how diet is being changed worldwide.
May 24, 2024
now do one about who cooks the food
December 10, 2024
Super neat!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews