The Food & Culture of Ecuador

          The Aymes family from Tingo, Ecuador, is a fairly large family; The household consists of the mother, Emelinda, and father, Orlando, and their six kids. Looking at the picture alone, the amount of food the family uses in a week is immense, ranging from an assortment of fruits, grains, and even dairy. However, the picture shows that although a lot of food is consumed in a week, the food the Aymes have is all very healthy. There are little to no processed ingredients or items visible in the picture, and very few sugary substances aside from the bag of brown sugar and milk.
          After analyzing the foods the Aymes ate for a week according to a list that they provided, it was clear that many people of Ecuador were strong supporters of growing what they could in their own village. Normally, the Aymes have fresh supplies of potatoes, corn, wheat, milk, tea leaves, and even natural spring water available at their disposal, and have access to many other grains, fruits, and vegetables right in their local market. As such, their cost of food for a week is exceptionally low for a family of 8, standing at $31.55, or about $4 per person per week, compared to $50 per person per week here in the United States.
          This low cost of food every week does not mean that the families are not receiving enough to eat either, as only 5% of Ecuador's population is undernourished. In fact, the Aymes get more for a dollar than people in other countries. The Aymes spent $11.25 on 47 lbs of fruits and vegetables, a feat that is almost impossible to accomplish elsewhere. This also keys off of the Ecuadorian culture of growing produce locally and selling it for cheaper, as opposed to industrialization and processing.