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Interesting... or maybe it's the lack of processed food choices in other countries? Food providers/chains have not optimized for scale and price yet?

kamaal 16y ago
I don't know about the whole asia, but processed food is very scanty in India. Most of the processed food is Jams, Ketchups etc. Which is hardly consumed by the poor. But unlike the US its very easy to buy fresh stuff here.
- RealGeek 16y ago
  Processed food is expensive in India. I had to shell out $6 for a small can of salsa dip. Vegetables and fruits are cheaper in India than most western countries, but of much inferior quality,
potatolicious 16y ago
That's at least part of it. A lot of it is also time - the poor eat unhealthy foods due to a combination of cost (processed foods are cheaper) and time (fast food is faster). When you're holding down 2 jobs and juggling a couple of kids, it doesn't really leave a lot of room for a home cooked meal, even if you could purchase healthy ingredients cheaply. I just got back from a two-week trip to Asia that's been fairly eye-opening for myself. There are a lot of small-scale catering services that fill this specific void: affordable, healthy (relatively, they're certainly winning no medals) food for busy people. I hate to say it, but the lack of regulation plays a lot into it. Because every housewife with some spare time can take on a few clients, it creates price competition like there's no tomorrow. Yes, it really does become caveat emptor (health inspections? hah!), but the lack of regulation does create more easily accessible, healthier eating.
- JoeAltmaier 16y ago
  Health inspectors say nothing about unhealthy junk food which kills you over months, just bacteria that can make you sick today. Compared to eating good Indian food, I'd say Mumbai's system works as well or better - trust Mother to treat you right.

kamaal 16y ago

I don't know about the whole asia, but processed food is very scanty in India. Most of the processed food is Jams, Ketchups etc. Which is hardly consumed by the poor. But unlike the US its very easy to buy fresh stuff here.

RealGeek 16y ago
Processed food is expensive in India. I had to shell out $6 for a small can of salsa dip. Vegetables and fruits are cheaper in India than most western countries, but of much inferior quality,

potatolicious 16y ago

That's at least part of it. A lot of it is also time - the poor eat unhealthy foods due to a combination of cost (processed foods are cheaper) and time (fast food is faster). When you're holding down 2 jobs and juggling a couple of kids, it doesn't really leave a lot of room for a home cooked meal, even if you could purchase healthy ingredients cheaply. I just got back from a two-week trip to Asia that's been fairly eye-opening for myself. There are a lot of small-scale catering services that fill this specific void: affordable, healthy (relatively, they're certainly winning no medals) food for busy people. I hate to say it, but the lack of regulation plays a lot into it. Because every housewife with some spare time can take on a few clients, it creates price competition like there's no tomorrow. Yes, it really does become caveat emptor (health inspections? hah!), but the lack of regulation does create more easily accessible, healthier eating.

JoeAltmaier 16y ago
Health inspectors say nothing about unhealthy junk food which kills you over months, just bacteria that can make you sick today. Compared to eating good Indian food, I'd say Mumbai's system works as well or better - trust Mother to treat you right.