U.S. Department of Agriculture figures for 2005 show we in this country spent 5.8 percent of our disposable income on food to eat at home, and another 4.1 percent of our income on eating out. Our 9.9 percent total “food budget share” is the lowest in the world. Compare with food budget shares in other rich countries where we think of the food as particularly fine: France: 15.34 percent. Italy: 16.59 percent.

I must add, even though I cannot prove a connection between good food and long life, that these two countries also occupy spots 10 and 15, respectively, in the 2005 international life expectancy rankings, while the U.S.A. holds down position number 45. Even if correlation ain’t causation, what about the good fortune of living a really long time in a place where the food is spectacular?? With government-paid health care? Child care? And looooooooong vacations.