What We Eat

What we eat

How much food do you think you’ll eat in a lifetime? Every few years the British government carries out a national survey to find out how much people eat. These latest figures show that the average person will eat more than 50 tonnes of food over an 80-year lifespan. 

Food/drink                                     Amount eaten (kg)

Milk and cream                                                 8,969

Soft drinks                                                         7,255

Bread                                                                 3,261

Fresh fruit                                                           3,166

Alcoholic drinks                                                  3,058

Fresh potatoes                                                     2,991

Processed vegetables                                          2,775

Other fresh vegetables                                         2,113

Cereals                                                               2,092

Processed fruit and nuts                                       1,851

Cakes and biscuits                                               1,444

Poultry                                                                 1,140

Fresh green vegetables                                        1,023

Fats                                                                      836

Sugar and preserves (jam, etc)                               720

Fish                                                                       678

Beef and veal                                                        537

Sweets                                                                 532

Cheese                                                                 458

Eggs                                                                     404

Flour                                                                    304

Beverages                                                             295

 Pork                                                                    258

Mutton and lamb                                                   204