Have you ever thought about the economics of food? The commercialization and standardization of food has affected what types of food are available around you.

You’re probably used to seeing Mexican and Chinese restaurants, but what about Tanzanian or Yemeni cuisine? Is it because Mexican and Chinese are the most delicious—or is there something else going on?

Economist, author and academic Tyler Cowen took a look at food from an economic perspective in his book "An Economist Gets Lunch: New Rules for Everyday Foodies," and his article in Foreign Policy "The Cookbook Theory of Economics." He found that geography and circumstance play a large role in a country's ability to have their food reach international borders.

Cowen joins us to today to talk about the economics of food and global development. 

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