Food in wizarding world

[sylviablundell2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 76323

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kim" <cherlouize at a...> wrote:
> Hello,
> This is an insignificant point, but one that has been nibbling away 
> in my mind since my first reading of the first book.  I wonder 
about 
> how wizards procure their food.  Do they have grocery stores or 
> markets?  We don't hear about any markets in Diagon Alley (that I 
can 
> remember), just the ice cream parlor.  We know that there are pubs 
> and sweet shops and the like, both in Diagon Alley & in Hogsmeade.  
> But where does a wizard or witch go when they need a can of tuna or 
> some peanut butter?  Surely they don't go to the Muggle market.  Do 
> they just summon their groceries?  Do they have a running tab at a 
> wizard market somewhere (I can just picture tins and boxes zooming 
> off the shelves as they are summoned)?
> 
> Another point along the same lines - I know finances are extremely 
> tight for the Weasleys.  But they always seem to have plenty to eat 
> for all those growing kids.  One teenaged boy can eat a family out 
of 
> house and home, let alone having 5 teens or near-teens at home.  
And  
> Molly seems to pride herself on filling Harry up when he arrives, 
> half-starved, from the Dursley's.  In fact, they seem to take 
guests 
> in their stride - I don't get the sense that Molly is fretting 
about 
> adding another potato to the soup.  I don't remember there being 
any 
> livestock at the Burrow, from the canon descriptions.  How do they 
> put such copious amounts of food on the table?  
> 
> Perhaps I've overlooked something, but this detail has been bugging 
> me for long enough!  Help, anyone?  Thanks.
> pax
> Kim I'm beginning to get a bit concerned about the enormous amount 
of food consumed by everyone at Hogswarts.  Hardly a healthy diet, 
even for growing teens.  Also, apart from lessons, theredoesn't seem 
to be any supervision by adults.  Students go to bed just when they 
think they will, sometimes not until the early hours. How sad am I to 
be worrying about fictional characters putting on weight or not 
getting enough sleep!