In very poor societies: Potato is a wasteful food item because the acreage required to produce potato is far larger than the acreage required to produce rice for an equivalent amount of nutrition. Sorghum is a wasteful food item because the acreage required to produce potato is far larger than the acreage required to produce rice for an equivalent amount of nutrition. Meat is a wasteful food item because amount of calories used (animal feed) to raise animals is more than the amount of calories derived when these animals are slaughtered for food. O Meat is a valuable food item because amount of calories used (animal feed) to raise animals is less than the amount of calories derived when these animals are slaughtered for food.