PlumpyNut

The shiny 500-calorie foil sachet is a household name in hungry countries and almost unknown in well-fed ones.

Technology at its best, Plumpy'Nut was developed by Nutriset to rehabilitate famine victims. The goo looks like tan mashed potatoes and tastes like sweetened peanut butter.

Plumpy'Nut is made of peanut paste, dry milk, and vegetable fat. Reviews from aid groups seem to hail it as a miracle food: not only is nutritious and pleasantly edible, it doesn't contain water and is therefore resistant to bacterial contamination. The only problem is that kids with peanut allergies can't eat it.

Worldchanging explains the benefits of Plumpy'Nut as opposed to more traditional milk-based water formulas used in hunger camps.