To develop understanding of different components of the changes occurring in food system and to ascertain how these changes are creating or reducing job and income opportunities for the poor, a project was undertaken for implementation in two phases. In phase I, a review was made of available information on the patterns and trends in food consumption in poor urban and rural households in the country during the decade of 1991-2000. Phase 2 was designed to conduct in-depth surveys, both at the household and at the retailer shop levels, to have direct information on current developments in food system changes and to assess the implications these changes might have had on job/income opportunities, food consumption and nutritional status of the households from urban to peri-urban through to rural areas. The present report describes the findings of the household survey and retailer survey followed by the focus group discussions preceded by a short review of changes in the trends and patterns of food consumption and nutritional status of the poor.