This article argues that the conflicting nature of international food aid policy and economic development maximally benefits wealthy countries at the cost of reduced access to nutrient rich foods in developing countries. A Bolivia case example is used to examine the consequences of international food aid policy that favors the disposal of excess commodity products in poor countries in the name of “food aid” and economically liberal trade policies that favor shifting highly nutritious local products to wealthy countries in the name of “economic development.” Bolivia has been a major recipient of U.S. food aid, much of it in the form of surplus wheat which makes up a large portion of the vast quantities of white bread upon which the poor subsist. The heavy subsidization of wheat flour ensures a steady supply of calories to a population burdened by endemic, crushing poverty. Quinoa, sometimes called the “miracle grain of the Andes” because of its superior nutritional content and ability to grow in cold, high-altitude regions, has been developed into a major export crop generating much needed hard currency and income for peasant farmers. This success on international markets has resulted in steep local price increases resulting in a highly nutritious traditional food source becoming largely unavailable to the majority of the population.