USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food (monthly reports)

The Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans each represent a nutritious diet at a different cost. The Thrifty Food Plan is the basis for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) allotments. (All files are PDFs unless otherwise noted.)

USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food Reports (monthly reports)
Other Current Publications
Related Websites

For information on eating a nutritious diet at a minimal cost, please see the Healthy Eating on a Budget section on MyPlate.gov, which provides a variety of tips and strategies for saving money while eating nutritiously. You may also be interested in the MyPlate Kitchen – a collection of quick, delicious, cost-effective recipes for every type of cook. MyPlate Kitchen is an interactive tool to help with healthy meal planning, cooking, and grocery shopping. The site features a searchable database of healthy recipes, options to build a cookbook, print recipe cards, and share recipes via social media. MyPlate Kitchen contains recipes for use by nutrition educators working with the SNAP-eligible population.

Archived Publications

Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals
The meal plans and recipes were developed and evaluated by The Pennsylvania State University under contract with the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Four-person families with limited incomes prepared and evaluated the menus and recipes for taste and quality. Note: This publication is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 1995 and the Food Guide Pyramid and is provided here for historical purposes.

04/20/2021