FNS Documents & Resources

The market basket costs in the Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 apply to the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. By law, the USDA must make cost adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan to reflect the cost of food in Alaska and Hawaii. The Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimates for Alaska and Hawaii report provides updated estimates of the June 2022 cost of the reevaluated Thrifty Food Plan in Alaska and Hawaii.

USDA produces four food plans outlining practical, nutritious diets at successively higher cost levels: the Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans. The Thrifty Food Plan serves as the basis for maximum allotments in SNAP.

This document provides the initial study plan for the reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan, 2026. This initial study plan is based on information available as of April 2023. The USDA, FNS intends to publish a final study plan by early 2026.

The USDA food plans represent a healthy diet at four different cost levels. Each food plan specifies quantities of food and beverage categories that can be purchased and prepared to make healthy meals and snacks at home.

In September 2020, in response to a Congressional Directive, the USDA contracted with Insight Policy Research to conduct the Measuring the Cost of a Thrifty Food Plan in Puerto Rico study. The purpose of the study is to provide CNPP with options for measuring the cost of a TFP in Puerto Rico.

The Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 was released on Aug. 16, 2021. The TFP represents the cost of a nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet.

Cost of Food Report for October 2019

When people make decisions about what to eat, they may consider such factors as taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, what others enjoy eating, and price. Many researchers seek to understand what makes some people choose healthful diets while others choose less healthful diets. To conduct these studies, researchers must understand as much of the context of the decisions as possible: What foods are normally enjoyed by an individual and his or her co-diners?  How much time does an individual or household have to prepare food? Are there health conditions or other factors that might prompt an individual to value health and nutrition more so than others do? What are an individual’s or household’s budget restrictions?

The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) Food Prices Database presents the cost of these consumed foods for 2003-04. It shows the actual cost of an apple consumed, the cost of a glass of juice drunk, the cost of lasagna eaten, etc. For example, did you know that when you purchase a whole chicken and only consume the meat, your price per pound eaten is actually twice the price per pound purchased? This is because the weight of the skin and bones is about half of the whole chicken purchased. The information in this database should be of interest to nutrition educators and economists who wish to compare relative prices of different foods as consumed, rather than the purchase price.

The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans outline nutrient-dense foods and beverages, their amounts, and associated costs that can be purchased on three successively higher budgets, each supporting a healthy diet through nutritious meals and snacks at home. The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans are used by various federal and state agencies and the court system.