FNS Documents & Resources

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.

Expenditures on Children by Families provides estimates of the cost of raising children from birth through age 17 for major budgetary components.

Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review, formerly the Nutrition Evidence Library, is a team of scientists from USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion who specialize in conducting food- and nutrition-related systematic reviews.

CNPP commissioned the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division to conduct an independent study on the process to update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Excel tables present historical data on the nutrient content of the U.S. food supply on the amounts of nutrients per capita per day in food available for consumption and percentage contributions of nutrients by major food groups.

This report presents historical data on the availability of nutrients in the U.S. food supply from 2000-2006. The data and trends presented in this report are invaluable for monitoring the potential of the food supply to meet nutritional needs; for examining relationships between food supplies, diet, and health; and for examining dietary trends of Americans. 

FNS is frequently asked, by a variety of nutrition education partners, how it defines a sound impact evaluation. The principles introduced here describe the characteristics of strong impact assessments of nutrition education. They are also consistent with the Government and Performance Results Act and the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance for clear demonstration of program effects.

Charting the Course for Evaluation: How Do We Measure the Success of Nutrition Education and Promotion in Food Assistance Programs? brought together nutrition educators, traditional evaluators, market researchers, and experts at evaluation of health promotion efforts to establish a dialogue to identify and push forward the state of the art in evaluating nutrition education and promotion efforts. The conference took place on July 13 and 14, 1995 in Arlington, Virginia.