This report explores different approaches to reevaluating the Thrifty Food Plan, which represents a low-cost, nutritious diet comprised of foods and beverages consumed at home and is used to calculate SNAP benefit amounts. 

This proposed rule would update the method for calculating the Thrifty Food Plan cost adjustment for Hawaii to incorporate food prices from throughout the state of Hawaii rather than from Honolulu alone.

The Statewide Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimate for Hawaii report describes the process used to calculate a new Thrifty Food Plan cost estimate for Hawaii that is based on the best currently available food price data from throughout the state of Hawaii in alignment with the proposed rule. This report uses the same peer-reviewed methodology as the Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimates for Alaska and Hawaii report, published by FNS in 2023.

The FY 2024 TEFAP funding memorandum provides guidance on full-year food and administrative funding allocations.

USDA requests comments from the public—including the food industry and research community—to help inform future policy and decisions about potentially updating Thrifty Food Plan cost estimates for the State of Hawaii.

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.

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.

The fiscal year 2023 TEFAP funding memorandum provides guidance on full-year FY 2023 TEFAP food and administrative funding allocations.