the economics of the thrifty food plan

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

The Economics ofthe Thrifty Food Plan

Joseph Llobrera

Gerald J. Friedman Fellow in Nutrition and Citizenship


How much does a nutritious diet cost?


What can $1 buy?

1,200 calories OR 250 calories

of cookies of carrots

875 calories OR 170 calories

of soda of OJ


-100

0

100

200

Per

cent

cha

nge

Females 31-50 Males 31-50

Increases

Current Consumption

Decreases Fruits Vegetables Grains Meat & Beans Milk

Change In Actual Consumption Needed to Meet Dietary Recommendations


Change In Actual Consumption of Fats, Oils and Added Sugars Needed to Meet Dietary

Recommendations

-100

-50

0

50

100

Per

cent

Cha

nge

Females 31-50 Males 31-50

Solid fats Oils Added sugars

Increases

Current Consumption

Decreases


The Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)

• Federal government’s official estimate of a “thrifty” but nutritionally adequate food plan


Maximum SNAP benefit

People in Household Maximum

Monthly Allotment

1 $ 162

2 $ 298

3 $ 426

4 $ 542


USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan framework

Choose a Plan:

• Not too different from current consumption• Meets requirements for:

– Cost– Broad food groups from MyPyramid– Nutrients



• Define “nutritious”

• Determine how much difference from current consumption to become “nutritious” is tolerable


Different definitions of “nutritious”

Specification

1 2 3 4

Adequate Calories X X X X

Specific Nutrients (Dietary Guidelines) X X

Broad food groups (MyPyramid) X X


kcals

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

$0.00 $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00

Dis

tanc

e Fu

nctio

n

Cost

Females, 20-50 yrs

$3.89


kcals

kcals,Nutrients(Dietary

Guidelines)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

$0.00 $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00

Dis

tanc

e Fu

nctio

n

Cost

Females, 20-50 yrs

$3.89


kcals

kcals,MyPyramid


Guidelines)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

$0.00 $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00

Dis

tanc

e Fu

nctio

n

Cost

Females, 20-50 yrs

$3.89


kcals

kcals,MyPyramid


Guidelines)

All

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

$0.00 $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00

Dis

tanc

e Fu

nctio

n

Cost

Females, 20-50 yrs

$3.89


What is the cost of a nutritious diet?

• With large tolerance for difference from current consumption official TFP cost

• With more lenient nutrition standards focusing on nutrients official TFP cost

• With full set of nutrition standards and less tolerance for difference from current consumption greater than official TFP is required


http://nutrition.tufts.edu/docs/pdf/fpan/TFPCalculator.xls


Try it out for yourself!

Thank you!

the economics of the thrifty food plan

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