the economics of the thrifty food plan joseph llobrera gerald j. friedman fellow in nutrition and...

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

The Economics ofthe Thrifty Food Plan

Joseph Llobrera

Gerald J. Friedman Fellow in Nutrition and Citizenship

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

How much does a nutritious diet cost?

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

What can $1 buy?

1,200 calories OR 250 calories

of cookies of carrots

875 calories OR 170 calories

of soda of OJ

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

-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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

The Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)

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

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Maximum SNAP benefit

People in Household Maximum

Monthly Allotment

1 $ 162

2 $ 298

3 $ 426

4 $ 542

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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

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How much does a nutritious diet cost?

• Define “nutritious”

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

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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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

kcals

kcals,MyPyramid

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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

kcals

kcals,MyPyramid

kcals,Nutrients(Dietary

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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

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

Nutrition is our Agendanutrition.tufts.edu

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

How much does a nutritious diet cost?

Try it out for yourself!

Thank you!