Cost of Food

What is the Thrifty Food Plan?

The Thrifty Food Plan is USDA's estimate of what it costs to purchase a minimally adequate diet. The Thrifty Food Plan is the least expensive market basket of food the government prices – and recommends for short-term use. It serves as the government’s basis for Food Stamp allotments.

Low-income households are particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in the cost of food. For those with budgets already stretched to their limits, higher food costs mean that people struggle to afford enough food for themselves or their families.

Latest Data

  • New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a slight increase in the cost of food people are consuming at home.  Food costs rose 0.1 percent from February 2012 to March 2012.
  • The cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (the mix of food items on which low-income people rely) decreased by 0.1 percent from February 2012 to March 2012. The cost of the Thrifty Food Plan has increased by $13.50 a month from March 2011 to March 2012 for a family of four.
  • Based on the minimum wage of $7.25, it would take 86 hours – more than two weeks – to earn enough to cover the current cost of the Thrifty Food Plan ($625 for a family of four).

Chart – One Month Percent Change in Food Costs

(Click on chart for full size pdf version.)