Cherokee Nation
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USDA produces four food plans at successively higher cost levels: the thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal food plan, illustrating how a healthy diet can be achieved at various costs. Each food plan specifies quantities of food and beverage categories that can be purchased and prepared to make healthy meals and snacks at home. Each food plan has an associated cost based on national average prices of the foods and beverages in each food plan at the time of publication plus adjustments each month to reflect inflation using the Consumer Price Index.
The thrifty food plan serves as the basis for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) maximum benefit allotments. The low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal food plan are used by various federal and state agencies and the court system.
USDA adjusts the cost of the food plans for inflation each month using the Consumer Price Index. By law, the June Monthly Cost of Food Reports are used to determine the maximum allotment of SNAP benefits for the following federal fiscal year beginning October 1st. Monthly updates to the low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal food plans are also provided.
For specific foods and quantities of foods in the food plans, and more information about the methods of development, see the Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007.
For technical inquires, contact: FNS.FoodPlans@usda.gov