POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF USDA FOOD PLANS

Current U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food plans are designed to indicate food choices that meet specified nutritional requirements at four cost levels. The plans serve as guidelines for household food budgeting and as benchmarks for determining the distribution of program benefits. The cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), used as the basis for determining food stamp allotments, is predetermined. The TFP interprets this expenditure level into food consumption, by food group. Three areas of criticism of the food plans are: the determination of nutritional adequacy, the analysis of food consumption patterns, and the updating of costs of the plans. Suggested possible changes in the construction of food plans range from minor modifications in data analysis to restructuring of the plans. The construction of the plans involves issues of policy, nutrition, and economics