United States Department of Agriculture

Official USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food at Home at Four Levels, U.S. Average, October 2015 1 Weekly cost 2 Age-gender groups

Monthly cost 2

Thrifty plan

Low-cost plan

Moderatecost plan

Liberal plan

Thrifty plan

Low-cost plan

Moderatecost plan

Liberal plan

Individuals 3 Child: 1 year 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-8 years 9-11 years

$21.90 $23.90 $25.20 $32.40 $36.50

$29.50 $30.60 $31.70 $45.30 $48.10

$33.30 $36.90 $39.30 $53.70 $62.20

$40.70 $45.00 $48.00 $63.60 $72.50

$94.90 $103.70 $109.20 $140.40 $158.00

$127.70 $132.50 $137.20 $196.20 $208.40

$144.20 $159.70 $170.10 $232.70 $269.50

$176.40 $194.80 $208.10 $275.40 $314.30

Male: 12-13 years 14-18 years 19-50 years 51-70 years 71+ years

$39.20 $40.40 $43.60 $39.70 $39.80

$55.40 $56.40 $56.20 $52.90 $52.50

$69.50 $71.80 $70.50 $65.90 $64.90

$81.60 $82.80 $86.80 $79.40 $80.40

$169.90 $175.20 $188.80 $171.90 $172.60

$240.30 $244.50 $243.60 $229.20 $227.40

$301.20 $311.30 $305.40 $285.60 $281.30

$353.50 $358.60 $376.00 $344.20 $348.50

Female: 12-13 years 14-18 years 19-50 years 51-70 years 71+ years

$39.20 $38.40 $38.40 $38.10 $37.00

$47.70 $47.90 $48.70 $47.30 $46.90

$57.40 $58.10 $60.10 $58.90 $58.20

$70.70 $71.60 $76.60 $70.90 $70.10

$169.70 $166.40 $166.50 $164.90 $160.30

$206.80 $207.80 $211.20 $204.90 $203.00

$248.70 $251.90 $260.40 $255.10 $252.10

$306.20 $310.20 $331.90 $307.40 $303.70

Families Family (Male & Female) of 2: 4 19-50 years 51-70 years

$90.20 $85.50

$115.50 $110.20

$143.60 $137.20

$179.70 $165.40

$390.90 $370.50

$500.30 $477.50

$622.40 $594.70

$778.70 $716.80

$131.10 $150.90

$167.20 $198.40

$206.70 $246.50

$256.40 $299.50

$568.20 $653.70

$724.50 $859.50

$895.60 $1067.90

$1110.80 $1297.70

Family of 4: Couple (Male & Female ), 19-50 years and children 2-3 and 4-5 years 6-8 and 9-11 years 1

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items. 2 All costs are rounded to nearest 10 cents. 3 The costs given are for individuals in 4-person families. For individuals in other size families, the following adjustments are suggested: 1-person—add 20 percent; 2-person—add 10 percent; 3-person—add 5 percent; 4-person—no adjustment; 5- or 6-person—subtract 5 percent; 7- (or more) person—subtract 10 percent. To calculate overall household food costs, (1) adjust food costs for each person in household and then (2) sum these adjusted food costs. 4 Ten percent added for family size adjustment. This file may be accessed on the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion’s home page at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov. Issued November 2015.