AI Insight
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior analyzed the cost variation of the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan across different US geographic regions, metropolitan areas, and seasons between 2012 and 2018. The research revealed that geographic location had a significantly greater impact on healthy diet costs than annual inflation rates. This suggests that the cost of maintaining a nutritious diet according to federal standards varies substantially depending on where a household lives rather than when they shop.
Why it matters
The findings have important implications for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefit calculations, which currently use the Thrifty Food Plan as a baseline but may not adequately account for regional cost differences. This could mean that low-income households in higher-cost regions face greater challenges in affording nutritious food even with federal assistance.
Understand the Science
A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior examined how the cost of the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which serves as the basis for determining maximum SNAP benefits, varied across geographic regions, metropolitan areas and seasons from 2012 to 2018. Researchers found that where a household is located plays a much larger role in the cost of a healthy diet than year-to-year inflation.
Source: Thrifty food plan costs vary widely across US regions and cities