USDA produces four food plans outlining practical, nutritious diets at successively higher cost levels: the Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans. The Thrifty Food Plan serves as the basis for maximum allotments in SNAP.
This study used 2011–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to examine the relationship between estimated program participation, diet quality, indicators of nutrition and health, food consumption patterns, and nutrient intakes.
Expenditures on Children by Families provides estimates of the cost of raising children from birth through age 17 for major budgetary components. The most recent version of the report was published in 2017 and estimates the cost of raising children born in 2015. Currently, USDA is evaluating the methods used to inform this report to ensure they reflect best practices in the field.