This report explores different approaches to reevaluating the Thrifty Food Plan, which represents a low-cost, nutritious diet comprised of foods and beverages consumed at home and is used to calculate SNAP benefit amounts.
The Statewide Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimate for Hawaii report describes the process used to calculate a new Thrifty Food Plan cost estimate for Hawaii that is based on the best currently available food price data from throughout the state of Hawaii in alignment with the proposed rule. This report uses the same peer-reviewed methodology as the Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimates for Alaska and Hawaii report, published by FNA in 2023.
SNAP helps put healthy food within reach for those in need. This dashboard is intended to provide the public with an understanding of how SNAP helps make nutritious food more affordable for low-income households.
The market basket costs in the Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 apply to the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. By law, the USDA must make cost adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan to reflect the cost of food in Alaska and Hawaii. The Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimates for Alaska and Hawaii report provides updated estimates of the June 2022 cost of the reevaluated Thrifty Food Plan in Alaska and Hawaii.
States may establish their own standard utility allowances. The use of SUAs, including heating and cooling SUAs for households with heating and cooling expenses, simplifies the application process for both the applicant and the state agency. The primary objectives of this study were to conduct a review of available data to determine typical costs for internet access to develop a broadband standard utility allowance; and estimate new fiscal year 2022 HCSUA values for each state.
The Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 was released on Aug. 16, 2021. The TFP represents the cost of a nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet.
This study examines how the policies that determine benefit levels for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program compare to current low-income spending patterns by analyzing the expenditures of low-income households across the United States in 2013 and 2014.
This study was designed to assess whether the elimination of the eligibility interview at certification and recertification would have adverse effects on client and worker outcomes. FNA awarded grants to two States—Oregon and Utah—to conduct demonstrations in which the eligibility interviews at certification and recertification were completely eliminated. An analysis of the demonstrations that provide estimates of the contributions of eligibility interviews in determining SNAP eligibility and benefits was conducted.
This report is meant to be the first systematic study of the roles different organizations play in designing and implementing SNAP based incentive programs, how they choose markets for their programs, and how they evaluate success of their programs.
This report responds to PL 105-379, which mandated the USDA examine options for the design, development, implementation and operation of a national database to track participation in federal means-tested public assistance programs.