The complexity of the economic model USDA uses to calculate the TFP led officials to make numerous methodological and policy decisions during the reevaluation, as they had in past reevaluations. However, GAO found that key decisions did not fully meet standards for economic analysis, primarily due to failure to fully disclose the rationale for decisions, insufficient analysis of the effects of decisions, and lack of documentation.

As a result, members of the public and policymakers reading the TFP report may not understand the rationale for decisions made by USDA officials, and external parties would face difficulties reproducing the TFP, which further decreases transparency and accountability.

SNAP supplemented the food budgets of more than 41 million people in Following a provision in the Agriculture Improvement Act of to reevaluate the TFP by , USDA completed a reevaluation of the TFP in GAO was asked to review the reevaluation.

This report examines 1 USDA's administrative process for reevaluating the TFP in and the extent to which the process employed leading project management practices; 2 the extent to which USDA gathered and analyzed external input to inform the reevaluation; and 3 how the methodology and results of the reevaluation compared to methodological standards.

GAO reviewed USDA documents, interviewed officials and external experts, and compared the information collected to key project planning practices; relevant OMB and USDA guidelines for information quality, peer review, and scientific integrity; federal standards for internal control; and GAO's assessment methodology for economic analysis.

There are some big advantages to making a plan:. For variety, the meal pattern below can serve as a guide. But other patterns are okay, too. A meal pattern helps you get the vitamins and minerals you need. The grains group includes breads, cereals, rice, and pasta that are either whole-grain or enriched.

These are important sources of B vitamins, which help you make energy from the foods you eat. Try to get half of your grain intake from whole grains—or at least 3 ounces of whole grains per day. Whole grains include brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, popcorn, millet, quinoa, whole wheat, barley, whole rye, and whole-grain cornmeal.

Products made from whole grains include whole-wheat breakfast cereal flakes as well as whole-grain bread, crackers, pasta, and tortillas. Other important nutrients found in this food group include iron and protein. The fiber you get from whole grains prevents constipation and may help prevent cancer.

To stretch your food dollar, you can use grain products as side dishes, and you can combine them with small servings of meat, poultry, or fish in main dishes. Choose the low-fat items in this group. Limit the amount of high-fat pastries and sweets you consume from this food group.

Dark green and deep yellow vegetables are especially high in nutrients and are good choices. The high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A in vegetables help your body stay healthy.

These nutrients also function as antioxidants to help ward off major chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. All vegetables are important to your diet and will provide nutrients, including fiber, for health, so aim to vary the variety of vegetable you eat. Fresh vegetables are less expensive when purchased in season.

But if not in season, frozen or canned vegetables can be good buys. Some canned vegetables contain high amounts of sodium.

Check nutrition labeling to make the best choices. A variety of fruits are high in antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C. The brighter in color, the higher level of antioxidant the fruit contains.

Vitamin A is needed for healthy skin and vitamin C keeps gums and tissue healthy. Buy fruits in season to get the best buys without added sugar, fat, or salt. If not in season, choose dried, frozen or canned fruits, but go easy on fruit juices as they lack the fiber found in whole fruits.

This group contains foods made from milk such as cheese and yogurt that are considered the best natural sources of calcium. There are also foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter—they are not part of this food group.

Calcium is needed to keep bones and teeth healthy. Many people get less calcium than they need. If you are lactose-intolerant, choose lactose-free products. Or if you cannot drink milk, choose foods from other food groups that are fortified with calcium to meet your nutrient needs.

Check labels on cereals and juices to choose those with high amounts of calcium. To make your food dollars count, choose less expensive forms of milk, yogurt and cheese. The healthier versions are the low or nonfat types. Drink fat-free milk at meals; put it on cereal and use in cooking.

Some products, such as ice milk, may have little fat but will add calories to your diet because of the sugar that they contain. Enjoy these foods, but in smaller portions.

Foods included in this group are meats, poultry, fish, dry beans, dry peas, soybeans, lentils, eggs, nuts, and peanut butter. These foods not only provide protein, but are also sources of vitamins and minerals.

Iron is an important nutrient found in this food group. Your meat and poultry choices should be low-fat or lean. Choose cooking methods such as broiling, baking, or grilling to reducing adding fat to your meal. Plant sources such as nuts, seeds, and beans contain healthy sources of fats and are less expensive than other choices from this food group.

Eggs have very good quality protein and are low in cost. While the nutritional recommendations have remained relatively similar, the update has led to an increase in SNAP benefits that went into effect this October. almost no pre-made or frozen meals or sugary items. A team of eight trusty AmeriCorps Vista volunteers and one Community Solutions staff member fanned out across Ohio with the shopping lists in hand.

They were asked to go to local grocery stores and record the actual price of each item on the list. Half the Vistas completed a female shopping list, the other half completed a male list, and the Community Solutions team member did both a male and female list.

In the midst of our exploration of the Thrifty Food Plan, the USDA released an update to the plan on August 16, — the first update in fifteen years. Since the Thrifty Food Plan was increased, it means SNAP benefits will grow, and this research shows that they should.

But even so, our shoppers would not have been able to afford the new Thrifty Food Plan with the max SNAP benefit if they were relying solely on the benefit to feed themselves. It is also important to recognize that this exercise was conducted in full-service grocery stores, something many low-income Ohioans do not have consistent access to.

Come and enjoy authentic Latin cuisine. We look forward to serving you! shopsmart shopfresh. Do you have a menu? We do have a set Menu that we can provide. Do You Cater? Is There A Menu and What Information Is Required? Plant sources such as nuts, seeds, and beans contain healthy sources of fats and are less expensive than other choices from this food group.

Eggs have very good quality protein and are low in cost. Have most of the fat in your diet come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils such as canola, olive, soybean, corn, safflower, and sunflower oil. Examples of food items that contain oils include mayonnaise, certain salad dressings, and soft tub or squeeze margarine with no trans fat.

Solid fats include butter, shortening, stick margarine, lard, and meat fats and are not part of the oils category. Sugar has many names: syrup, molasses, and honey are some of them.

Candy, jam, jelly, and many soft drinks are mostly sugar, too. Sugars are high in calories and low in nutrients. Limit them in your menu plan.

Much of the salt in our diets is added to foods during cooking and at the table. Try using less table salt and eating fewer salty foods. Many of these foods have salt in them:. Not everyone loves to cook.

Even those who enjoy cooking do not always have the time or the energy. Buying convenience foods or eating out can be costly. But there are ways to eat well at low cost without spending hours in the kitchen.

Again, planning ahead will help you. Consider these ideas:. This menu is planned for two people. If your family is larger or smaller, adjust it to suit your needs.

You can find recipes for the foods in bold print in the companion bulletins in the Thrifty Meals for Small Families series. Serving sizes are included in the recipes. Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes.

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Cooperative Extension Publications. Home Copyright Books and Publications for Sale. Bulletin , Planning Thrifty Meals for Small Families. Cooperative Extension Publications University of Maine, Libby Hall, Room Orono, Maine Tel: orders maine. Orange 1 Bran flakes cereal 3 ounces Whole-wheat toast 3 slices Fat-free milk 2 cups.

Apple juice 1 cup Eggs 2 Toast 4 slices Fat-free milk 2 cups. Banana 2 Oatmeal 1 cup dry Fat-free milk 2 cups. Apple juice 1 cup Fat-free milk 2 cups Applesauce muffins 3.

Banana 2 Oatmeal 1 cup dry Applesauce muffins 3 Fat-free milk 2 cups. Orange 2 Bran flakes cereal 3 ounces Fat-free milk 2 cups. Apple juice 1 cup Scrambled eggs 2 Toasted whole-grain bread 2 Margarine 1 tbsp Fat-free milk 2 cup. Braised turkey 6 oz with gravy Baked potatoes 2 med Green beans 2 cups Biscuits 2 Pudding.

Turkey-potato salad on lettuce leaves 2 Biscuits 2 Fat-free milk 2 cups. Grilled cheese sandwich 4 oz 2 Carrot sticks 2 cups Fat-free milk 2 cups. Taco salad Fat-free milk 2 cups. Unfortunately, this analysis was already well underway when the new Plan was released, so it is based on the version of the Plan.

While the nutritional recommendations have remained relatively similar, the update has led to an increase in SNAP benefits that went into effect this October.

almost no pre-made or frozen meals or sugary items. A team of eight trusty AmeriCorps Vista volunteers and one Community Solutions staff member fanned out across Ohio with the shopping lists in hand. They were asked to go to local grocery stores and record the actual price of each item on the list.

Half the Vistas completed a female shopping list, the other half completed a male list, and the Community Solutions team member did both a male and female list. In the midst of our exploration of the Thrifty Food Plan, the USDA released an update to the plan on August 16, — the first update in fifteen years.

Since the Thrifty Food Plan was increased, it means SNAP benefits will grow, and this research shows that they should. But even so, our shoppers would not have been able to afford the new Thrifty Food Plan with the max SNAP benefit if they were relying solely on the benefit to feed themselves.