Cost of a Healthy Meal
Selena Pistoresi, Lisa McMonagle, &
Tess Gordon
Special thanks to Bank of America Foundation
for their financial support and commitment to
the Cost of a Healthy Meal Study
U.S Food Expenditure
• 2010 U.S. Population: 308,745,538
• Aggregate Food Expenditure: $1.167 trillion
Food Cost/Capita
$3,780/year/365= $10.36/day
Based on 2010 census data
Thrifty Food Plan
Thrifty Food Plan: $5.37 per day
Santa Clara County: $5.80 per day
*USDA TFP 2013. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodCost-Home.htm
*8% higher food costs in the County according to Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap 2011”
Research Team
• FAI Research Assistants
• Tess Gordon, Lisa McMonagle, Selena Pistoresi,
Courtney Robinson, & Alex Fryé
• Internship Program
• 16 interns over the summer in two separate sessions
• Conducted and analyzed 20 interviews each
Study Total
Sites Visited: 31
Interviews Conducted: 704
Research Process
Step 1: Conduct Interview at SHFB Site
Part 1: Basic Information
Part 2: 24-hour Dietary Recall
Dinner Item 1
You Ate
Units
Food
Source
Payment
Price/unit
Price/servi
ng
Item 2
Item 3
Note
Food item
Cups, oz. etc.
measure
Grocery store
name / SHFB
Cash, SNAP,
SHFB etc.
SCU store visit /
SHFB est.
Calculated by
SCU
Research Process cont’d
Step 2: Price food items at grocery stores and
calculate food costs
– Go to specific grocery store closest to interview
site
Step 3: Analyze data
– Enter food intake into Diet Analysis software
– Enter data into Access database
Current Findings
Age
BMI
# Children
Exercise (days)
47.3
27
2
2 days
Not Reported,
0.20%
Other, 14.70%
SNAP
WIC
CACFP
NONE
118
85
3
410
Vietnamese,
15.70%
How long does it last?
How long does today's last?
2 weeks
2 weeks
Black,
5.90%
Want to purchase more of
# Meals
Cost
Fruit; Vegetables; Meat
2.5
$6.00
NH White, 15%
Hispanic,
48.50%
Difference in Expenditure by Ethnicity
NH White
Black
Hispanic
Vietnamese
Other
$0.00
$1.00
$2.00
$3.00
$4.00
$5.00
$6.00
$7.00
$8.00
Nutrient Deficiencies
Deficiencies by Ethnicity
1.00
0.90
0.80
0.70
0.60
African American
% of Population
0.50
that is dificient
Asian (Other)
Hispanic
0.40
NH White
Vietnamese
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
Calories
Protein
Fiber
Nutrient
Calcium
Nutrient Excesses
Excess by Ethnicity
0.70
0.60
0.50
African American
0.40
% of Population
in excess
Asian (Other)
0.30
Hispanic
NH White
0.20
Vietnamese
0.10
0.00
Sodium
Cholesterol
Nutrient
Findings Continued
49%
of our sample eat for under $5.37/day
55%
of our sample eat for under $5.80/day
Average: $6.00/day
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Maps
GIS continued
Conclusions and Implications
• 704 interviews collected
– Goal: To complete the database (800 interviews)
by June 2014
• 49% of our sample can acquire adequate
nutrition on the current Thrifty Food Plan
suggestion ($5.37/day)
• Regional and cultural food cost consideration
• Continue GIS and publish findings