USDA Thrifty Meal Plan

**Momof4cats** · 10-10-2007, 12:10 PM

I'm sure that everyone that has hung around frugal messageboards or done an internet search for frugal meals has run up on the USDA thrifty meal plan and their numbers for feeding a person/family. But for those that are new, I thought I'd let you see what the government says we need to spend on food. This is the latest data, August 2007. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publication...fFoodAug07.pdf

And then the Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publication...RecipeBook.pdf

One of these days I'm going to price those menus out.

**redhead68** · 10-10-2007, 12:48 PM

Wow! Those numbers seem extraordinarily generous to me. Anyone else have the same thought?

**brenda67** · 10-10-2007, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by redhead68

Wow! Those numbers seem extraordinarily generous to me. Anyone else have the same thought?

Umm.. the answer would be yes to your question...It would cost me over $800.00 on the thrifty plan for a family of 6... Thats insane!

**baxjul** · 10-10-2007, 01:26 PM

It says we should be spending around $500 a month on food!!!!! OMG! We would be eating steak and shrimp every day.

**justpeachy92** · 10-10-2007, 01:31 PM

Seems very generous to me too. Adding up my family's ages for the thrifty plan would have us at $787.60, I run around $500 a month and have yet to feel like we are going without in the food department.

**jamie79** · 10-10-2007, 01:55 PM

For a family of 4 with two teenage boys it says for the Thrifty plan I should spend $607.70
I average between $400-$450 so I am not doing too bad and that includes all HBA items and food and litter for 4 cats. Plus all cleaning things too

**mom22grls** · 10-10-2007, 02:39 PM

It puts us at $750 a month. I've been spending around 600, but that's including diapers & H&B, & cleaning, etc. Then another $50 for school lunches.

I haven't been *really* frugal lately. I *do* know costs have gone up lots, though, around here. I've been spending some of my grocery money at the natural foods store, so that plays in some of my higher budget.

**Emjo** · 10-10-2007, 02:51 PM

It came out to $380 for myself, DH and our 18 month old...we're spending around $200. I'm trying to figure out how it could cost $80 to feed a 1 year old...he just eats a small portion of whatever we're eating.

**Cricketlegs** · 10-10-2007, 02:51 PM

Who are these people that eat like that???? Nuts!

**Momof4cats** · 10-10-2007, 03:43 PM

You want a REAL shock......figure out your 'allowance' under the liberal plan!!

**peanut** · 10-10-2007, 06:24 PM

Yeah, these guys are always out of whack. I don't know where they get their figures. If I was American they say I'd need to spend $540/mth. to put us in the thrifty plan. Without figuring out exchange rates (which are pretty even right now, though Cdn. groceries don't seem to be going any lower in price!) I've just upped my grocery bill to $400/mth. And we're eating health food...not the general cheap stuff. $540/mth. would be gourmet fare here!

Jean

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 10-10-2007, 06:49 PM

For the thrifty plan it says that Dh and I should have 296.10/mo (adding individual). We spend $200 - $250/mo... So, we're fairly close...that's with a lot of scratch cooking and not a lot of fresh stuff so we get frozen (it costs a lot to get things up here).

AAAAHHHH!!! The liberal plan says we'd spend $580/mo for just the two of us (adding individual)!!! That's crazy!!!

**imagine** · 05-20-2009, 05:30 PM

Did anyone read the booklet that the original poster also linked to?

I did It has tips and recipes for eating on the thrifty plan (and a sample two week menu)

Daughter wants me to make the hot rice cereal.

**Monroe on a Budget** · 05-20-2009, 08:12 PM

I've been quoting the USDA ranges for a family of four when I'm doing my grocery shopping on a budget presentations in the community. And my next slide says "you can do better than that!"

**Judi Dial** · 05-20-2009, 09:18 PM

Huh.

If you take DH and I individually, it puts us about $200 over what we spend, and we spend a lot.

If you do the age and family of 2, it puts us about $80 under what we spend!

What we're forgetting here is this is the AVERAGE that the people in the U.S. spend. This includes the folks who buy frozen pizza every night, AND us.

Judi