An Affordable and Sustainable Thrifty-Like Meal Plan, FoodRx, That Meets the Recommended Dietary Allowances.

Abstract

There is considerable controversy as to whether a healthy diet is affordable given recent inflation. In order to determine whether a healthy, climate-friendly sustainable diet can be obtained within the allotments of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), we created and purchased 26 weeks of meal plans designed to meet the EAT-Lancet sustainability guidelines and > 90% of the RDAs for 23 macro/micronutrients for households with at least 2 adults and 1-3 children. We compared the food quantities and cost of a healthy sustainable diet purchased in Los Angeles, 2023, to the Thrifty Food Plan, 2021. We compared the volume of food and cost of basic groceries to those recommended in the Thrifty Food Plan, 2021. The costs of the sustainable diet fell within the 2023 SNAP allotments as long as the average calories required per person did not exceed 2000. The volume of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds were considerably higher for the sustainable diet compared to the Thrifty Food Plan. Given that calorie needs are the determinants of food quantity and costs, the USDA may consider offering supplemental coverage for individuals with higher calorie needs to make healthy eating affordable.