Sample Menus and Recipes Based on the 1999 Thrifty Food Plan

Family Economics and Nutrition Review, Wntr, 2001 by Myrtle Hogbin, Mark Lino

Two weeks of meal plans (including weekly menus, individual recipes, and food-shopping lists) are published in the following USDA publications: Preparing Nutritious Meals at Minimal Cost (6), the Thrifty Food Plan, 1999 Administrative Report (5), and Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals (7).

Our data indicate that assisting households to enhance their skills in basic food preparation and meal management will improve the chances of low-income and other families to benefit from these meal plans. These skills, as well as efficient and economical food-shopping techniques, should be enhanced through nutrition and consumer education efforts.

[1] Previous CNPP publications regarding the 1999 Thrifty Food Plan present samples of two weekly menus and recipes. Since these publications were issued, another week of menus and recipes has been developed and is presented here for the first time.

[2] FIAS is a computerized nutrient-analysis system developed by the University of Texas, Houston Health Science Center in collaboration with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (8).

[3] The sensory evaluation form is published in the Thrifty Food Plan, 1999 Administrative Report.

References

(1.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. 1996. CNPP's Food Guide Servings Data Base for 1989-1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals. In-house Data Base.

(2.) National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Food and Nutrition Board. 1989. Recommended Dietary Allowances (10th ed.). National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

(3.) U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 1995. Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans (4th ed.). Home and Garden Bulletin No. 232.

(4.) U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1996. The Food Guide Pyramid. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 252.

(5.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. 1999. Thrifty Food Plan, 1999 Administrative Report. CNPP-7.

(6.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. 1999. Preparing Nutritious Meals at Minimal Cost. CNPP-7B.

(7.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. 2000. Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals. CNPP-11.

(8.) University of Texas, Houston Health Science Center School of Public Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 1996. Food Intake Analysis System. Version 3.2. Houston, TX.

Staff at the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion--compiled by Myrtle Hogbin, RD and Mark Lino, PhD