Making food dollars count

Food and Nutrition, Oct, 1987 by Mary Jane Getlinger

Making Food Dollars COUNT

True or false: When it comes to food shopping, people with higher incomes tend to get more nutritional value for their dollar than people with less to spend.

False, says Ann Chadwick, director of USDA's Office of the Consumer Advisor.

"Studies have shown that people with limited income tend to get more nutrients, dollar for dollar, than those at higher levels. Just because people have more money to spend does not necessarily mean they make the wisest choices."

All of us need help in acquiring and sharpening skills in selecting nutritious foods within our budgets, Chadwick says. "We are not born with these skills. We have to develop them. But low-income people need the most help in selecting the best nutritional buys because there is less flexibility in their resources."

Providing that extra help has been the goal of a national food buying project, called "Make Your Food Dollars Count," which is now in its fourth year.

A joint effort of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Human Nutrition Information Service (HNIS), and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Make Your Food Dollars Count (MYFDC) project is helping low-income people learn some guidelines and skills that help them plan ahead, shop smarter, and put economical but nourishing meals on their families' tables.

MYFDC evolved from a prototype project developed by the Northeast regional office of the Food and Nutrition Service.

In 1983, seven regional workshops were held in cities throughout the country to draw attention to local nutrition resources and the need to provide food buying information to food stamp participants and others on limited budgets. Each regional workshop generated additional state and local workshops and a variety of nutrition education activities.

Project materials

widely distributed

USDA developed a variety of materials for the MYFDC project, and they are still being used widely throughout the country. As George Braley, deputy administrator for special nutrition programs for FNS, explains, some materials were targeted to professionals working with food assistance participants, but most were targeted to participants themselves.

"Our goal," he says, "has been first to provide health professionals, paraprofessionals, social service workers, and community leaders with essential program aids, and second to provide something tangible that low-income participants in workshops or one-on-one activities can take home with them as a reminder of what they just learned."

The 1983 booklet called "Making Food Dollars Count--Nutritious Meals at a Low Cost" was the starting point.

The booklet included sample meal plans, with 2 weeks of menus, recipes, and shopping lists for three meals and a snack per day for a family of four persons. The plans were developed by USDA based on cost information, food consumption surveys, and national dietary guidelines.

The sample food plans had been evaluated in a 1982 test in which food stamp households of various backgrounds shopped for and prepared meals as suggested.

Targeted to needs

of participants

In 1984, FNS developed a variety of additional materials for use in teaching food stamp participants. They included:

* A project guide with suggestions on conducting workshops and distributing materials.

* Two full-color posters in English and Spanish emphasizing the themes "Buy Better" and "Eat Better."

* Four pamphlets, in English and Spanish, with single topic messages, such as "Convenience Foods Save Time But Can Cost More" and "Plan Ahead to Make Your Food Dollars Count." The pamphlets, each of which had two messages, included tips on such things as using unit prices and reading food labels to make smart choices, finding the best meat buys, and eating a variety of foods. (These are known as Series I pamphlets.)

* Newspaper reproducibles of the pamphlet messages in English and Spanish. These were distributed to newspaper food editors throughout the country.

* A 12-1/2-minute slide-tape show with information from the pamphlets and additional tips on shopping for low-cost, nutritious meals. A narrative guide was included.

New messages for the outside back covers of food stamp coupon booklets were also developed.

In 1985, USDA developed "Thrifty Meals for Two--Making Food Dollars Count" especially for older couples on a limited budget. This 69-page guide on how to shop for and prepare hearty, nutritious, and economical meals included menus and recipes.

In 1986, four more pamphlets were developed and distributed. Three included tips on how to buy, store, and prepare fruits, vegetables, and legumes; recipes were included. The fourth suggested ways to use less sugar, fat, and sodium. All four pamphlets (known as Series II) were in English and Spanish.

The MYFDC publications were developed and printed for free distribution to low-income people taking part in the Food Stamp Program and to Food Stamp Program cooperators. They have also been used by other food program participants, such as people who have received USDA-donated foods through TEFAP (the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program) and WIC (the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children.)