Food Consumed Away from Home Can Be a Part of a Healthy and Affordable Diet

The benefit calculation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program, is based primarily on results of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) developed by the USDA. By using a nonlinear mathematical programming approach, the TFP provides a dietary pattern recommendation that deviates the least from low-income consumers' consumption pattern, meets dietary guidelines, and is economical. The TFP stipulates that all foods should be purchased at stores and prepared at home [food at home (FAH)] and excludes an important part of current consumers' diet, food away from home (FAFH). Our purpose was to evaluate the feasibility and nutritional impact of adding a FAFH dimension into the TFP model framework. Measures of energy density, nutrients and food group composition, and the overall diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index 2005 were calculated and compared across the TFP, the TFP with FAFH, and low-income consumers' diet pattern. Our results indicated that considering moderate FAFH in the TFP yielded similar nutrient and food group composition as the original TFP while greatly increasing the practicality and adaptability of the recommended dietary pattern. These findings may be used by nutrition educators to develop healthful FAFH choices for individuals receiving SNAP benefits.