Food Costs

The cost of food is an important factor in evaluating our ability to maintain a healthy and sustainable diet throughout our lives. Because eating is a daily necessity, even small differences in the cost of individual meals can accumulate into substantial expenses over months and years. Selecting affordable foods allows us to meet our nutritional needs while preserving financial resources for other necessities, such as housing, healthcare, transportation, and emergencies. However, the lowest-priced food is not always the most economical choice, particularly if it provides poor nutrition, inadequate portions, or results in excessive waste. Preparing meals at home, purchasing ingredients wisely, using leftovers, and choosing versatile, nutritious foods can significantly reduce the cost of daily eating without sacrificing quality or enjoyment. Within the Food Survivability Index, evaluating meal cost helps us identify foods that provide the greatest long-term value, making it easier to maintain a dependable, nutritious, and financially sustainable food supply throughout our lives.

Meal Rating System

Score	Rating	Cost
5	Excellent	Under $2.00
4	Very Good	$2.00 - $3.49
3	Good	$3.50 - $4.99
2	Fair	$5,00 - $6.99
1	Poor	$7.00 - 9.99
0	Very Poor	$10.00 or more

Cost Factor
Ingredients	Actual cost of meat, vegetables, grains, seasonings, and other ingredients used
Preparation Energy	Electricity or gas required for cooking
Packaging	Disposable containers, bags, wrapping, and other materials
Food Waste	Ingredients or portions that are purchased but ultimately discarded
Storage	Additional refrigeration, freezing, or other significant storage expenses

The cost rating of a meal may vary depending on a family's food budget, income, and financial circumstances, since what is affordable for one household may be expensive for another. Therefore, the Food Survivability Index should allow cost ratings to be adjusted to reflect each family's budget while encouraging nutritious, economical, and sustainable food choices.

Staying Within Budget

Establishing a realistic food budget and consistently staying within it is an important part of maintaining long-term financial stability and ensuring that nutritious meals remain affordable. By planning meals, comparing prices, avoiding unnecessary purchases, and minimizing food waste, we can control our daily food expenses while maintaining a healthy, satisfying, and sustainable diet.

Calories per dollar is a useful measurement for comparing the economic value of different foods, particularly when evaluating their ability to sustain us over a long period. Because our bodies require a continuous supply of energy to function, the number of calories obtained for each dollar spent provides a practical way to determine how efficiently a food meets our daily energy needs.

Calories per dollar should never be the only consideration when evaluating the value of food, because calories alone do not guarantee good nutrition. This is why it is best to concider all 8 of the factors in the Survival Index.

Monthly Food Buget	$1000
Family Size	3

Daily alowance per person	$11.00

Calories per dollar	183