Changes in Food Consumption and Expenditures in 01/01 Low-Income American Households During the 1980's

Annual per-person consumption of dairy products, poultry, fish and shellfish, fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices, and beverages rose in low-income households during the 1980's. Consumption of fats and oils, flours and cereals, bakery products, red meats, eggs, sugars and sweets, and canned vegetables fell. Annual per-person spending, when adjusted for inflation. declined for almost all major food groups. This bulletin presents information on the quantity and dollar value of food consumption in low-income American households for 1977-78. 1979-80, and 1987-88 by selected socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Major changes over the decade are tabulated fro 65 major food groups and compared with other studies to gain further insights into possible explanations for the consumption shifts.