USDA Low-Cost Diet Nutrient Dashboard

About this Project

In collaboration with researchers from Tufts University, Duke University and Penn State University, this interactive tool is part of the research project “From Scarcity to Prosperity: How Nutrition/Cost Tradeoffs Influence Consumer Choices and the Food System.” The data used in this dashboard are sourced from the 2013/2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the USDA/ERS Purchase-To-Plate Price Data Tool, and represents the consumption behaviors of women between 20-50 years old in the US. By harnessing insights from these interactive scatter plots, we can further understand the relationship between nutrient density and price, in turn, allowing us to achieve a more nutritional and affordable diet.

Nutrient Dashboard Tool

Built with accessibility and ease in mind, this interactive dashboard allows user to identify affordable sources of different nutrients. This empowers them to eat a healthy and balanced diet, while remaining in budget. Explore the toll here.

Policy Report

Accompanying this data analysis project is a policy report detailing recommendations based on my research. Using the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan as my framework, I argue that Americans should derive more of their protein from plant-based foods in order to eat more nutritionally in an affordable way. Read the report here.