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(1) In general The term “thrifty food plan” means the diet required to feed a family of 4 persons consisting of a man and a woman ages 20 through 50, a child ages 6 through 8, and a child ages 9 through 11 using the items and quantities of food described in the report of the Department of Agriculture entitled “Thrifty Food Plan, 2021”, and each successor report updated pursuant to this subsection, subject to the conditions that—
(A) the relevant market baskets of the thrifty food plan shall only be changed pursuant to paragraph (4);
(B) the cost of the thrifty food plan shall be the basis for uniform allotments for all households, regardless of the actual composition of the household; and
(C) the cost of the thrifty food plan may only be adjusted in accordance with this subsection.
The Secretary shall make household adjustments using the following ratios of household size as a percentage of the maximum 4-person allotment:
(A) For a 1-person household, 30 percent.
(B) For a 2-person household, 55 percent.
(C) For a 3-person household, 79 percent.
(D) For a 4-person household, 100 percent.
(E) For a 5-person household, 119 percent.
(F) For a 6-person household, 143 percent.
(G) For a 7-person household, 158 percent.
(H) For an 8-person household, 180 percent.
(I) For a household of 9 persons or more, an additional 22 percent per person, which additional percentage shall not total more than 200 percent.
The Secretary shall—
(A) make cost adjustments in the thrifty food plan for Hawaii and the urban and rural parts of Alaska to reflect the cost of food in Hawaii and urban and rural Alaska;
(B) make cost adjustments in the separate thrifty food plans for Guam and the Virgin Islands of the United States to reflect the cost of food in those States, but not to exceed the cost of food in the 50 States and the District of Columbia; and
(C) on October 1, 2025 , and on each October 1 thereafter, adjust the cost of the thrifty food plan to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor, for the most recent 12-month period ending in June.
(A) Re-evaluation Not earlier than October 1, 2027 , the Secretary may re-evaluate the market baskets of the thrifty food plan based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns, and dietary guidance.
(B) Cost neutrality The Secretary shall not increase the cost of the thrifty food plan based on a re-evaluation under this paragraph.