What is the true cost of food?

The American food system costs more than what we pay at the store. Considering the impacts on health, the environment, and society, the hidden costs add up, and communities of color are disproportionately paying the price. Measuring the true cost of food will help us make better decisions to transform the U.S. food system.

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True Cost of Food: Measuring What Matters to Transform the U.S. Food System
The True Cost of Food in the U.S. In the U.S., food costs more than our receipt at the grocery checkout. Our food system rings up immense “hidden costs” from its impact on human health, the environment, and social and economic inequity. Consider this: In 2019, American consumers spent an estimated $1.1 trillion on food. […]
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Reset the Table: Meeting the Moment to Transform the U.S. Food System
While Covid-19 and the resulting economic downturn made the negative consequences of the food system worse and more obvious, the pandemic did not create them and its end will not solve them. Covid-19 has, however, increased both the imperative and the opportunity to address these flaws and limitations once and for all. Now is the moment to transform the U.S. food system.
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