U.S. food expenditures, 1954-78

Abstract: A more comprehensive series used to estimate food expenditures based on total U.S. food sales by all food retailers is presented. Unlike the standard measure, the total expenditure series (TE) includes all food purchased by both civilian and military personnel for on-and off-premises consumption. TE estimates sales of food and alcoholic beverages by retailers and others primarily on the basis of current sales figures from data produced by the Bureau of the Census in a method similar to the Social Security Administration's data collection on national health expenditures. TE is divided into 4 categories: food for off-premises use; meals and snacks; packed alcoholic beverages; and alcoholic drink. Each category is further divided between sales and meals acquired without payment. TE for food in all forms rose from $60 billion in 1954 to about $238 billion in 1978.