November 2010
BLS Spotlight on Statistics: Food
Chart Data
November and December: A time to eat, drink, and be merry
Percent of the population engaging in selected activities and the time they spent doing them on an average day, November–December 2009
Activity |
Average hours for participants |
Percent of the population |
Eating and drinking |
1.1 |
97 |
Eating and drinking at home |
0.9 |
83 |
Food preparation and clean up |
1.1 |
57 |
Eating and drinking at a restaurant/bar |
1.1 |
17 |
Grocery shopping |
0.8 |
13 |
Eating and drinking at someone else's home |
0.9 |
7 |
Source: American Time Use Survey | Chart
Annual food expenditures as a function of household income
Average annual food expenditures by quintiles of income before taxes, 2009
Item |
Quintile of income |
Lowest 20 percent |
Second 20 percent |
Third 20 percent |
Fourth 20 percent |
Highest 20 percent |
Food away from home |
$1,038 |
$1,569 |
$2,127 |
$3,206 |
$5,151 |
Food at home |
$2,463 |
$2,999 |
$3,355 |
$4,316 |
$5,629 |
Total |
$3,501 |
$4,568 |
$5,482 |
$7,522 |
$10,780 |
Source: Consumer Expenditure Survey | Chart
Where are we going for dinner?
Average weekly expenditures as a function of household income, meals away from home, 2009
Quintile of income |
Meals away from home |
Breakfast and brunch |
Lunch |
Dinner |
Snacks and nonalcoholic beverages |
Lowest 20 percent |
$17.71 |
$2.02 |
$6.16 |
$7.90 |
$1.63 |
Second 20 percent |
$27.07 |
$3.53 |
$9.04 |
$12.19 |
$2.31 |
Third
20 percent |
$35.66 |
$4.10 |
$11.77 |
$16.79 |
$3.00 |
Fourth
20 percent |
$52.48 |
$5.24 |
$17.97 |
$25.38 |
$3.89 |
Highest 20 percent |
$77.50 |
$6.98 |
$25.55 |
$39.65 |
$5.31 |
Source: Consumer Expenditure Survey | Chart
Cooking at home versus dining out
12-month percent change in the cost of food at home and food away from home, January 2005–October 2010
Date |
Food at home |
Food away from home |
Jan 2005 |
2.6 |
3.2 |
Feb 2005 |
2.2 |
3.2 |
Mar 2005 |
2.2 |
3.2 |
Apr 2005 |
3.1 |
3.2 |
May 2005 |
1.9 |
3.2 |
Jun 2005 |
1.4 |
3.3 |
Jul 2005 |
1.5 |
3.1 |
Aug 2005 |
1.5 |
3.1 |
Sep 2005 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
Oct 2005 |
1.5 |
3.1 |
Nov 2005 |
1.5 |
3.2 |
Dec 2005 |
1.8 |
3.2 |
Jan 2006 |
2.3 |
3.0 |
Feb 2006 |
2.4 |
3.0 |
Mar 2006 |
2.2 |
3.1 |
Apr 2006 |
0.9 |
3.1 |
May 2006 |
0.8 |
3.2 |
Jun 2006 |
1.5 |
3.1 |
Jul 2006 |
1.5 |
3.2 |
Aug 2006 |
1.9 |
3.1 |
Sep 2006 |
2.2 |
3.0 |
Oct 2006 |
2.2 |
3.0 |
Nov 2006 |
1.7 |
3.1 |
Dec 2006 |
1.4 |
3.2 |
Jan 2007 |
1.7 |
3.3 |
Feb 2007 |
2.9 |
3.4 |
Mar 2007 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
Apr 2007 |
4.0 |
3.4 |
May 2007 |
4.5 |
3.3 |
Jun 2007 |
4.6 |
3.4 |
Jul 2007 |
4.6 |
3.6 |
Aug 2007 |
4.6 |
3.8 |
Sep 2007 |
4.6 |
4.1 |
Oct 2007 |
4.7 |
4.1 |
Nov 2007 |
5.4 |
4.1 |
Dec 2007 |
5.6 |
4.0 |
Jan 2008 |
5.7 |
3.9 |
Feb 2008 |
5.1 |
3.9 |
Mar 2008 |
4.7 |
4.1 |
Apr 2008 |
5.9 |
4.1 |
May 2008 |
5.8 |
4.3 |
Jun 2008 |
6.1 |
4.4 |
Jul 2008 |
7.1 |
4.6 |
Aug 2008 |
7.5 |
4.5 |
Sep 2008 |
7.6 |
4.5 |
Oct 2008 |
7.5 |
4.8 |
Nov 2008 |
7.0 |
4.9 |
Dec 2008 |
6.6 |
5.0 |
Jan 2009 |
5.7 |
4.9 |
Feb 2009 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
Mar 2009 |
4.3 |
4.6 |
Apr 2009 |
2.3 |
4.6 |
May 2009 |
1.5 |
4.2 |
Jun 2009 |
0.8 |
3.8 |
Jul 2009 |
-0.9 |
3.2 |
Aug 2009 |
-1.7 |
3.0 |
Sep 2009 |
-2.5 |
2.6 |
Oct 2009 |
-2.8 |
2.2 |
Nov 2009 |
-2.9 |
2.1 |
Dec 2009 |
-2.4 |
1.9 |
Jan 2010 |
-2.0 |
1.6 |
Feb 2010 |
-1.5 |
1.4 |
Mar 2010 |
-0.7 |
1.2 |
Apr 2010 |
0.0 |
1.1 |
May 2010 |
0.3 |
1.1 |
Jun 2010 |
0.2 |
1.2 |
Jul 2010 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
Aug 2010 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
Sep 2010 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
Oct 2010 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
Source: Consumer Price Index | Chart
What you pay at the grocery store
U.S. city average price for select food items, October 2010
Item |
Price |
Meats |
|
Steak, uncooked, per lb. |
$5.63 |
Ham, boneless, per lb. |
$3.59 |
Chicken breast, boneless, per lb. |
$3.39 |
Turkey, frozen, whole, per lb. |
$1.68 |
Vegetables and fruits |
|
Tomatoes, field grown, per lb. |
$1.50 |
Broccoli, per lb. |
$1.50 |
Apples, Red Delicious, per lb. |
$1.18 |
Bananas, per lb. |
$0.58 |
Dairy |
|
Milk, whole, per gallon |
$3.32 |
Eggs, grade A, large, per dozen |
$1.46 |
Other |
|
Potato chips, per lb. |
$4.77 |
Cookies, chocolate chip, per lb. |
$3.23 |
Peanut butter, per lb. |
$1.95 |
Bread, white, per lb. |
$1.41 |
Source: Consumer Price Index | Chart
Where food is manufactured
Food manufacturing establishments by metropolitan area, 2009 annual averages
Metropolitan area |
Number of establishments |
Abilene, TX |
18 |
Akron, OH |
42 |
Albany, GA |
10 |
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY |
69 |
Albuquerque, NM |
58 |
Alexandria, LA |
11 |
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ |
62 |
Altoona, PA |
17 |
Amarillo, TX |
27 |
Ames, IA |
10 |
Anchorage, AK |
33 |
Anderson, IN |
7 |
Anderson, SC |
5 |
Ann Arbor, MI |
21 |
Anniston-Oxford, AL |
4 |
Appleton, WI |
48 |
Asheville, NC |
31 |
Athens-Clarke County, GA |
8 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA |
274 |
Atlantic City, NJ |
15 |
Auburn-Opelika, AL |
3 |
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC |
20 |
Austin-Round Rock, TX |
105 |
Bakersfield, CA |
35 |
Baltimore-Towson, MD |
171 |
Bangor, ME |
11 |
Barnstable Town, MA |
29 |
Baton Rouge, LA |
44 |
Battle Creek, MI |
18 |
Bay City, MI |
12 |
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX |
20 |
Bellingham, WA |
42 |
Bend, OR |
22 |
Billings, MT |
26 |
Binghamton, NY |
15 |
Birmingham-Hoover, AL |
47 |
Bismarck, ND |
10 |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA |
5 |
Bloomington, IN |
12 |
Bloomington-Normal, IL |
15 |
Boise City-Nampa, ID |
79 |
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH |
501 |
Boulder, CO |
50 |
Bowling Green, KY |
11 |
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA |
16 |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT |
78 |
Bristol, VA |
45 |
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX |
14 |
Brunswick, GA |
114 |
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY |
11 |
Burlington, NC |
39 |
Burlington-South Burlington, VT |
46 |
Canton-Massillon, OH |
27 |
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL |
6 |
Carson City, NV |
7 |
Casper, WY |
37 |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
20 |
Champaign-Urbana, IL |
11 |
Charleston, WV |
33 |
Charleston-North Charleston, SC |
99 |
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC |
12 |
Charlottesville, VA |
32 |
Chattanooga, TN-GA |
6 |
Cheyenne, WY |
1059 |
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI |
20 |
Chico, CA |
169 |
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN |
10 |
Clarksville, TN-KY |
8 |
Cleveland, TN |
176 |
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH |
12 |
Coeur d'Alene, ID |
11 |
College Station-Bryan, TX |
33 |
Colorado Springs, CO |
12 |
Columbia, MO |
30 |
Columbia, SC |
13 |
Columbus, GA-AL |
6 |
Columbus, IN |
134 |
Columbus, OH |
26 |
Corpus Christi, TX |
11 |
Corvallis, OR |
7 |
Cumberland, MD-WV |
393 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
5 |
Dalton, GA |
9 |
Danville, IL |
2 |
Danville, VA |
40 |
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL |
54 |
Dayton, OH |
16 |
Decatur, AL |
15 |
Decatur, IL |
17 |
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL |
222 |
Denver-Aurora, CO |
64 |
Des Moines, IA |
279 |
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI |
17 |
Dothan, AL |
8 |
Dover, DE |
12 |
Dubuque, IA |
23 |
Duluth, MN-WI |
28 |
Durham, NC |
22 |
Eau Claire, WI |
10 |
El Centro, CA |
0 |
Elizabethtown, KY |
24 |
Elkhart-Goshen, IN |
1 |
Elmira, NY |
71 |
El Paso, TX |
25 |
Erie, PA |
55 |
Eugene-Springfield, OR |
30 |
Evansville, IN-KY |
4 |
Fairbanks, AK |
9 |
Fajardo, PR |
35 |
Fargo, ND-MN |
8 |
Farmington, NM |
15 |
Fayetteville, NC |
68 |
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO |
10 |
Flagstaff, AZ |
16 |
Flint, MI |
14 |
Florence, AL |
8 |
Florence, SC |
23 |
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL |
33 |
Fond du Lac, WI |
42 |
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO |
4 |
Fort Smith, AR-OK |
32 |
Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL |
137 |
Fort Wayne, IN |
8 |
Fresno, CA |
10 |
Gadsden, AL |
31 |
Gainesville, FL |
9 |
Gainesville, GA |
16 |
Glens Falls, NY |
16 |
Goldsboro, NC |
12 |
Grand Forks, ND-MN |
75 |
Grand Junction, CO |
13 |
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI |
34 |
Great Falls, MT |
72 |
Greeley, CO |
41 |
Green Bay, WI |
5 |
Greensboro-High Point, NC |
34 |
Greenville, NC |
7 |
Greenville, SC |
19 |
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS |
26 |
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV |
55 |
Hanford-Corcoran, CA |
27 |
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA |
91 |
Harrisonburg, VA |
9 |
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT |
20 |
Hattiesburg, MS |
1 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
24 |
Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA |
196 |
Holland-Grand Haven, MI |
5 |
Honolulu, HI |
32 |
Hot Springs, AR |
312 |
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA |
11 |
Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX |
6 |
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH |
23 |
Huntsville, AL |
70 |
Idaho Falls, ID |
21 |
Indianapolis, IN |
9 |
Iowa City, IA |
16 |
Ithaca, NY |
31 |
Jackson, MI |
7 |
Jackson, MS |
63 |
Jackson, TN |
6 |
Jacksonville, FL |
14 |
Jacksonville, NC |
13 |
Janesville, WI |
6 |
Jefferson City, MO |
17 |
Johnson City, TN |
16 |
Johnstown, PA |
37 |
Jonesboro, AR |
34 |
Joplin, MO |
11 |
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI |
169 |
Kankakee-Bradley, IL |
48 |
Kansas City, MO-KS |
14 |
Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA |
13 |
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX |
25 |
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA |
35 |
Kingston, NY |
7 |
Knoxville, TN |
21 |
Kokomo, IN |
15 |
La Crosse, WI-MN |
44 |
Lafayette, IN |
13 |
Lafayette, LA |
41 |
Lake Charles, LA |
108 |
Lakeland, FL |
23 |
Lancaster, PA |
14 |
Lansing-East Lansing, MI |
21 |
Laredo, TX |
115 |
Las Cruces, NM |
6 |
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV |
12 |
Lawrence, KS |
27 |
Lawton, OK |
5 |
Lebanon, PA |
13 |
Lewiston, ID-WA |
24 |
Lewiston-Auburn, ME |
11 |
Lexington-Fayette, KY |
27 |
Lima, OH |
35 |
Lincoln, NE |
31 |
Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR |
14 |
Logan, UT-ID |
6 |
Longview, TX |
1281 |
Longview, WA |
99 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA |
25 |
Louisville, KY-IN |
23 |
Lubbock, TX |
11 |
Lynchburg, VA |
12 |
Macon, GA |
86 |
Madera, CA |
26 |
Madison, WI |
10 |
Manchester-Nashua, NH |
25 |
Mansfield, OH |
56 |
McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr, TX |
57 |
Medford, OR |
59 |
Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
492 |
Merced, CA |
11 |
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL |
5 |
Michigan City-La Porte, IN |
177 |
Midland, TX |
325 |
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI |
14 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
49 |
Missoula, MT |
121 |
Mobile, AL |
14 |
Modesto, CA |
4 |
Monroe, LA |
21 |
Monroe, MI |
8 |
Montgomery, AL |
11 |
Morgantown, WV |
24 |
Morristown, TN |
8 |
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA |
13 |
Muncie, IN |
11 |
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI |
21 |
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC |
13 |
Napa, CA |
89 |
Naples-Marco Island, FL |
78 |
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN |
121 |
New Haven-Milford, CT |
2045 |
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA |
12 |
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island,NY-NJ-PA |
13 |
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI |
13 |
Norwich-New London, CT |
29 |
Ocala, FL |
10 |
Ocean City, NJ |
43 |
Odessa, TX |
115 |
Ogden-Clearfield, UT |
18 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
96 |
Olympia, WA |
118 |
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA |
9 |
Orlando, FL |
15 |
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI |
52 |
Owensboro, KY |
17 |
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA |
4 |
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
14 |
Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL |
6 |
Parkersburg-Marietta, WV-OH |
18 |
Pascagoula, MS |
38 |
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL |
519 |
Peoria, IL |
148 |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
9 |
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
155 |
Pine Bluff, AR |
13 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
9 |
Pittsfield, MA |
45 |
Pocatello, ID |
83 |
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME |
19 |
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA |
48 |
Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, FL |
8 |
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY |
249 |
Prescott, AZ |
45 |
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA |
9 |
Provo-Orem, UT |
5 |
Pueblo, CO |
21 |
Punta Gorda, FL |
50 |
Racine, WI |
12 |
Raleigh-Cary, NC |
43 |
Rapid City, SD |
8 |
Reading, PA |
40 |
Redding, CA |
51 |
Reno-Sparks, NV |
208 |
Richmond, VA |
11 |
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA |
25 |
Roanoke, VA |
96 |
Rochester, MN |
23 |
Rochester, NY |
14 |
Rockford, IL |
7 |
Rocky Mount, NC |
101 |
Rome, GA |
18 |
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA |
49 |
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI |
6 |
St. Cloud, MN |
19 |
St. George, UT |
225 |
St. Joseph, MO-KS |
56 |
St. Louis, MO-IL |
52 |
Salem, OR |
17 |
Salinas, CA |
140 |
Salisbury, MD |
21 |
Salt Lake City, UT |
163 |
San Angelo, TX |
172 |
San Antonio, TX |
10 |
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA |
442 |
Sandusky, OH |
30 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA |
136 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
34 |
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA |
30 |
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA |
10 |
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA |
71 |
Santa Fe, NM |
25 |
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA |
19 |
Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL |
74 |
Savannah, GA |
404 |
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA |
26 |
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
15 |
Sheboygan, WI |
19 |
Sherman-Denison, TX |
39 |
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA |
18 |
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD |
22 |
Sioux Falls, SD |
12 |
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI |
48 |
Spartanburg, SC |
18 |
Spokane, WA |
68 |
Springfield, IL |
44 |
Springfield, MA |
11 |
Springfield, MO |
8 |
Springfield, OH |
75 |
State College, PA |
5 |
Stockton, CA |
53 |
Sumter, SC |
7 |
Syracuse, NY |
129 |
Tallahassee, FL |
16 |
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL |
6 |
Terre Haute, IN |
57 |
Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR |
19 |
Toledo, OH |
37 |
Topeka, KS |
30 |
Trenton-Ewing, NJ |
87 |
Tucson, AZ |
11 |
Tulsa, OK |
15 |
Tuscaloosa, AL |
38 |
Tyler, TX |
15 |
Utica-Rome, NY |
31 |
Valdosta, GA |
6 |
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA |
13 |
Vero Beach, FL |
41 |
Victoria, TX |
70 |
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ |
65 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC |
21 |
Visalia-Porterville, CA |
5 |
Waco, TX |
214 |
Warner Robins, GA |
20 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
23 |
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA |
6 |
Wausau, WI |
15 |
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH |
12 |
Wenatchee, WA |
40 |
Wheeling, WV-OH |
5 |
Wichita, KS |
13 |
Wichita Falls, TX |
21 |
Williamsport, PA |
17 |
Wilmington, NC |
31 |
Winchester, VA-WV |
51 |
Winston-Salem, NC |
38 |
Worcester, MA |
24 |
Yakima, WA |
47 |
York-Hanover, PA |
18 |
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA |
9 |
Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | Chart
Employment and earnings of food-related occupations
Employment and earnings of food-related occupations, 2009
Occupation |
Employment |
Mean annual wages |
Waiters and waitresses |
2,302,070 |
$20,380 |
Food preparation workers |
849,400 |
$20,420 |
Slaughterers and meat packers |
97,530 |
$23,740 |
Bakers |
140,510 |
$25,350 |
Food batchmakers |
100,190 |
$26,730 |
Butchers and Meat Cutters |
125,510 |
$30,270 |
Chefs and head cooks |
94,300 |
$44,240 |
Food service managers |
190,250 |
$51,400 |
Source: Occupational Employment Statistics | Chart
Employment projections for food-related occupations
Percent change in projected employment, select food-related occupations, 2008–2018
Occupation |
Percent change |
Total, all occupations |
10.1 |
Food batchmakers |
8.7 |
Waiters and waitresses |
6.4 |
Food service managers |
5.3 |
Food preparation workers |
4.2 |
Slaughterers and meat packers |
4.2 |
Butchers and meat cutters |
1.5 |
Bakers |
0.2 |
Chefs and head cooks |
0.2 |
Source: Employment Projections Program | Chart
Injuries and illnesses in food-related industries
Workplace injuries and illnesses in food manufacturing and food service and drinking places, private industry, 2003–2009
Industry |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
Food manufacturing (thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Injuries |
106.6 |
101.2 |
96.0 |
93.3 |
87.5 |
81.0 |
72.8 |
Illnesses |
22.5 |
21.1 |
18.1 |
16.5 |
14.7 |
12.2 |
11.0 |
Food service and drinking places (thousands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Injuries |
247.3 |
237.4 |
236.0 |
239.5 |
245.5 |
222.3 |
201.9 |
Illnesses |
5.6 |
6.5 |
5.3 |
6.2 |
5.9 |
5.3 |
4.9 |
Source: Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities | Chart
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