Food for Thought: BLS Spotlight on Statistics

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
Item	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