Design of the National Household Food 

Acquisition and Purchase Survey

(FoodAPS)

June 2, 2011

Presentation to 

Committee on National Statistics, 

Household Survey Producers Workshop
 Nationally representative survey of households

 Obtain a comprehensive picture of household 

food acquisitions over a 7-day period

 Collect information about households that may 

influence food acquisition behaviors

Study Objectives

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– Food sources

– Food choices

– Food prices

– Timing of acquisitions

– Nutrient characteristics

– Household composition 

– Demographics

– Income and assets

– Food security

– Health status

– Diet and nutrition knowledge
 Patterns of shopping behavior and food choice

 Influence of access and retailer choice on 

dietary quality

 Magnitudes of income and price elasticities of 

demand for food

 Relationship between food acquisition patterns 

and levels of food security

 Role of SNAP in overall household food 

acquisitions

Data will support research on ...

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1. Food-at-home (FAH) and food-away-from-home 

(FAFH)

2. Food purchases and food obtained for free,

from all sources, including:

• Stores

• School

• Work

• Relative/friend

• Food bank / food pantry

• Garden / fishing / hunting

3. Overall expenditures and item detail

How is FoodAPS different?

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FoodAPS Field Periods and Survey Completes

5

Sample

Field Test

Feb-May 2011

Full-Scale

March – Sept. 2012

SNAP participants 200 1,500

Very low income, non-SNAP

(income < 100% poverty)

80 800

Low income, non-SNAP

(income 100 185% poverty)

120 1,200

Higher income households

(income 185% poverty)

1,500

Total 400 5,000
Instrument Design

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Make it easy for respondents

1. Handheld scanner

2. Step-by-step guides

3. Color coded booklet sections

How to make it work?

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How to make it work? (continued)

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Build in redundancy

1. Food-at-home

• Booklets, receipts, scanner

2. Food-away-from-home

• Booklets, receipts, telephone calls

3. Booklets

• Daily list of acquisitions, detail page for 

each acquisition
Data Collection Week for a Household

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Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

•Screen

•Train HH

•Interview 

#1 (CAPI)

Call to report Call to report Call to report

Interview #2 

(CATI)

•Pick up

•Interview 

#3 (CAPI)

Household tracks food acquisitions 

in booklets and with scanner
1. May 2010 - Cognitive Tests – 16 households

2. July 2010 - Pre-Test of all instruments – 6 households

3. January 2010 - Field interviewer pre-test 

Results

 Respondents enjoyed using the scanner!

 Respondent training is essential 

– Materials are initially overwhelming

– Scanner must be demonstrated

– Train by guiding respondents through sample FAFH and FAH

acquisitions, including scanning and completing forms

Testing and Feedback Prior to Field Test

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Field Test

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 Compare effectiveness of two different survey 

protocols

– Single Binder vs. Multiple Booklet

 Determine optimal incentives for the full-scale 

survey

 Obtain estimates of 

– Response rates

– Burden

– Design effects for key outcome measures

Field Test Objectives

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Data collected in two purposively selected PSUs
Two Survey Protocols

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Single Binder

 For all household members

 For FAH and FAFH

Multiple Booklets

 Binder for FAH

 Adult booklets for FAFH

 Youth booklets for FAFH
Incentive Design

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Component Purpose Low High

1. Base incentive Recruit primary 

respondent

$50 $100

2. Additional HH member 

incentive

•Adults (age 15+)

•Youth (age 11-14

Encourage other 

household members to 

report acquisitions $20

$10

$20

$10

3. Telephone bonus Encourage inbound calls $10/call $10/call
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Incentive Levels During the Field Test

*Assumes all additional HH members are over age 14
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 Demographics

 Finances

 Diet and food security

Single Binder Multiple Booklet

Summary of the Data Collection
Data Collection Materials

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Daily List – One for each day 
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Red Pages – Details for FAFH
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Blue Pages – Details for FAH
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Scanner Book
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Telephone Reporting of FAFH
1. Did respondents report all food acquisitions?

– We can validate SNAP transactions

2. What is the rate of participation among household 

members?

– Examine differences by survey protocol

3. What is the rate of saved receipts?

4. Does the scanner data match up with receipts?

5. What percent of scanned UPC codes are matched to 

item descriptions?

6. Are item descriptions sufficient for a match to 

nutrient data?

Key Questions Regarding Data Quality

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1. Response rates – at each stage and overall

2. Design effects

3. Item nonresponse

4. Adherence to survey protocols

5. Data quality 

6. Comparisons by survey protocol

7. Comparisons by incentive level

Focus of the Field Test Analysis

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Sponsored by the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Economic Research Service 

(ERS) and Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS).

USDA/ERS Contacts:

Mark Denbaly, mdenbaly@ers.usda.gov

John Kirlin, jkirlin@ers.usda.gov

Pheny Weidman, pweidman@ers.usda.gov

Visit: www.usdafoodstudy.org

For More Information