WA Food Stress Index and Food Basket Recommendation

The WA Food Stress Index, was developed in 2018 as part of the WA Food Relief Framework and is an essential tool for estimating the risk of food insecurity by geographical location in Western Australia. The FSI, similar to rental stress, predicts the likelihood of household food insecurity by geographic location. The FSI includes data to provide a basic and nutritious Food Basket Recommendation. The practical baskets identify the types and amounts of food to meet all nutrient requirements for one week and includes recipes and menu plans. Combined with the information from the FSI, the types and amounts of food required for different family compositions in any geographic area can be estimated. 

The Project funding has enabled the FSI to be updated with the 2021 Census data, making the FSI a more accurate tool for identifying people and communities at disproportionate risk and estimating the quantities and types of food required for particular populations and household compositions.