Optimizing dietary recommendations among Pacific Land Grant Association jurisdictions

National dietary recommendations do not reflect local practices, especially in remote regions. The current objective was to investigate the feasibility of using detailed food groupings and regional dietary recalls as a basis for formulating nutrition public health messages. Diet recalls from the EFNEP program were evaluated for Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Mariana Islands, and Micronesia. EFNEP diet recalls were merged with the FNDDS nutrient database and the USDA CNPP food price database. Foods were grouped using the first two digits of the USDA SR numbering system. A Thrifty Food Plan like nonlinear optimization model was built using GAMS with weighting against less utilized and more expensive foods. Across the regions, non‐whole grains, starchy, potato based and other vegetables and non‐citrus fruits predominated among grains, vegetables and fruits, respectively. Meats and meat equivalents were heavily relied upon across jurisdictions. Economical model solutions which met both serving and nutrient guidelines were feasible. Using the low fruit and vegetable intakes among Alaska based recalls as an example, model solutions indicated that if whole (low) and non‐whole grain (high) intakes were reversed with constrained saturated fat and added sugar intakes, dietary guidelines could be met within SNAP benefit limits.