The price of fresh fruit increased by 11.8% in July, compared to the previous year, according to Statistics Canada. Other products were even higher, such as eggs (15.8%) and bakery products (13.6%). Given the high prices of almost every other living expense, more than half of Canadians respond to a recent Research by the Angus Reid Institute he said they are struggling to cover expenses. Tracy Frimpong, a registered dietitian in Toronto, says there are ways to make food choices while trying to make ends meet. The important thing, he told CBC News, is to make decisions “that work for you and that you also enjoy.” CBC News followers on Instagram shared some ways they’re cutting back on their grocery bills while still putting nutritious meals on the table. WATCHES | Tough choices amid high inflation: Canada’s inflation rate was 7.6 percent in July. What does this mean for Amna Masoodi, who is trying to raise a family and complete her engineering studies? It means some hard choices are made. She talks to CBC News Network about her situation.
Reach for canned foods
One follower said canned food is the way to beat supermarket sticker shock – it lasts much longer than fresh produce and there’s often less waste. Frimpong says it’s a myth that canned food is less healthy than fresh, describing canned fish, in particular, as “one of the healthiest foods.” Although many canned goods may be preserved with sodium or sugar, which is a concern for people with certain dietary restrictions, she says there are usually options to meet those needs, including products stored only in water. She also recommends buying in bulk. “A good pantry helps you make healthier decisions,” she said. “That way you’re not tempted to go take out.”
Overcoming the high cost of beef
Rita Rhammaz, an Instagram follower in Halifax, has teamed up with a group of four or five families to buy beef in bulk, a whole cow in fact, from a local butcher. He says the last time they ordered beef it cost about $1,600, or $400 per family. It’s cut into the cuts they like – from steaks to mince – individually wrapped and delivered to their doors. She knows $400 sounds like a lot to pay up front, but she says her freezer is stocked for “at least four months.” Her family of five eats beef three times a week — even more during barbecue season. He figures it’s about $5.50 per pound, or $12.10 per kilogram — much cheaper than what it costs in most stores. WATCHES | The family sees the cost of food nearly double:
Fighting high grocery costs due to inflation
Tamara Kuly, a Winnipeg mother of two, talks about how her family’s grocery expenses have nearly doubled and how they’ve had to adjust their habits to stay on budget.
Chasing deals
Some people chase these deals by going from store to store, but Alison Stewart of Strathroy, Ont., recommends an app called Flashfood.
It alerts users to discounted items for quick sale at certain grocery stores across the country, from $5 boxes of produce to packages of meat, milk and baked goods sold for half price or less.
“This year, I’ve already saved more than $275,” Stewart said.
The Flashfood app shows food marked for clearance at a grocery store in Strathroy, Ont., for sale at a deeply discounted price Wednesday. (Flashfood)
Quality can be “hit and miss,” he said, especially when it comes to items that mature quickly, but he says it takes simple planning to use those items quickly.
Frimpong says produce near the end of its shelf life “still has its nutritional value,” but reminds people not to buy anything they’re not going to eat.
Cut meals to cut costs
Susan Praseuth of Burnaby, BC, suggests cutting out one meal each day. She said she’s always been a fan, but in the past year she’s become interested in the potential health benefits of intermittent fasting — like eating only for a certain time of day or week and reducing calorie intake. Praseuth says this may not work for everyone, but she says not only does she feel better, but she saves $100-$200 a month on groceries. Frimpong says people considering cutting out meals to cut costs should make sure what they’re eating is “optimized” for their nutritional needs. . “That way, you feel full throughout the day and don’t feel like you have to sacrifice,” she said. LISTEN | Grocery chains make a lot of money from high food prices: Day 68:56 As grocery prices continue to rise, food industry giants post record profits Canadians paid 9.7 per cent more for groceries in April than a year earlier, the highest rate of food inflation in Canada in 41 years. There are many reasons: economy-wide inflation, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. But while consumers are struggling, giant food companies are cashing in. According to an Oxfam report, the pandemic has created 62 new food billionaires around the world. Phoebe Stephens, a postdoctoral fellow in global development studies at the University of Toronto, tells us why she thinks high levels of corporate concentration in Canada’s food supply chain are a significant part of the problem.
