How Much Does Healthy Eating Cost

We check the price of healthy foods in grocery stores in Hamilton every year using the Nutritious Food Basket survey.

Nutritious Food Basket survey

We check food based on:

  • Canadian eating patterns and buying habits
  • Nutritional value of foods

The survey results below show the lowest average cost of 67 healthy foods in seven Hamilton grocery stores.

Foods in the Nutritious Food Basket Survey

The foods we check are in Canada’s Food Guide including:

  • Vegetables and fruit
  • Orange vegetables and fruit
  • Dark green vegetables
  • Whole grains and  whole wheat products
  • Non-whole grain products
  • Milk and milk alternatives
  • Meat, poultry, legumes, eggs and fish

You can make healthy meals and snacks with these foods.  

Chart provides a demographic breakdown of the per week costs of the Nutricious Food Basket.

Group Age $/week
Boys 2 - 3 $24.07
Boys 4 - 8 $31.03
Girls 2 - 3 $23.63
Girls 4 - 8 $30.15
Males 9 - 13 $41.43
Males 14 - 18 $60.01
Males 19 - 30 $58.30
Males 31 - 50 $52.51
Males 51 - 70 $50.57
Males over 70 $50.07
Females 9 - 13 $35.35
Females 14 - 18 $42.60
Females 19 - 30 $45.04
Females 31 - 50 $44.46
Females 51 - 70 $38.77
Females over 70 $38.03
Pregnant women under 19 $47.90
Pregnant women 19 - 30 $48.57
Pregnant women 31 - 50 $47.39
Breastfeeding women under 19 $49.65
Breastfeeding women 19 - 30 $51.92
Breastfeeding women 31 - 50 $50.74
Reference family of four

Male 31-50,
Female 31-50,
Boy 14 and Girl 7

 $187.13

To get the total cost of food for a week, an extra 5% is added for extra food items used to make meals such as spices, seasonings, condiments, baking supplies, soups, coffee and tea.

The total cost of food does not include processed and convenience foods, soft drinks, packaged snack foods, special dietary foods, baby foods, religious or cultural foods, soap, shampoo, toilet paper or other personal items.

Check what it would cost for you to feed you and your family using the Nutritious Food Basket (PDF, 173 kB) 

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