Eating healthy continues to be expensive, according to the latest Nutritious Food Basket survey by the Perth District Health Unit.
Staff visited six local grocery stores to find the average total cost of 67 basic food items, such as vegetables, fruit, meat, bread, eggs, and milk.
The average cost of food for a family of four this year was $210.51 per week, or $911.51 per month.
This is similar to the cost from 2015, and is an increase of $15.97 per week from 2014.
According to Natalee Ridgeway, Registered Dietitian at the Perth District Health Unit, many people simply can’t afford to purchase healthy food. She says they may skip meals, purchase cheaper, poor quality foods, or turn to food banks or meal programs to make ends meet.
"Food prices significantly impact people living on low-incomes or those with unstable or low paying jobs. When you factor in the cost of food and rent, we see that there’s very little, if anything, left for all other expenses like transportation, hydro, clothing, and child care," states Ridgeway.
For example, a family of four living on Ontario Works would have just $319 per month for all other expenses after paying rent and purchasing food.
The Perth District Health Unit and its Board of Health, along with a number of other health units in the province have advocated for the government to adopt an income response to address food insecurity. The Ontario government is currently exploring a basic income guarantee pilot project for 2017.
