Author Topic: Canadians: Grocery Costs?  (Read 17287 times)

scrubbyfish

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Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« on: February 02, 2015, 06:09:19 PM »
I took out most organics, and I'm spending the same as before, wha? I shop at Safeway only because the lighting/quiet/smallness is what I can manage with my funny disability. I'm wondering what I can shift to improve my grocery bill.

So, Canadians, what are you spending on any of these items, please? Where are you getting better deals?


Toilet paper on sale, $6.99 for 30 rolls
Yogurt, plain, 750g $4.29
Cream, half and half, 1 litre $2.79
Yogurt cups at 50% off, 1200g $3.80 (I don't believe in individual servings, but make an exception for these for kid's school happiness.)
Yogurt cups at 50% off, 400g $2.09
Cocoa powder, 250g, $4.99
Cheese, 694g, $8.99
Peanut butter, natural, on sale, 750g, $5.99
Mixed nuts, 275g, $6.49
Eggs, free range organic, 1 dozen, $5.70
Avocado $1.50
Mayonnaise, 890ml, $4.59
Honey, 1kg, $11.98
Salsa, 1.97kg, $9.99
Beef, 1.67kg, $16.60

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2015, 06:40:53 PM »
We shop at a combination of Costco and Superstore, with the occasional trip for milk/bread/snacks to the local Sobeys.  We spend about $400-500/month on food and personal care items for 2 people.  We buy meat/cheese/toilet paper/pharmacy items (if possible) at Costco, then get fruit and veg, and everything else at Superstore.  Superstore routinely has the cheapest non-sale prices on basic items, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, onions, yoghurt etc.  I also shop for spices, baking supplies and dried beans at Bulk Barn, which saves us some as well.

We are in a large urban centre, so that makes groceries slightly more expensive as well, I think.

hunniebun

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2015, 06:42:44 PM »
I was just going to say that some of these items I have found cheaper at costco, like cheese and nuts.  But otherwise...that is pretty much what we pay for most things...give or take a few pennies.  But with costco, if you don't shop there a tonne, you need to factor in the cost of the membership and if like me...it is 40 minutes away, you have to factor something in for gas and commuting time...so I am not 100% convinced it is worth the trip!

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2015, 06:48:21 PM »
I am 5 minutes from Costco, and even if we just bought cat litter there, the membership would easily pay for its self over the year.  I also buy most of my gas there, as they are routinely 5-10 cents cheaper per litre than the gas station by our house.

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2015, 07:00:23 PM »
Thanks, folks!

Yeah, my low spending for two of us (both big eaters, and on a low-filler diet) is $300 for groceries and household, running up to $400+. Besides eliminating most organics, I've also dramatically reduced meat and added us much filler as we seem able to tolerate while remaining well. It bugs me that it's remained this high despite these moves.

Costco is at least three hours return trip for me, so about $20 in gas per trip. When I used to live close to one (three!) of them, I tried it but wasn't able to save much, if anything. There was very little alignment between what I needed and what they had, and then some things were actually more expensive there than they were elsewhere. Then I tried to go to it in the States, but kept having nervous breakdowns, lol, so I stopped that valiant effort too.

Prairie Stash

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2015, 07:03:12 PM »
That list is why I avoid Safeway! Its marketed towards customers who don't mind higher prices.

Superstore on what I recall:
100mL yogurt cups are $0.50 for Danone, regular price. On sale I pay $0.35-0.40/cup
Cheese is usually $1.10/100g
Peanut Butter I pay $5.99/1Kg max (I got a deal after Christmas for $0.44/500mL - bought 16 containers)
Mayonaise was $3.89 last night (the large jar)
« Last Edit: February 02, 2015, 07:11:17 PM by Prairie Practicality »

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2015, 07:16:31 PM »
That list is why I avoid Safeway!
100mL yogurt cups are $0.50 for Danone, regular price.
Cheese is usually $1.10/100g

PP: At Costco?

I never pay more than the 50% off price for yogurt cups at Safeway (they always have an abundance), working out to 32 cents and 52 cents per 100ml.
The Safeway cheese (medium, because the "sharper" taste helps us stretch it out) works out to $1.30/100g. (Am I doing that right? If yes, mild or Costco would save us only $2-$4/mo.)

plainjane

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2015, 07:19:45 PM »
I'm in Toronto and in the past month:
plain yogurt - 1.99/750mL (Astro Balkan)
cheddar - 6.99/700g (Black Diamond)
miracle whip - $3/890mL (I think Hellman's is often similar, but I don't track that)
Kraft peanut butter (conventional) - 1.97/1kg (a very good sale, it's usually $2.88-$3 on sale)

Beef will be highly dependent on the cut. Halal chicken goes on sale for 1.99/lb for a whole chicken.  Pork shoulder (picnic) at similar prices. Shrimp was 5.99/400g zipperback.  Avocados were cheap the last few weeks due to the superbowl (down to 0.79 for a solo, and $5/6 bagged), but vary greatly in cost depending on the size and store (sometimes as high as 2.50).  This is a mix of Loblaws, Freshco, No Frills, Metro.  Not much Metro to be sure, but sometimes they will surprise.

Your nuts and cocoa both look high, but I don't track those items.  Bulk Barn isn't the best price in my neighbourhood, but I'd check it out (especially for the mixed nuts, can you make this yourself and put in more of the cheaper ones or add in sesame seeds/pumpkin seeds?)

How much are you using flyers to plan your purchasing?
« Last Edit: February 02, 2015, 07:25:21 PM by plainjane »

startswithhome

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2015, 07:37:30 PM »
I shop at no frills, mostly. They price match sale flyers. So does Walmart. We are gluten free.

Toilet paper - like 25 cents a roll, ish? I don't stock up because the kids keep getting into it and wasting it.
Yogurt, plain, 750g $2.88 - $3.50, stock up when it's low. It keeps for a month, and what else am I doing with the back of the fridge?
Cheese, I aim for about $1 for 100g, and if it's below that, I fill the back of my fridge.
Nuts, from costco. Do you know anyone who goes? They get a bit of cash back on your purchase if they pick it up for you. They are delicious, cheap and freeze well.
Eggs, from sad chickens: $2/12 or free range local: $3.50/12 (probably close to organic, but not paying for the certification)
Avocado $1ish
Brown rice: I finally found a giant bag (that wasn't white, parboiled, jasmine, whatever). It was $10. 
(I don't watch the condiment prices yet)
Meat - under $2/$3 lb depending on the bone/skin situation. Mostly chicken, ground beef and sausages (breakfast sausages from Costco)
If you can spare the freezer space, go to the grocery store before a major holiday closure. 50% off ground meats and other things that won't keep as well (but will in your freezer)

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2015, 07:37:44 PM »
Thanks, plainjane! Those are some phenomenal prices you've got going!! I can often get the plain yogurt (Astro, yes) for $2.50, but not today and we'd waited a month for a sale. Never for $1.99, though!

The nuts is only my second time in decades, so not a normal purchase for me -I bought them specifically craving the higher fat, richer nuts over cheaper ones.

I don't use flyers because it's rare that I buy processed or extra-ingredients food. (e.g., Peanut butter I will only buy "peanuts only" version.) Do you find these work for cheese, plain yogurt, etc?

Prairie Practicality:
I see our posts overlapped a bit, so now I've got that you were referencing SuperStore. I think I might ask myself to try it here. I couldn't bear that store in Vancouver, but here everything is smaller so maybe the local one will be doable for me!

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2015, 07:41:34 PM »
Superstore - I dislike Costco. I tried it, the prices were higher on the stuff I bought. I usually adjust my food to whatever is on sale. Some exceptions like the yogurt, my daughter eats one every day so I always keep it in the house. It also comes on sale, that's just the max. The cheese is usually old cheddar, sometimes I'll switch to medium for a change.   

Before anyone gets on my case about Costco, I just finished a year long trial. My summary was higher prices (on average), poor location, long lineups (15-20 minutes on weekends). Some items are better priced, it depends on what you eat. There's a second Costco coming soon near me, the first is extremely busy!

Try shopping at Safeway one time, a different store the next. In University I had a rotation of stores, each store had a certain section that was cheaper to get you in (loss leaders). Poverty is great for sharpening your skills :)

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2015, 07:43:20 PM »
Scrubby,  Loblaws has been renovating their Superstore locations in the last few years, so it might be a lot nicer than what you remember.  My local one is bright, reasonably well organized, and has nice wide isles.  I am able to shop during the day, and avoid the crowds as well, so that's another added bonus.  And I like their new Plus Points system.  It gives me points towards cash back on future purchases, of things we buy frequently, like cheese, rice, green peppers, and yoghurt (in addition to the normal more processed stuff they have specials on that week).  We've redeemed $40 in free groceries in the last 6 months, and we have another $40 waiting to be used.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2015, 07:55:15 PM »
I don't use flyers because it's rare that I buy processed or extra-ingredients food. (e.g., Peanut butter I will only buy "peanuts only" version.) Do you find these work for cheese, plain yogurt, etc?

My local flyers cover veggies/fruit (organic & conventional, fresh & frozen), raw meat (organic & conventional), and other items like peanut butter and cheese.  The yogurt is semi-frequently on sale at 1.99 at either Freshco or No Frills (and I'll know which one thanks to the flyers and get enough to cover me until the best before date).  To give you a sense of what watching the flyers saves us, the Loblaws had it for 3.69 the same week.  I know it's only a couple of dollars, but it does add up across the items and weeks.  I only track prices through the flyers as I'm not the grocery shopper, just the list maker and food preparer. :)

I get the flyers sent to my email, so it's easy enough to scroll through to identify the items we care about and then make the menu and list for the forthcoming week leveraging the best priced fresh veggies and items I prepared and froze when they were in season.

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2015, 08:07:44 PM »
Before anyone gets on my case about Costco, I just finished a year long trial. My summary was higher prices (on average),

That was my experience of it (in Vancouver), too.

Try shopping at Safeway one time, a different store the next. In University I had a rotation of stores, each store had a certain section that was cheaper to get you in (loss leaders). Poverty is great for sharpening your skills :)

I hear ya! I was super broke for a long time (sleeping on sidewalks, etc) and at that stage spent only $30-$50/mo on food. (But that made me really sick. At the time, I didn't know that crappy eating would do that. Not that I had much choice in the matter at the time.) So, I don't want to go for savings at the expense of health, but I'd love to get costs down further, if possible, while maintaining health.

My local flyers cover veggies/fruit (organic & conventional, fresh & frozen), raw meat (organic & conventional), and other items like peanut butter and cheese.

Great!!! I will start doing flyers, then! Thanks for the tip re: having them emailed, too. That sounds much more restful to me.

The yogurt is semi-frequently on sale at 1.99 at either Freshco or No Frills (and I'll know which one thanks to the flyers and get enough to cover me until the best before date).

I can return the tip-favour by saying yogurt will last weeks and weeks past expiry (that's why I get it 50% off, and stretch even that for many more weeks).

Scrubby,  Loblaws has been renovating their Superstore locations in the last few years, so it might be a lot nicer than what you remember.  My local one is bright...

My last trip (Vancouver) would have been 1-2 years ago. I don't do well in bright lights (neurological stuff), so I'm going to hope they've dimmed the lights here ;)   Yes, shopping during the day (quieter, less crowded) helps me a lot. I will check it out here!

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2015, 08:10:06 PM »
Just realized I would have saved $16 if I'd delayed today's shopping trip to tomorrow, argh. 10% off the first Tuesday of every month. I'd forgotten again! Going to put that in my Google calendar right now, then sign up for e-flyers for Safeway, SuperStore, etc.

RichMoose

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #15 on: February 03, 2015, 12:14:47 AM »
I've tried shopping at several stores here in Alberta: Safeway, Save-on Foods, Superstore, and occasionally at Sobeys and Costco. In general my findings are Sobeys has the best meat and produce, but you pay. Save-on and Safeway are quite similar but their prices can be wacky, good price points on some things but other things are outrageous. Costco you really have to watch out, some good deals but in general its not fantastic and one easily buys more than they need. Superstore has pretty decent prices on just about everything, but I've caught them several times re-dating meats, including ground meats and chicken and often the produce is rotten within a week. Finally I've resigned to shopping at Walmart because their prices are fantastic and I find the quality of their produce and meats to be better than the Superstores in my area. Here are some of the prices I pay:

B/S chicken breasts: $10 for .95kg
Lean Ground beef: $4.50 for 500g
Plain yoghurt: $2.80 for Balkan style tub
Eggs: $3.50 for 18
Roma Tomatoes and Honeycrisp Apples: $1.70 to $1.90 for 1 lb
Peanut Oil: $5.70 for 1L (great oil for Asian dishes BTW)
2% milk: $4.60 for 4L
Aged Cheddar: $9 for 800g
Spaghetti noodles: $2.15 for 900g
Basmati rice: $17.50 for 4.5kg
Can Crushed / Diced Tomatoes: $1.20 for 800ml
Dried Chickpeas: $2.75 for 900g
Kraft PB: $9 for 2kg jar

These are just the regular prices. For meats I often buy the marked down stuff and cook it within 2 or 3 days, I save the vegetarian meals for the last few days. Yogurt sometimes goes down to $2 on sale. Cheese as well. I figure when buying comparable things, I spend at minimum $20 less per shopping trip (every 7-10 days) at Walmart compared to Save-on or Sobeys. I spend the same amount at Walmart as I do Superstore, but I find I throw out less stuff now.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #16 on: February 03, 2015, 12:44:45 AM »
I took out most organics, and I'm spending the same as before, wha? I shop at Safeway only because the lighting/quiet/smallness is what I can manage with my funny disability. I'm wondering what I can shift to improve my grocery bill.

So, Canadians, what are you spending on any of these items, please? Where are you getting better deals?


Toilet paper on sale, $6.99 for 30 rolls
-.40 per roll royals double roll 2 ply. . Or .20 per roll of single roll. Wait for it. Shoppers and superstore.

Yogurt, plain, 750g $4.29
- make my own because of this, cheapest is $3 for plain no name. Or buy the 2? gallon tub for just a little more than milk if you can eat that much.

Cream, half and half, 1 litre $2.79-yep, at least we don't eat a lot.

Yogurt cups at 50% off, 1200g $3.80 (I don't believe in individual servings, but make an exception for these for kid's school happiness.). - safeway foil caps are the cheapest per 100 g around. As low as .40 per large 250 ml cup.
Yogurt cups at 50% off, 400g $2.09

Cocoa powder, 250g, $4.99-
-I think $6.99 at superstore for the larger can.

Cheese, 694g, $8.99.
- I wait for as close to $1 per 100 gm as I can find. Sale rarely gets that low without in store 10% off day, more like $7.29 for 700 gm of Armstrong cheddar.  Or you know get it from usa if you are close to the border. Gas costs too much for me to drive, but if you are close...

Peanut butter, natural, on sale, 750g, $5.99. I just bought Kraft 1kg for $3.00;  $6 for 2 kg is another common sale point.

Mixed nuts, 275g, $6.49
- yep expensive. Almond bulk for about $1.70 for 100gm or peanuts are your friends here. Try bulk walnuts too. Superstore or some say costco. Roast your own ?

Eggs, free range organic, 1 dozen, $5.70.
-Shoppers not organic $1.99 on sale every 6 weeks, everywhere else is $2.29 dozen. On sale.  save on has good selection of free range less than $4, and they do taste miles better than Snow White brand. I can get farm eggs fr church lady for $5, but unwashed and unsized and black market.

Avocado $1.50.
-Yeah, or four small ones for $3. In a bag. I don't buy except in season or if superstore has discounted old produce. DH loves me tho.

Mayonnaise, 890ml, $4.59.
-Sales go under $3 a few times per year. We only use 2 jars a year so that is fine. Dill pickles seem pricey at $3.49 and up per jar.

Honey, 1kg,
-I found honey for $3 once. After months of looking. For 375gm. We keep not buying.

Salsa, 1.97kg, $9.99.
-I just get what ever is jarred at $3.50 per 500ml 

Beef, 1.67kg, $16.60
-Lean Ground beef is $4.29 per lb.   other cuts are hard to find under $5 to $6per lb.
chicken is worse. Cheapest is now over $2.29 per lb for legs!  $26 for 4kg of the boxed frozen chicken breasts!  Most decent chicken is at $6.99 per lb.

BCis more than Alberta. Safeway has best sale prices. Use a price book as 10% appreciation day can be good.
Walmart is not great except for a few things, costco is hard to cover membership on groceries. They have lower prices nice cheeses and garbage bags and a few other things but safeway sales are lower.

Save on is nice if you like organic or free range. Safeway has best produce but you pay.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2015, 11:12:06 AM by goldielocks »

Goldielocks

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #17 on: February 03, 2015, 12:59:42 AM »
Sorry for cryptic reply above and inside your quote, but trying to tap it on my phone.

Superstore now has all lanes open until 6pm sat and sun, or go early on weekday. So much better. Also stressful if you need to bring your son with you. I agree that paying a couple of dollars for checkout help is worth it if the stress is a lot.

Bc is much higher than Ontario, by about 10% on dry grocery alone.   but Nfld and Yukon are the worst prices I have seen.

Definitely try a price book so you know the best sale cycle prices. Ots like peanut butter are annual, other items are every 12 weeks   

Use customer appreciation or point programs too.

pbkmaine

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #18 on: February 03, 2015, 01:16:42 AM »
You can make your own yogurt. There are a ton of recipes on the Internet, but basically you need milk, a small amount of store bought plain yogurt with active cultures and a heat source, like a crockpot or heating pad.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #19 on: February 03, 2015, 04:29:08 AM »
Seeing the prices listed looks like some bargains have been picked as our prices here seem typically higher. I think being on an Island gives our retailers an excuse to raise prices. We also don't have any Costco's or the like. Walmart has just put in a full grocery area -- just opened a few weeks ago but is inconvenient for us. When I see the food budgets some Americans post in these forums I'm always amazed that they can eat so inexpensively. Having two adult-sized (and always hungry) sons here at home doesn't help. Our high cost of food is somewhat offset by reasonable housing costs.

Here's some prices from a recent sales receipt -- items purchased at Sobeys.

2L 1%MF Milk  $3.69
454g (16oz) block of organic Tofu  $3.99
150ml Sesame Oil  $5.99
Can of Solid White Tuna (Albacore)  $2.99
Ezekiel Sprouted Sesame Bread   $5.99
Store-brand thin crust frozen pizza  $5.99
Large Avocado  $3.00
English Cucumber  $2.79
890ml Kraft Mayo  $4.99
10-pack of frozen vegetable Egg Rolls  $4.99
750g frozen Peas  $3.49
Electrasol Dishwasher Pacs (25-pieces)  $7.49
Eggs, free range organic, 1 dozen, $5.99
« Last Edit: February 03, 2015, 04:30:41 AM by PEIslander »

going2ER

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #20 on: February 03, 2015, 09:00:27 AM »
I tend to watch the flyers and buy on sale so that helps to save a lot. We know what we normally eat so when its on sale we pick up lots.

One place that has great sales on non-processed food items is Shoppers. I often get eggs 12 for $1.99, they aren't organic, but have had no problems with them and about a 1/3 of what you are paying. Plus we go through 12-18 eggs per week. Milk, cheese, toilet tissue and facial tissues will often be on sale at Shoppers as well for really great prices. So even though its not somewhere you usually think of picking up groceries they do have some really good sales.

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #21 on: February 03, 2015, 09:15:37 AM »
Thanks, everyone!

Yeah, I made my own yogurt for years. Now I use so little of it I feel like it's not worth my doing that, but I could go with the giant tub if that's cheaper because I find it doesn't go bad for many weeks past expiry. Eggs are the only thing I'm allowing myself free range (can't bear chickens being caged).

There's a WalMart in the next town (same place I go for SuperStore and Safeway), so I'll try that too. Shoppers is a great suggestion; that's where my super thrifty mum goes for big deals. I'll try that, too.

PEIslander: I was two weeks away from moving to PEI for the cheap housing (dramatic circumstances came up that kept me here in BC)! But yeah, grocery costs are a big reason I've worked hard to maintain cheap housing.

goldielocks: Thanks for noting that you had replied inside the quote, too! I didn't find those til I read that :)

I've now got Safeway's 10% off day repeating in my Google calendar, and am signed up for their e-flyer. I couldn't get SuperStore's online stuff to work at all -it seemed very broken. Will try again. So, my next big moves are to: watch flyers, try Walmart or Superstore (and then the other the trip after that).

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #22 on: February 03, 2015, 09:44:03 AM »
Here are a couple of websites that I use to quickly find the best price on products I frequently use:

http://flyeronfire.com/

and also the app

http://www.flipp.com/flipp/contest


Goldielocks

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #23 on: February 03, 2015, 10:07:08 AM »
Seeing the prices listed looks like some bargains have been picked as our prices here seem typically higher. I think being on an Island gives our retailers an excuse to raise prices. We also don't have any Costco's or the like. Walmart has just put in a full grocery area -- just opened a few weeks ago but is inconvenient for us. When I see the food budgets some Americans post in these forums I'm always amazed that they can eat so inexpensively. Having two adult-sized (and always hungry) sons here at home doesn't help. Our high cost of food is somewhat offset by reasonable housing costs.

Here's some prices from a recent sales receipt -- items purchased at Sobeys.

2L 1%MF Milk  $3.69
454g (16oz) block of organic Tofu  $3.99
150ml Sesame Oil  $5.99
Can of Solid White Tuna (Albacore)  $2.99
Ezekiel Sprouted Sesame Bread   $5.99
Store-brand thin crust frozen pizza  $5.99
Large Avocado  $3.00
English Cucumber  $2.79
890ml Kraft Mayo  $4.99
10-pack of frozen vegetable Egg Rolls  $4.99
750g frozen Peas  $3.49
Electrasol Dishwasher Pacs (25-pieces)  $7.49
Eggs, free range organic, 1 dozen, $5.99
Yep. I posted the 12 week or better sales cycle prices that I wait for. These are a lot less.
I think OP is still in BC and many prices are fixed by province for big chains, so I thought the best prices I find would help.
I was shocked at food prices in Gander, so I guess PEI is similar.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #24 on: February 03, 2015, 10:25:29 AM »
Quote
Toilet paper on sale, $6.99 for 30 rolls
Yogurt, plain, 750g $4.29
Cream, half and half, 1 litre $2.79
Yogurt cups at 50% off, 1200g $3.80 (I don't believe in individual servings, but make an exception for these for kid's school happiness.)
Yogurt cups at 50% off, 400g $2.09
Cocoa powder, 250g, $4.99
Cheese, 694g, $8.99
Peanut butter, natural, on sale, 750g, $5.99
Mixed nuts, 275g, $6.49
Eggs, free range organic, 1 dozen, $5.70
Avocado $1.50
Mayonnaise, 890ml, $4.59
Honey, 1kg, $11.98
Salsa, 1.97kg, $9.99
Beef, 1.67kg, $16.60

our food shopping is mixture of CostCo and three local grocery chains (Provigo, IGA and Metro) plus smaller markets.  I pick up deals wherever they appear, and thankfully all are within walking distance of work or home.
Yogurt - started making my own, spend ~$2.25 per liter of yogurt, plus ~50¢ worth of homemade preserves/maple for flavoring 1L.
Cream - about the same as you
Yogurt Cups - I never buy these.  Instead I have resealable tupperware - less likely to spill than those foil-lined packets.
Cocoa Powder - bought 16oz (453g) online recently for $7.
Cheese - CostCo, sharp aged cheddar, 1kg for $13 ($1.30/100g) - similar to you
Mixed nuts - CostCo 1kg bag $18
Eggs, 30 count (not organic though) - $5.79
Avocado (seasonal purchases) never buy when it's more than $1.  When I lived in California we could get them for 10-15¢ :-(
Mayo - make at home for about $2/liter
Honey - CostCo, 2kg for $16
Salsa - no idea in Canada -buy my favorite brand whenever I'm in the US for about $3/22oz.jar.
Beef - haven't purchased in a while
Pork loin - CostCo at $7/kg (not organic)

Dee

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #25 on: February 03, 2015, 10:41:55 AM »
One place that hasn't been mentioned that has many of the items you listed is Shoppers Drug Mart. If it's on your way to the grocery store, there are often sales that are totally worth it (an example from your list is that half and half cream is often on sale for $1.99/litre). Also, the Optimum Points program is, from my perspective, the best rewards program in Canada. If you can time your shopping to need to "bulk up" on toileteries and groceries on a Saturday where it's 20x the points when you spend $50 or more, it can really add up quickly. I often try to combine my grocery trip so that's it's a grocery store like Freshco or Food Basics and a Shoppers Drug Mart in one round trip.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #26 on: February 03, 2015, 04:06:22 PM »
Depending on where you are in BC, do you have access to biggish Asian supermarkets? Some of the newer ones are quite posh (i.e., not lit like police interrogation rooms), but with low prices. And depending on who lives in the neighbourhood, they often have foods that aren't typically associated with east Asian cooking (things like yogurt, or Greek honey). We have stores like Al Premium and Great Foods in Toronto that are usually cheaper than even No Frills, especially on real food that you have to know how to cook (produce, meat, sacks o' legumes and grains).

wrt costco, in my experience friends and colleagues who have costco cards are often happy to pick up a few things for you, especially if you're surrounded with favour-trading friends anyway. As long as you know exactly what you want (which is a kilo of parmesan, a four-pack of low-sodium bacon, and two litres of Kirkland organic olive oil).

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #27 on: February 03, 2015, 04:45:34 PM »
One place that hasn't been mentioned that has many of the items you listed is Shoppers Drug Mart. If it's on your way to the grocery store, there are often sales that are totally worth it (an example from your list is that half and half cream is often on sale for $1.99/litre). Also, the Optimum Points program is, from my perspective, the best rewards program in Canada. If you can time your shopping to need to "bulk up" on toileteries and groceries on a Saturday where it's 20x the points when you spend $50 or more, it can really add up quickly. I often try to combine my grocery trip so that's it's a grocery store like Freshco or Food Basics and a Shoppers Drug Mart in one round trip.

Great point Dee!  I like to also game the $10 gift card when $50 spent...which is frequent.  They also have seniors day...and you never know what your folks/grand folks might get for you.  ahem.  :-)

backyardfeast

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #28 on: February 03, 2015, 08:29:26 PM »
Hi all,
Scrubbyfish, I'm on Vancouver Island and our prices look really similar to yours.  If your shopping options are limited in terms of what stores are close by, then sale days and flyers are your friend.

I just wanted to put out there, though, that we get some great deals by buying in bulk through co-ops/wholesalers/whole food stores, and do pretty well directly from farms too.  If you have a chest freezer, it's something to start looking in to, especially if you're in a rural area.  Am I remembering right that you're on the sunshine coast?

So, for example, at our local community farm store (natural hippie food store? Not a chain store, I suspect that's important), you can order in bulk bags.  I bought a 50lb bag of organic rolled oats for about $35, and I've seen the non-organic ones at Country Grocer (local chain) for $25.  Another local bulk store does a once-a-year wholesale order that customers are allowed to piggyback on; our best deal was a 5kg bag of cashew pieces for $52 (just over $1/100g as opposed to $2/100g at the grocery store bulk section).  We also bought a big back of dry black beans, basmati rice, etc.

We buy a half pig from a local farmer each year, and although prices are going up, it still works out to about $5/lb.  While that's higher than the cheapest cuts might be at Walmart, it's also way cheaper for the more expensive cuts, like bacon, etc.  Plus we render the fat for lard (it's easy!) for baking/cooking.

Although we also have a garden, which helps a ton in keeping produce costs down, we've also found the cheapest quality produce (by FAR) at the farmgate of non-certified but generally organic farms.  You do have to price shop a little as these can really vary.  But there's a farm we visit periodically that we could buy massive bags of produce for like $25 that would do us for a couple of weeks.  CSAs vary in value as well.  And there are a few "barn market" -type stores around that also sell produce way more cheaply than the grocery stores.

Last, if you have any agricultural area around, we also used to do well at UPicks during the summer seasons, to keep fresh berries, etc in the freezer all year.  Now that Costco carries more organic frozen fruit, this may be less of a deal, but if you don't like Costco, it might be worth it.

Over the years we've been adding more and more of these bulk, non-store staples to our pantry, and it really adds up.  And the best part is (well except for supporting local food!) we really don't have to do regular grocery runs anymore.  Which is PRICELESS.  We still go buy milk, etc, but when we run out; we have a pantry full of staples to draw on, so we don't have to spend our Saturdays running around shopping.

I know these aren't options for everyone, but it can really be worth spending some time finding out what's available in your area.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #29 on: February 03, 2015, 09:20:38 PM »
Agree to look at asian or other ethnic groceries for cheaper cuts of meat, staples like rice, lentils, dry beans, and sometimes produce. I am trying to figure out how to prepare sardines in an appealing way for kids, as they are nice and cheap and healthy. I don't mind the bones myself.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #30 on: February 03, 2015, 09:46:23 PM »
Continued thanks, everyone!! Taking notes...  And even though not everything mentioned is an option for me, as will be the case for most or all of us, the thread is helping me see I'm doing close to as well as possible, and that there are some things I can totally test out, and that some aspects of my lifestyle successfully subsidize the food costs. All of that is good!

No Asian markets around here, not even sure if there is a co-op. But there are the larger cheaper stores, and farmer's markets, and farm-direct eggs, and flyers, and coupons, and a 10% off day monthly, and sales cycles, etc, so I can totally do all of that.

I manage to have super cheap rent because I'm willing to move regularly and because I'm willing to live in small places. But for those same reasons, I have no chest freezer and I'm reluctant to buy in major bulk, run a pantry, etc. That's okay: there are trade-offs, and it makes sense to balance grocery savings with rent savings in all the different configurations of our respective lives. (e.g., It wouldn't make sense for me to pay an extra $300 for a conventional rental in order to save $85/mo in groceries, for example, nor would some grocery savings feel "worth" having to stay put or fill my living space, since I love relocating and space/minimalism. For others, though, it would be some sort of hell to move constantly and a total no-win, in which case a chest freezer makes infinite sense!)

Zikoris

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #31 on: February 03, 2015, 09:55:55 PM »
I had to check with my boyfriend - he has an incredible memory for these things, luckily!

We don't buy most of those things, but for the ones we do buy:

Toilet paper: Around $4 for 24 rolls at No Frills
Peanut butter: $4.77/750g at No Frills (President's Choice natural peanut butter, nothing in it except peanuts)
Avocados: $3-$4 for a bag of 5 at No Frills. Sometimes they're higher, but we only buy at this price.
Nuts: Around $15/kg at Costco, can be a bit higher or lower depending what type of nuts/blend of nuts.

We live in Vancouver.

plainjane

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #32 on: February 05, 2015, 10:28:18 AM »
Thursday is flyer day for me (except for Metro, who makes me wait until Friday, but by that point my weekly plan is mostly made).  Browsing through this week's flyers I see some things we buy regularly enough to care.

Loblaws
whole chicken (PC free from) - 2.49/lb
shrimp - 9.99/400g
canned tomato (unico) - 0.99/796mL
vine tomato - 2.99/lb
cauliflower - 3.99
squash - 1.69/lb
honey - 8.88/1kg
sugar - 2.49/2kg
flour (robin hood) - 4.99/2.5kg

Freshco
flour (robin hood) - 7.97/10kg
chicken (boneless skinless prime) - 4.97/lb
white sugar (redpath) - 1.88/2kg
chipits chocolate chips - 2.49
butter (gay lea) - 3.99
honey - 7.88/1kg
tomato - 1.29/lb
sweet potato - 0.59/lb
cucumber - 0.99

My thoughts reading through:
- I think we'll be eating roast chicken this week.

- Unsurprisingly for February in Canada the vegetables are expensive.  This reconfirms my decision to buy a 1.99 cauliflower at Metro last week.  We'll be getting most of our veggies from the freezer this week (bought pre-bagged, or souped/roasted & frozen back in the fall when things were under $1/lb).

- Butter is 3.99 this week at Freshco, but we picked up a 4?6? at Loblaws last week at 2.88 and stuck them in the freezer.  Shrimp is back at the regular "sale" price of 9.99 after the 5.99 we got a couple of weeks back.  (I know, I shouldn't be buying shrimp at all)

- Flour is a good price at Freshco (look at the difference in price per kg vs. the Loblaws sale going on right across the street) but I'm not even halfway through my current bag, and I trust it will go on sale again closer to when I need it.  The chipits are a good sale for the small bag, but the big bag is generally still cheaper by weight.

Do this for a couple of months and you might start proselytizing too :) 
« Last Edit: February 05, 2015, 02:21:02 PM by plainjane »

backyardfeast

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #33 on: February 05, 2015, 01:06:21 PM »
Just a note that I was going to add about whether or not you've noticed produce prices going way up recently, but plainjane reminded me.  I saw an organic cauliflower in our local grocery store for $8!  Yowza!

Although winter prices are always higher, it's true, apparently this is also the effect of the lower dollar making imports more expensive, and the impact of the California drought.  Scrubbyfish, I totally understand your rationale for not stocking up too much--your priorities make perfect sense.  For me and possibly others, I am feeling VERY grateful for my garden these days, not because I grow everything we eat, but because the extra surplus I've got stashed away in the freezer (beans and corn and a bit of cauliflower) and the garden (cabbage and leeks) and the pantry (onions, garlic, potatoes) from last summer gives me a buffer.  I can absorb a few pricey veggies a week because I can stretch them with what I already have on hand.  I'm thinking carefully about my garden planning at the moment! :)

It's also a reminder of the value of eating local, in season.  Admittedly this is a challenge in some places more than others, but local cabbage, rutabaga, turnips, etc are still way cheaper than imported lettuce right now! (Although Costco's organic salad greens bucket at $3.69 is still a reasonable bargain for us.)

Scrubbyfish, you're also probably way ahead of me about this, but I also noticed a drop in our budget when I started prioritizing cheaper meals more often.  Pasta and sauce, beans and rice, eggs and potatoes, these are all dirt cheap per meal, so even though we also eat pricey salmon, pork, etc, I'm trying to eat those a little less often.  Sometimes looking not just at the cheapest ingedient price but at the cheapest menu can help.


scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #34 on: February 05, 2015, 01:33:58 PM »
Browsing through this week's flyers...

Excellent, plainjane, thanks! I really enjoyed and appreciated reading your "flyer finds" as well as your thought process in response to those. Very helpful! That's a perfect way for me to learn.

http://flyeronfire.com/
http://www.flipp.com/flipp/contest

I saw the first flyer app is specific to Ottawa (collating to show best of each in a week - what a phenomenal option!!), and I have no room on my (older) smartphone for Apps, but I realized I can use Flipp on my son's recently received autism iPad! I will definitely be making a go of flyers. I'll need to rework my system to do so -right now I just check what I'm short on for the upcoming week and replenish that- but I'm game!

Just a note that I was going to add about whether or not you've noticed produce prices going way up recently [...] I saw an organic cauliflower in our local grocery store for $8! [...] It's also a reminder of the value of eating local, in season. [...] Scrubbyfish, you're also probably way ahead of me about this, but I also noticed a drop in our budget when I started prioritizing cheaper meals more often.

Yeah, I have bought very little fresh produce the last couple of months. I figure generations survived without fresh veggies in a Canadian mid-winter, so I can too. I do have (raw) sauerkraut, frozen fruit for smoothies, and those pricey avocados because I [heart] those and I find the fat really helpful.

I think it was about this time last year when I bought a cabbage for $10. Ack! Didn't realize the price til I got home. I returned it!

Only this past few days, since deciding to take the grocery piece to the next level, I've been considering cost-per-meal, and aiming for some lower-priced meals while still maintaining optimal health.

I honestly think my kid and I are both eating more these days, too, just because we're in a colder region than we have been the last few years. It gets cold, and we want to eat and eat. I do a lot of hot teas, though, which helps with the warming factor in a low cost way, and wear two sweaters, which helps too. (I could also turn up the heat, but I don't want my landlord paying more when he gives me awesome rent.)

Today, neighbours gave me a huge load of food! They're heading out for a month, so started out by giving me their perishables...but then kept adding in more and more non-perishables, too. I just posted the joy of that in my Journal, and right now I'm making a meal plan to incorporate its gifts along with my own leftovers and current items. Bean soup, stuffed bell peppers, etc. What a boon!

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #35 on: February 05, 2015, 04:20:14 PM »
Wake-up call, dear Me!

Cream $2.79/litre
But you have 1/5th of a litre at a time.
That's $2.79/5 = 56 cents per serving.

And the tea bag is $3.99 for 18
Often I get it on sale, but not for much better, my fancy, single-bagged chai.
That's another 22 cents per serving.

So, each tea is 78 cents.
If I have three cups, that's $2.34/day.

I MAY BE SPENDING $72.54/mo ON TEA! Tea! Ack!
I say "may be" because I sometimes have 0 cups, sometimes 1, sometimes 2, but I think often 3.

Part of me is horrified, part of me is laughing hard. WTF? Tea!
I understand that this is my primary pleasure right now, and I understand it's how I get more liquids and protein in, and it vastly reduces my consumption of cheese and yogurt...
But, um!
Now, part of what my neighbours gave me is 250 orange pekoe bags, 18 fancy Rooibus, 18 fancy mint, 18 fancy green.

I suspect my biggest veer is that I do things like that. i.e., That my misstep is not so much $6 in fancy nuts every 6 months or 10 years, but more the daily and weekly luxuries.

So, I hearby ask myself to start by limiting creamy tea to twice per day. That'll be $48 instead of up to $73, and that's one more step in the right direction.

backyardfeast

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #36 on: February 05, 2015, 09:55:01 PM »
That's awesome, Scrubbyfish!  I had a similar realization when I did the math on our meals and snacks....my DH eats toast and pb or homemade jam for breakfast.  Pennies, right?  Not when the loaf is from the fancy bakery at $4.5/loaf and he eats 4 slices a day! Hah!  Our coscto granola bar snacks (which I'd like to stop eating as I'm sure they're full of HFCS) are a mere .33/bar, but the healthy nuts and dried fruit from the bulk section at 1-2$/100g? Not so much!  Pretty eye-opening when you start to crunch the numbers.

Glad you got a mongo box of free tea so that you can keep your habit. ;)  I've heard that some people add butter to their tea too... maybe switch to milk and add a bit of butter?

kathrynd

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #37 on: February 05, 2015, 10:11:10 PM »
That's awesome, Scrubbyfish!  I had a similar realization when I did the math on our meals and snacks....my DH eats toast and pb or homemade jam for breakfast.  Pennies, right?  Not when the loaf is from the fancy bakery at $4.5/loaf and he eats 4 slices a day! Hah!  Our coscto granola bar snacks (which I'd like to stop eating as I'm sure they're full of HFCS) are a mere .33/bar, but the healthy nuts and dried fruit from the bulk section at 1-2$/100g? Not so much!  Pretty eye-opening when you start to crunch the numbers.

Glad you got a mongo box of free tea so that you can keep your habit. ;)  I've heard that some people add butter to their tea too... maybe switch to milk and add a bit of butter?

Just a suggestion...
Do a google on homemade chai tea
Plenty of recipes to make cheaply yourself

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #38 on: February 06, 2015, 09:38:33 PM »
Looked up butter tea and butter coffee. Going to try those once I get the recommended grass-fed butter (can trade in my current one).

My first flyer view showed me where I can find avocados way cheaper! Hoorah! Not sure if I'll go that route as $3 for two (the right amount for us before they go bad) is still ultimately cheaper than $4 for more than two, but it does go to show the power of flyer shopping, yes! I also saw how they would work for meats, too.

Used only my free tea today, and a fraction of the cream. If I'm still jonesing for it when the current box is gone, I will look at making my own chai, yes.

A friend and I had an epic length conversation about tea, grocery costs, poverty, luxury, emotions re: all of the above. That helps me make the shifts.

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #39 on: February 07, 2015, 08:33:31 AM »
And the tea bag is $3.99 for 18
Often I get it on sale, but not for much better, my fancy, single-bagged chai.
That's another 22 cents per serving.

Just found: On Amazon Canada, I can buy the same tea in bulk (108 fancy) for the exact same price per bag -no gain re: same price and then I have to store and move lots of stuff- OR for 9 cents per bag (including the cost of shipping). That's about a year's supply of that particular tea for $10!

kathrynd

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #40 on: February 07, 2015, 09:56:38 PM »
And the tea bag is $3.99 for 18
Often I get it on sale, but not for much better, my fancy, single-bagged chai.
That's another 22 cents per serving.

Just found: On Amazon Canada, I can buy the same tea in bulk (108 fancy) for the exact same price per bag -no gain re: same price and then I have to store and move lots of stuff- OR for 9 cents per bag (including the cost of shipping). That's about a year's supply of that particular tea for $10!


That is great !!!
Congrats

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #41 on: June 08, 2015, 10:25:03 PM »
Since this thread made it into the Ultimate, so might be referenced again, I'm going to update to share my results:
  • I found receiving flyers too overwhelming/kerfuffling, so after some weeks I unsubscribed from those.
  • Switched entirely to Superstore (smaller, dimmer, quieter in the smaller town). Better than all other shops so far!
  • Found 4kg yogurt there for $7.50. We use only that bucket now.
  • Found avocadoes there in bulk(ish) bags.
  • Lots of other great prices there.
  • Found cream there for $2/litre
  • Found a small, manual milk frother at thrift for $1. This quickly and easily doubles the volume (?) of the cream, and makes gorgeous lattes, etc.
  • Receiving many eggs free from neighbour who occasionally needs a chickensitter.
  • We're naturally eating less at the moment because it's hot.
So, not a total 180, but really great results from what for me were very easy changes. I'm happy!

Thanks again, everyone, for your excellent help!

swick

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #42 on: June 08, 2015, 10:48:26 PM »
Hi Scrubbyfish,

didn't get to comment first time around, but when we moved and price shopped, Safeway was on average 1-3 dollar PER ITEM more expensive then our no-frills - although flyer deals do make it worth wile to shop their once in a while it is on the way. Your prices are pretty much in line with ours.

The biggest thing I have done is seek out our local farmers. Sometimes it is more expensive but the quality is 1000x better but more often then not it is cheaper. I have found a veggie CSA a local pork producer, local chickens, and local duck and chicken eggs. Most of these deliver right to our house. I have gone out of my way to praise their products (most offer their products via facebook) and have offered to be a drop/off pick up point in our area which saves them time running around and I'm home anyway so it isn't a big deal and they give me free product!

Also look into bulk distributors in the area, ours has a great organic one that offers all your dry good - you could even get together with the neighbours and be the point of contact and be in charge of ordering and distributing and get your portion for less - it's a win for everyone.

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #43 on: June 09, 2015, 04:40:27 PM »
My first flyer view showed me where I can find avocados way cheaper! Hoorah! Not sure if I'll go that route as $3 for two (the right amount for us before they go bad) is still ultimately cheaper than $4 for more than two...

Avocados can last a long time scrubby.  Leave them on the counter until they feel properly ripe and then stick them in the fridge.  They'll last another week or 2 easy, and sometimes way longer.  Don't ever throw one out without opening it because even if it feels all hollowed and bad, it is often perfect inside and delicious.  Even a leftover half wrapped and stored in the fridge will last 3 to 5 days but you'll want to scrape of a thin layer of oxidation off it.  I've also read that they freeze very well but I haven't tried that yet.

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #44 on: June 09, 2015, 04:52:14 PM »
Thank you very much, swick and smilla!

Avocadoes - We've been buying the bags of 5 (slightly smaller ones) and eating them all up, no problem. Right now (heat!) I'm just eating them as-is with a spoon as an entire meal. If they go softer and we're not up for eating more, I make guacamole. I do put them in the fridge at the optimal point, but I didn't know those other tips, so will be implementing those now too!

SweetLife

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #45 on: June 15, 2015, 08:18:42 AM »
I don't use flyers because it's rare that I buy processed or extra-ingredients food. (e.g., Peanut butter I will only buy "peanuts only" version.) Do you find these work for cheese, plain yogurt, etc?

My local flyers cover veggies/fruit (organic & conventional, fresh & frozen), raw meat (organic & conventional), and other items like peanut butter and cheese.  The yogurt is semi-frequently on sale at 1.99 at either Freshco or No Frills (and I'll know which one thanks to the flyers and get enough to cover me until the best before date).  To give you a sense of what watching the flyers saves us, the Loblaws had it for 3.69 the same week. 

Hey plainjane! SWO Mushtachian here ... if you like plain yogurt like I do (Astro is my favourite) buy it on sale and keep it WELL past the due date ... open or not ... it is yogurt and as long as it is all natural it will not spoil... trust me ... I have done to science project test on this lol... in fact, I find it gets better with age... it is after all just a culture :)

Avoid doing this when anything that has fruit in it for obvious reasons !! :)

plainjane

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #46 on: June 15, 2015, 08:46:37 AM »
Hey plainjane! SWO Mushtachian here ... if you like plain yogurt like I do (Astro is my favourite) buy it on sale and keep it WELL past the due date ... open or not ... it is yogurt and as long as it is all natural it will not spoil... trust me ... I have done to science project test on this lol... in fact, I find it gets better with age... it is after all just a culture :)

Avoid doing this when anything that has fruit in it for obvious reasons !! :)

So true.  I remember going fancy canoe camping once, and the person buying food got some yogurt for us to have the first few days (we were on a river, so we could buy food without worrying about portaging, just had a cooler with us for perishables).  I jokingly mentioned on the fourth & final day that the yogurt had expired.  I had been looking at the number, and it was expired by a couple of days.  A fellow camper pointed out that I had forgotten to look at the month. And it was one of the fruit on the bottom. :)  I figure that the fruit on the bottom is basically jam.

My Astro Balkan hasn't been on sale for a while now, so I've switched to the Halal for 1.99.  Not quite as nice a texture as the Balkan, but for $1/week I'm happy to make the switch.  It's always weird to me when the Halal is less expensive than a conventional.

This week the flyer was strong on tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini, so our menu is built around that.  And any extra eggplant and tomato do well in the freezer after being roasted.  Pork tenderloin and shrimp were good prices too, but we still have some in the freezer from the last sale.  Plus, we're trying to buy less conventional shrimp given the environmental impact.

Ottawa

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #47 on: June 15, 2015, 09:28:30 AM »

My Astro Balkan hasn't been on sale for a while now, so I've switched to the Halal for 1.99.  Not quite as nice a texture as the Balkan, but for $1/week I'm happy to make the switch.  It's always weird to me when the Halal is less expensive than a conventional.


It is very easy to make Astro Balkan style (ABS).  I use about 1/4 cup of the ABS as a starter to make 3.5 tubs worth at a cost of less than $1 per tub (1/2 the price of the best sale price).  I basically follow this recipe: http://www.choosy-beggars.com/index.php/2010/03/17/make-your-own-yogurt/ but don't use the lemon.


Goldielocks

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #48 on: June 19, 2015, 10:21:37 AM »
Halal chicken is cheaper at superstore than the basic chicken, too.

Scrubby fish, how did that yogurt work out?  I found that it gets mouldy after a few days past expiry, when other brands (plain) stay great for up to a month after.

scrubbyfish

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Re: Canadians: Grocery Costs?
« Reply #49 on: June 19, 2015, 12:43:47 PM »
Scrubby fish, how did that yogurt work out?  I found that it gets mouldy after a few days past expiry, when other brands (plain) stay great for up to a month after.

My giant tub? Great!!! My son eats the whole thing in a few weeks, so we've only gone past expiry once, when we went on vacation for two weeks. Even though it had been opened, and dug into, it was still perfect when we returned.

And I will look for the halal! (Hmmm...maybe less demand during Ramadan, too??)

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!