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The
Cost of Food in the Tri-County
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The Cost of Healthy Eating in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark
2006
Under the direction of Mandatory Health Programs and Services
Guidelines, the annual costing of a Nutritious Food Basket was recently
completed for ten grocery stores throughout Leeds, Grenville and Lanark
counties. For the ninth consecutive year, staff of the Health Promotion
Department, Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, surveyed
10 stores during a two-week period from June 5-18, 2006.
The Nutritious Food Basket is used to evaluate the cost of healthy
eating based on current nutrition recommendations. The basket contains
66 food items and was developed by the Ontario Ministry of Health. Food
items contained in the basket support nutritional health and reflect the
shopping behaviours of Canadians.
In selecting each food product, the lowest priced item of a specified
size was recorded, regardless of brand. The cost of the Nutritious Food
Basket is based on the average cost of each food item from all ten
grocery stores surveyed.
Nutritious Food Basket data was used to calculate the cost of healthy
eating for specific age and gender groups. The table below is a summary
of the last six surveys and indicates the average weekly cost of food
for a family of four and 23 age and gender groups.
|
Age/Gender Group |
Weekly Food Cost
|
|
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
Child 1 yr. |
$14.13 |
$14.61 |
$14.27 |
$14.22 |
$14.40 |
$14.76 |
|
Child 2-3 yrs. |
$14.82 |
$15.35 |
$14.98 |
$15.01 |
$15.13 |
$15.54 |
|
Child 4-6 yrs. |
$19.49 |
$20.27 |
$19.72 |
$19.78 |
$19.95 |
$20.48 |
| Boy
7-9 yrs. |
$23.36 |
$24.37 |
$23.84 |
$23.88 |
$23.92 |
$24.67 |
| Boy
10-12 yrs. |
$29.09 |
$30.17 |
$29.63 |
$29.68 |
$29.84 |
$30.60 |
| Boy
13-15 yrs. |
$34.11 |
$35.40 |
$34.90 |
$34.87 |
$35.11 |
$35.99 |
| Boy
16-18 yrs. |
$39.64 |
$41.30 |
$40.61 |
$40.85 |
$40.86 |
$41.96 |
| Girl
7-9 yrs. |
$22.57 |
$23.42 |
$23.05 |
$22.92 |
$23.11 |
$23.71 |
| Girl
10-12 yrs. |
$26.89 |
$27.71 |
$27.31 |
$27.17 |
$27.51 |
$28.12 |
| Girl
13-15 yrs. |
$28.79 |
$29.67 |
$29.38 |
$29.16 |
$29.47 |
$30.16 |
| Girl
16-18 yrs. |
$27.42 |
$28.38 |
$28.08 |
$27.90 |
$28.04 |
$28.77 |
| Man 19-24 yrs. |
$37.59 |
$39.29 |
$38.57 |
$38.77 |
$38.68 |
$39.79 |
| Man 25-49 yrs. |
$36.55 |
$38.20 |
$37.57 |
$37.68 |
$37.59 |
$38.68 |
| Man 50-74 yrs. |
$33.24 |
$34.60 |
$34.17 |
$34.12 |
$34.11 |
$35.04 |
| Man 75+ yrs. |
$30.20 |
$31.02 |
$31.02 |
$30.83 |
$30.96 |
$31.64 |
| Woman 19-24 yrs. |
$28.06 |
$29.16 |
$28.76 |
$28.62 |
$28.72 |
$29.51 |
| Woman 25-49 yrs. |
$26.86 |
$27.60 |
$27.57 |
$27.29 |
$27.49 |
$28.11 |
| Woman 50-74 yrs. |
$26.40 |
$27.13 |
$27.11 |
$26.82 |
$27.02 |
$27.63 |
| Woman 75+ yrs. |
$25.68 |
$26.42 |
$26.35 |
$26.12 |
$26.30 |
$26.89 |
Pregnancy
1st trimester 19-24 yrs. |
$30.99 |
$31.79 |
$31.71 |
$31.40 |
$31.87 |
$32.47 |
Pregnancy
2nd trimester 19-24 yrs. |
$32.94 |
$33.77 |
$33.71 |
$33.47 |
$33.95 |
$34.57 |
Pregnancy
3rd trimester 19-24 yrs. |
$32.94 |
$33.77 |
$33.71 |
$33.47 |
$33.95 |
$34.57
|
Lactating
19-24 yrs. |
$33.65 |
$34.50 |
$34.43 |
$34.23 |
$34.71 |
$35.35 |
| Family of Four |
$120.08 |
$124.62 |
$123.09 |
$122.76 |
$123.30 |
$126.48 |
The 2006 data indicate that the average weekly food cost of feeding a
family of four is $126.48 per week ($547.66 per month). This is a 2.6%
increase since 2005 (increase of $3.18 per week, $13.77 per month, and
$165.24 per year).
Overall, since the survey was first completed in 1998, there has been an
increase of almost 16%.
The intent is to use this information to raise awareness of the cost of
healthy eating and support the advocacy efforts of agencies in Leeds,
Grenville and Lanark to address food insecurity in our community.
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