How much does it cost to eat healthy in our province? The Saskatchewan Food Costing Task Group looked at the average food cost of a nutritionally adequate, balanced diet in Saskatchewan in 2015 and the report summarizing the findings was released this week.
The cost to feed a reference family of four increased from a provincial average of $218.24 per week in 2012 to $243.64 in 2015, an increase of 11.5% in only 3 years. The cost of healthy foods in the far north region of Saskatchewan is 80% higher than the provincial average.
Rising food costs are putting pressure on all residents of Saskatchewan, but especially vulnerable populations, eg. people living in poverty.
The Cost of Healthy Eating in Saskatchewan 2015 report can be used by decision makers and organizations to inform:
- allocation of funds for nutrition programs, food grants and food allowances;
- decisions regarding health, nutrition and social policy development and implementation;
- further assessment and monitoring of regional barriers and cost differences affecting healthy food access; and,
- supporting and promoting access to nutritious, safe, and personally acceptable foods.
For more information, the 2015 food costing report can be found here.
A news release about the report by Dietitians of Canada can be found here.
Infographics illustrating the results can be found here and here.