Montreal (Québec), October 16, 2024 – As we mark World Food Day today, which aims to raise awareness of the need for food security and nutritious diets for all, Alima, Perinatal Social Nutrition Centre[1], takes this opportunity to present the results of the 2023-2024 Nutritious and Affordable Food Basket (NAFB). This year, Alima has once again used its expertise to produce data with the NAFB tool, which estimates the cost of a basic balanced grocery basket covering the nutritional needs of the population. According to the data collected between October 2023 and July 2024, the monthly cost of a basic healthy diet for a family of four in Montreal is $1,223, or $10.06 per day per person. In less than one year, the cost of the NAFB increased by 3%, or an additional $396 per year. This increase further compounds the increases of previous years, reaching 28% since 2021. The full report can be downloaded by visiting www.centrealima.ca (available in French only).
Results of the 2023-2024 NAFB Report
The results consider the price of food items and the quantities needed to meet the nutritional needs of each age and sex group. The NAFB contains a total of 68 basic food items selected for their nutritional value and affordability, while also factoring in the dietary habits of Quebec’s population. These items are divided into 11 categories: fruits, vegetables, grains products, dairy products and plant-based beverages, starches, animal sources of protein, plant-based sources of protein, sugars, fats, commercial infant formula and baby cereal.
Some key findings from the report:
- With the increases we have observed since October 2021, less than three years ago, the price of the NAFB for a typical family[2] increased by approximately 28%, creating an additional annual cost of $3,235 for the same food products.
- Among the 11 food categories presented above, 3 saw staggering price increases in less than one year: vegetables (+14%), baby cereal (+15%) and commercial infant formula (+45%).
- Commercial infant formula and baby cereal are primarily purchased for children under the age of 1. As such, the increase in food prices this year will have a particular impact on the parents of young children.
- For a child aged 0 to 6 months, the costs associated with breastfeeding are estimated to be nearly four times lower than those associated with using formula, representing savings of $111 per month. All families should be able to afford the purchase of this essential food when breastfeeding is not possible or not chosen.
A More Severe Increase in Grocery Prices for Vulnerable Families
The 2023-2024 NAFB report highlights the unrelenting rise in food prices, accentuating the risks of food insecurity among low-income households. The cost of the NAFB can exceed 40% of the annual income available to families relying on government assistance. These families are not necessarily in a position to allocate such a large portion of their budget to food when they have other mandatory expenses, such as housing costs. As a result, access to a healthy basic diet can be viewed as a luxury, further aggravating their risk of experiencing food insecurity. A 2020 report on food insecurity in Montreal revealed that over 300,000 people were already living in a household experiencing food insecurity.[3]
Quotes:
“Given the current economic context and socio-political issues, access to a healthy diet has become increasingly threatened, especially our clientele consisting of pregnant women. We estimate that 75 to 80% of our clientele is experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity. For families living in vulnerable situations, pregnancy is already a stressful time, but concerns about access to sufficient food add extra pressure. For this reason, Alima is fully committed to its mission of supporting vulnerable pregnant women through perinatal social nutrition, with the aim of giving their babies every opportunity to fully develop.”
‒ Julie Paquette, MBA, RD., Executive Director, Alima
“As a support worker, I witness every day the challenges that pregnant women face regarding nutrition. Over the last year at Alima, we have supported 953 pregnant women in situations of vulnerability so they can adequately nourish themselves during their pregnancies. I regularly meet families who have to make difficult decisions when it’s time to do their grocery shopping. Many have no choice but to visit food banks to make sure they have enough to eat. I also often see women skipping meals due to a lack of sufficient food.”
‒ Suzanne Lepage, RD., Nutritionist and Coordinator of Perinatal Social Nutrition Practices, Alima
“No one is immune, but we observe that certain groups are disproportionately affected by food insecurity in Quebec. This is particularly the case for single-parent families, young adults aged 25 to 34, children, Indigenous communities, recent immigrants to Canada, and people identifying as visible minorities. To significantly and sustainably reduce the prevalence and severity of food insecurity, we need to support the purchasing power of these groups, and more broadly, of the most vulnerable individuals in our society.”
– François Fournier, researcher at the Observatoire québécois des inégalités and author of the report La faim justifie des moyens.
Alima wishes to thank its partners for their support for this project, including Centraide du Grand Montreal and the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services. For more information, please visit our website: www.centrealima.ca.
Information on the NAFB and Alima, the Perinatal Social Nutrition Centre
The data presented on the Nutritious and Affordable Food Basket report was collected over four quarterly periods: October 2023 and January, April and July 2024. Pricing data was collected from supermarkets, including low-cost and regular grocery stores, in the borough of Lachine. Alima is responsible for the Nutritious and Affordable Food Basket (NAFB), a tool for monitoring the cost of a healthy diet, which has been used for over 70 years by academics, community organizations and the public.
Alima has been a well-established community organization since 1879. A pioneer in perinatal social nutrition in Quebec, every year it supports hundreds of vulnerable pregnant women, giving their babies every opportunity to fully develop. Its unique expertise, combining experience and best practices, is sought after not only in perinatal care, but also in food safety.
[1] Formerly known as the Montreal Diet Dispensary
[2] A “typical family” is defined here as a man (31-50 years old), a woman (31-50 years old), a boy (14-18 years old) and a girl (9-13 years old).
[3] DRSP CCSMTL – Direction régionale de santé publique, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. (2024). Portrait de l’insécurité alimentaire à Montréal en 2020.