The Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Board of Health held its meet Nov 4.
Board reports included an update on the cost of eating in Wellington and Dufferin Counties. The weekly cost of a food basket to feed a family of four in the region is $167.02.
The method used to measure that cost improved in 2009. The result was an 11% increase in the cost of food. The increase represents the improved quality of food products to reflect current nutrient recommendations.
WDG Public Health dietitians collected local data in May. The cost of the food basket was calculated by visiting seven grocery stores in Wellington and Dufferin Counties and checking 67 specific food items. The food costs were then averaged.
The surveyed food included a variety of choices from the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide: breads, cereals and other grain products; milk, cheese and other milk products; vegetables and fruit; and meat and alternates, such as beans.
Items with little nutritional value, such as soft drinks, potato chips and sugary cereals, were not included in the survey. The basket also did not include other items frequently bought at the grocery store such as laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste, or toilet paper.
Public Health dietitian, Jane Bellman said, “Knowing how to buy and prepare healthy food is essential for normal growth and development, and to prevent disease. The survey results reinforce the need to assess the adequacy of social assistance in the province, as well as increase the support of local initiatives to assist [those] with limited incomes.”
Locally, Public Health dietitians and community food advisors help consumers develop the knowledge and skills to select, purchase, and prepare healthy and safe food on limited budgets.
For more information or to get a copy of The Cost of Eating in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, call WDG Public Health at 1-800-265-7293, or visit www.wdghu.org.
