Canadians are sharing what items they’ve stopped buying — or have resorted to making at home — to save money on groceries.
The discussion was prompted by a post in the “Poverty Finance Canada” Reddit group, in which one person shared that they would be losing their job soon and asked fellow Canadians how they’ve cut costs on their grocery bills.
“I really want to reduce all expenses since I won’t get much from Employment Insurance (EI), and I am wondering what items did you just stop buying entirely or wait for sale only at the grocery?” wrote the original poster.
“Also, is there anything you found was still cheaper to buy premade than trying to make a homemade version?”
The post garnered many responses, with shoppers sharing their money-saving hacks.
One commenter said they’ve stopped buying tomato sauce from the grocery store. “It’s cheaper to make with my own canned tomatoes,” they said.
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Another Redditor shared their shopping strategy, noting that they wait for weekly sales and then plan meals based on low prices.
“Meat is ridiculously expensive. Use less meat in your meals; add things like chickpeas or beans instead,” they said.
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
One commenter suggested buying meat with bones and “cutting that out yourself.”
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Many posted about baking their own bread, highlighting how “easy” it is to make.
“Bread isn’t cheap anymore,” said one Redditor, with someone adding that they could make a loaf of bread for a mere 35 cents.
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Cutting out snacks and making popcorn at home was a cheaper solution proposed by a commenter.
“I don’t buy any snack foods. I make a lot of popcorn. It’s easy to make it salty or sweet, depending on your mood. A large package of popcorn kernels is just a couple of dollars.”
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Someone also said they’ve stopped baking because the price of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour has increased.
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Going to Costco to stock up on items was also mentioned as a saving strategy.
“It’s tough because it’s more cost upfront,” a commenter wrote, adding that they believe it pays off in the long run.
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
While the comments didn’t contain many tips for cheaper premade items, some shoppers said they found things like salsa and lasagna to be more economical options when bought at the grocery store.
Comment
byu/loveeatingfood from discussion
inpovertyfinancecanada
Aside from changing their grocery shopping habits, some Canadians have directly targeted grocery giants. Thousands of shoppers say they will boycott Loblaw stores in May to demand lower prices.
What items have you slashed from your grocery lists or started making from scratch to save money on food? Let us know in the comments.
Follow Channels and Categories