COST OF THE NUTRITIOUS FOOD BASKET – January 2016
The following table gives the minimum cost of an adequate diet based on individual market order prepared by the
Montreal Diet Dispensary, plus 5% to account for inevitable food loss. This market order meets the Dietary Reference
Intakes (DRI 2004). These recommendations assume characteristic activity patterns for each age and sex group.
SEX / AGE
DAILY
WEEKLY
MONTHLY
COST
COST
CALORIES
PROTEIN
COST
Child
6-11 months
1-3 years
735
1435
19
58
$ 4.52
$ 5.04
$ 31.66
$ 35.29
$ 137.19
$ 152.92
Boy/Man
4-8
9-13
14-18
19-30
31-50
51-70
>70
1930
2615
3265
2835
2695
2495
2345
84
112
135
123
114
110
103
$ 6.62
$ 8.49
$ 10.02
$ 9.38
$ 8.93
$ 8.67
$ 8.31
$ 46.31
$ 59.44
$ 70.13
$ 65.65
$ 62.54
$ 60.69
$ 58.16
$ 200.68
$ 257.57
$ 303.90
$ 284.48
$ 271.01
$ 262.99
$ 252.03
Girl/Woman
4-8
9-13
14-18
19-30
31-50
51-70
>70
1805
2285
2335
2300
2200
2030
1930
80
100
104
101
98
94
88
$ 6.29
$ 7.89
$ 8.22
$ 8.12
$ 7.94
$ 7.76
$ 7.43
$ 44.04
$ 55.22
$ 57.51
$ 56.86
$ 55.60
$ 54.35
$ 52.01
$ 190.84
$ 239.29
$ 249.21
$ 246.39
$ 240.93
$ 235.52
$ 225.38
Pregnant
<18
19-30
31-50
2785
2620
2490
118
113
111
$ 9.44
$ 9.17
$ 9.04
$ 66.10
$ 64.16
$ 63.25
$ 286.43
$ 278.03
$ 274.08
Breastfeeding
<18
19-30
31-50
2655
2620
2530
113
113
112
$ 9.21
$ 9.17
$ 9.07
$ 64.46
$ 64.16
$ 63.48
$ 279.33
$ 278.03
$ 275.08
The minimum adequate cost of a nutritive diet is $8.70 per person per day for a family of four:
a man (31-50 years), a woman(31-50 years), a boy (14-18 years) and a girl (9-13 years)*.
* Adjustment for family size
 For a person living alone, increase cost by 20%
 For a family of two, increase cost by 10%
 For a family of three, increase cost by 5%
Source : Family Food Budgeting. United States Department of Agriculture. Publication revised July 1979.
2182 Lincoln Avenue Montréal (Québec) H3H 1J3 | Tel. 514.937.5375 | www.dietdispensary.ca
KINDS AND SIZE OF FOODS USED IN PRICING LIST – January 2016
Reference Prices
CATEGORY
PRICE
FOODS
PRICE
SIZE
Milk
Milk, whole
Milk, 2%
Milk, 1%
$6.45
$6.21
$5.96
4 litres
4 litres
4 litres
$14.99
$18.37
$17.61
$12.98
$11.00
$6.37
$3.79
$4.44
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
450 g
500 g
$4.70
1 kg
$14.15
$1.49
$2.49
900 g
170 g
213 g
Egg, grade A, large
$3.39
1 dozen
Cheese
Cheese process
Cheddar mild
Mozzarella
$4.99
$4.19
$4.19
500 g
300 g
300 g
Peanut butter
$4.99
500 g
$9.98 / kg
Flax seed
$3.36
907 g
$3.36 / kg
Meat
Medium ground beef
Round steak
Stewing beef
Pork loin chop
Ham, smoked boneless
Chicken thighs with back
Wieners
Bologna
Liver, pork
Fish
Sole fillets, frozen
Tuna , light, flaked
Pink salmon, canned
Legumes
Beans in tomato sauce
Red beans
Chick peas
Lentils
Dried white beans
Dried red beans
Yellow split peas
Citrus
Oranges
Frozen orange juice
$1.61 / litre
$1.55 / litre
$1.49 / litre
$11.72 / kg
$4.70 / kg
$14.94 / kg
$0.28 / unit
$12.37 / kg
$5.10 / kg
$1.19
$1.29
$1.29
$0.95
$1.31
$1.66
$1.00
398 mL
540 mL
540 mL
400 g
454 g
454 g
454 g
$2.51 / kg
$3.67
$2.03
1 kg
341 mL
Other fruits
Apples
Bananas
Grapes
Pears
Cantaloupe
Fruit cocktail
Raisins
$3.31
$1.74
$7.68
$5.48
$2.77
$2.79
$3.99
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
796 mL
375 g
$3.54 / kg
Potatoes
$4.99
4.54 kg
$1.10 / kg
FOODS
PRICE
SIZE
Other vegetables
Carrots
Onions
Celery
Spinach
Broccoli
Lettuce. iceberg
Turnip
Cabbage
Tomatoes
Tomatoes. canned
Tomato juice
Tomato paste
Green peas
Corn. whole kernel
Frozen macédoine
$4.99
$1.89
$3.99
$1.86
$3.99
$3.99
$2.18
$0.99
$7.69
$1.49
$1.29
$0.79
$1.59
$1.59
$3.29
2.27 kg
908 g
1 unit
170 g
1 unit
1 unit
1 kg
1 kg
1 kg
796 mL
540 mL
156 mL
540 mL
540 mL
1 kg
Bread
Whole wheat bread
Hamburger or hot dog
$2.99
$2.89
675 g
12 units
Breakfast cereals
Shredded wheat
Bran flakes
Oats. quick
$4.99
$3.89
$3.49
550 g
450 g
1 kg
Other cereal products
Rice. long grain
Macaroni / spaghetti
Flour. all purpose
Flour. whole wheat
$3.99
$2.29
$4.29
$2.99
900 g
900 g
2.5 kg
1 kg
Butter/Margarine
Butter
Margarine
$4.79
$2.69
454 g
454 g
Other fats
Mayonnaise (65% oil)
Vegetable oil (canola)
$4.19
$3.99
445 mL
946 mL
Sugar
White sugar
Brown sugar
$3.39
$2.99
2 kg
1 kg
Sweets
Strawberry jam
Honey
Molasses
$4.29
$5.99
$1.79
500 mL
500 g
300 g
Infant food
Formula, powder
Cereals
$21.89
$4.49
730 g
227 g
CATEGORY
PRICE
$4.30 / kg
$4.61 / kg
$5.63 / kg
$2.90 / kg
$8.24 / kg
$6.24 / kg
$2.02 / kg
$7.44 / kg
Miscelleneous – Weekly allowances
Seasonings, coffee, tea, cocoa,
$2.07 per adult
baking powder, etc.
$1.05
per child
per adult
per child