Calgarians share tips to save money on groceries

With the price of beef and other grocery staples on the rise, Calgariansare looking for ways to reduce their food bills.

Consumers face higher beef prices due to a droughtthat has hitcattle production hard, and Statistics Canadasaysitems such as eggs, chickenand butter have also crept up since January.

One way Calgarianson a tight budget can save is by shopping at the affordable produce market run by the Alex Community Food Centre in southeast Calgary.

Staff at thecentre say they saw business nearly triple during the pandemic, selling up to $1,000 worth of produce a day.

"One of the things we've noticed through the course of the pandemic, certainly, is definitely a rise in food insecurity,"said Darrell Howard, the team lead for the Alex Community Food Centre.

"And certainly,we've seen far more families than we did before the pandemic hit."

In partnership withthe non-profit Fresh Routes, the Alexoffers the affordable market that gives local residents a chance to buy discounted produce.

CBC News asked Calgariansat the market for tips and tricks they useto keepgrocery bills in check.

Baking

"I would definitely pay attention to grain pricesbecause [of] the weather lately, for sure, and if you can bake, I would definitely suggest to bake,"saidNerissa Jobe.

"Especially when the weather starts getting cooler, it saves a lot of moneyand on your heat bill [too], because you just have the oven on."

Discount markets

"I save money on shopping through flyers for certain protein bargains. Otherwise, I will get my produce here at the Alex food market or H&W Produce," said DanielLoiselle, a volunteer at the Alex.

"It's another great alternative to low-cost produce in the city. The best deal I got recently was a container of cherry tomatoes for $1."

H&W Produce is located at 3508 32nd Ave.N.E.

The Flashfood App

"It's all food that would normally go to a dumpster or be thrown away that is ready to expire. It's perfectly good food, and you can get it for, you know, half price or less, through the Flashfood app," said Laura Greenwood.

"You pay for it on Flashfood, you go to your local No Frills or Superstore because it's Loblaws that does it and pick it up.

"It's meatand fruit boxes and vegetable boxes like a huge fruit box for $5, and you're getting probably $15 worth of grapes in this fruit box. It's insane. It's crazy.

"And if you have a deep freeze, man, it goes in the deep freeze."

The Good Food Box program

TheGood Food Boxprogram offersproduce that comes directly from the vendors. It'srun under the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary.

"Youcan buy bulk and for really cheap," said Jobe.

"So we get, I think, the 40-pound to 50-poundbox [for] only $35, and that feeds me and my three kids for, like, two weeks' [worth of] produce."

With files from Elise Stolte and the Calgary Eyeopener.