Heads Up: Food Prices Are Going Up in 2026… So Maybe Ditch the Kale Chips 🍟

Published December 4, 2025

If you thought your grocery bill couldn’t get any scarier — think again.

According to a new Food Price Report from a group of Canadian universities, a typical family of four is going to shell out about $994.63 more for food next year. That bumps your annual grocery total up to roughly $17,572. Yikes.

The reason? A mix of trade issues, climate change, and the general chaos of 2025. Inflation on groceries is expected to hover around 4–6%, which doesn’t sound huge until you’re buying milk and it feels like you’re taking out a small loan. 🥛💸

So if you’re thinking about how to survive the Great Grocery Price Hike of 2026, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate whether you really need that fancy almond milk… or whether cereal + coffee + a prayer will do the trick.

How Canadians Can “Save Money” on Groceries in 2026 (Totally Realistic Tips 🙃)

Sell a kidney
You technically only need one — and beef is expensive.
Stop feeding your children
They’ve had enough snacks. They’ll be fine. Probably.
Pretend leftovers are a new meal
Spaghetti?
Tomorrow: Spaghetti Surprise. The surprise is that it’s still spaghetti.
Buy generic everything
If it comes in a plain yellow or white box and just says “FOOD,” congratulations — savings!
Start foraging
Backyard dandelions = free salad. Squirrels might fight you for the croutons, though.
Eat at Costco every Saturday
Samples count as a meal. Bonus: cardio while running from employees with the hairnets.
Become a coupon influencer
Stack coupons like a Jenga tower until the cashier cries.
Drop the “healthy food” act
Organic veggies? $9 for sadness. Kraft Dinner? Financial stability.
Water down EVERYTHING
Milk, juice, ketchup, hopes, dreams.
Convince your family you’re doing “intermittent fasting.”
Really, you just can’t afford snacks anymore.
Start a neighbourhood chicken-sharing co-op
Eggs are cheaper if you know the hen personally.
Tell everyone you’re “cutting carbs.”
Bread costs $4.50 now. Enough said.
Teach your kids that dessert is a banana
And no, they cannot Google.
Steal your parents’ Costco card
This is your inheritance anyway.
Replace meat with…air?
Very low-calorie diet. Very high in disappointment.