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

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.

RELATED: Food Prices Are Going Up 5% to 7% In 2023

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

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