Canadian Moms Turn Creative With Grocery Shopping As Food Prices Soar

The rise of food prices in Canada has encouraged families to be creative and wise in buying groceries. Some Montreal mothers shared their strategies on how to stretch grocery dollars and cope up with the rising food prices.

Sheila Dunwoodie, a mother of four who is employed as a part-time teacher, said she uses a smart phone app that gives her access to flyers from the different stores in her area, speaking to CBC Daybreak. She added that this app has been very helpful in tracking special offers and best prices.

"I've never shopped using flyers before," Dunwoodie revealed. "Now I realize it's in my best interest, and it's the only way at this point that I can afford to keep cooking and feeding my family the way I want to."

Moreover, Anneliese Papaurelis, a mother who raises three daughters with her fiancée, said that she saves money by reducing food waste. She lessens food waste by cooking food that is good for more than one meal.

Papaurelis also revealed that she started using red lentils in her recipes this year. "It stretches the meat, and nobody really notices."

She also disclosed that she buys huge bags of pulses. "We'll have red kidney beans and black lentils and red lentils at a really economical price."

On the other hand, Minerva Ferrel, a mother of three, said that she and her husband are encouraging their children to stop eating beef and try other alternatives. She also added that she prefers to make adjustments in her grocery list, instead of looking for specials from various stores.

"I'm going to take out the most expensive item [from our grocery cart] and replace it with something else," Ferrel disclosed. "That brought me back to my roots, and I began cooking more with beans."

As reported by Huffington Post Canada, the rise of food prices is a result of the weak loonie and weather issues.  It is expected to last for several weeks.