Grocery Cart Expansion: Tough Choices for Vulnerable Families

Rising food prices are affecting more and more families who have no choice but to cut the grocery cart.

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Such is the case of Vicki Ferguson, a single mother who has been hit hard by the rising cost of food.

“I have to choose what’s cheaper and what I can buy,” she explained in an interview with TVA Nouvelles.

She lives alone with her son and has a hard time storing her fridge.

“When I was working at a $120 grocery store, I had some for the month, at least to make it to 20. But today I’m making 200 groceries and I don’t see the bottom,” says Vicky Ferguson.

Experts say that eating healthy when your income is low is a real challenge.

“The only way is to be very equipped in terms of tips and cooking skills. You have to know how to plan, and you have to know how to take advantage of the discounts,” says Elise Boyer, CEO of The Olo Foundation.

Last April, 17% of Quebec households were food insecure. According to specialists, this figure is rising only due to inflation and wages that are not commensurate with the rise in prices.