What is the minimum cost of a healthy diet ?

Since 1922, the MDD establishes the list of foods required to meet the nutritional needs of all individuals at low cost: that is the "Nutritious Food Basket".

During the past few years, the MDD has benefited from the financial support of the Programme de financement de projets en matière de sécurité alimentaire of the Direction de santé publique de Montréal to undertake projects related to the Nutritious Food Basket.

Content Updating

Since its first publication, the content of the basket has been revised when needed, that is upon modifications brought to nutrition recommendations. At each of these updates, consuming trends are kept in mind.

The basket now in use, resulting from the 2005 revision:

• comprises 69 food items distributed in 20 categories
• satisfies the needs of 20 groups of persons according to age and sex as well as the particular physiological conditions of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Tables illustrating these facts are presented in the "Food" section of the publication "Budgeting for Basic Needs and Budgeting for Minimum Adequate Standard of Living".

Cost Updating

The price of many foods fluctuates with the seasons. For this reason, the MDD checks the price of each of the 69 foods included in its Nutritious Food Basket three times per year, in January, May and September in three Verdun food stores. The result of the latest updating is available under the title "Cost of the Nutritious Food Basket", a publication well appreciated by many workers helping low-income households.

Study on the Cost of the Nutritious Food Basket in Various Montreal Neighbourhoods

In 2005, while conducting the étude sur le coût du panier à provisions nutritif dans divers quartiers de Montréal, the MDD checked to see if the basket is equally accessible to all Montrealers, i.e. if basic foods prices vary depending on the neighbourhood. This study also includes the most recent revision of the content of the basket. Click here for the summary (in French) of the study. You can also obtain the full report of the study (in French).

Study on the Determination of the Cost of the Nutritious Food Basket in Three Regions of Québec

For this study conducted in three regions in Quebec, the price of the foods in the NFB was tallied in 140 stores in Côte-Nord, Capitale-Nationale and Mauricie/Centre-du-Québec. The study has confirmed the influence of store size on the cost of food, that is cheaper in large stores. Was also noted a tendancy for higher cost in rural areas compared to urban areas in which the larger stores are more located. The study has also shown that material and social deprivation influences the variation of the NFB from one store to another. Analysed simultaneously, store size and deprivation are responsible of 58 % of this variation. Finally, as well as in the Montreal study, the study shows that low-income families are at risk of food insecurity : the NFB cost represents 40% or more of their income while these households actually spend only 20% of it on food.

N.B. The report of the study is available in French only.

Eating at Low Cost, it's possible...

Following the study on the cost of the basket in various Montreal neighbourhoods, the MDD launched "The Chefs' Challenge". Four chefs created various appetizing recipes from the foods in the basket, thus demonstrating that "Eating Well at Low Cost" is possible. This guide, including the Challenge recipes, is a simple and practical tool showing ways to save in food purchasing.

...but Food Insecurity Still Exists

Although made up of basic low-cost foods, the Nutritious Food Basket is not accessible to numerous low-income households. For more than 20% of the Montreal population, food security is not ensured.

During a press conference, on April 4th, 2007, the MDD gave the shocking facts on food insecurity. Click here to download the press release published during this event. Numerous media "exposées" took place following the press conference.

The definitions of "food security" and "food insecurity" are given on page 1 of the PDF French document.

Study on the Cost of Lodging

In the early 1990s, the MDD studied the cost of lodging, a recurring expense that is often the cause of food insecurity in low-income households. In this study, MDD families spent 46% of their income for rent while it should represent 30% at most. This study, describing a situation still present today, is available at the MDD.

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