r/NovaScotia • u/professional69and420 • 12h ago
How are people keeping grocery costs down in Nova Scotia with what prices are like right now?
I'm in Halifax and struggling with how much groceries cost here. Prices went up everywhere but in Nova Scotia the selection is also more limited so there's less ability to shop around compared to bigger cities. Anyone found things that actually help in this province specifically?
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u/Mysterious_Bag_9061 8h ago
It's all about meal planning babe. A glass of water for breakfast, Mr noodles for dinner, and a deep breath for supper is all the human body really needs
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u/Bananalando 3h ago
Mr noodles
Woah, look at Rockefeller over here, affording name-brand instant ramen.
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u/Old-Enthusiasm-7919 1h ago
What about the KD!!!
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u/Kibichibi 1h ago
Kd isn't affordable anymore! Neither is zoodles, or sidekicks, or any of the formerly cheap quick meals
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u/AphraelSelene 5h ago
Honestly, we aren't really.
I can't remember the last time we were actually able to buy a full, normal load of groceries.
Wife and I both have chronic illnesses so we are on one part-time income, plus IA some months where I can't work enough.
It's gotten to the point where we're having to question if we can justify things like bags of frozen veggies. The whole thing just makes me tired š©
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u/TheoryDistributer 11h ago
By breaking into the same local foodbank 4 times in about just as many weeks .
Not me, but frustrated it keeps happening to the poor community. Things really need to change
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u/Old-Enthusiasm-7919 12h ago
Instead of buying meat at any grocery store in NS, my wife and I decided to get half a cow.
The price point was welllllll worth the up front large cost of the meat we got.
Always wanted to do it - so we did.
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u/No-Veterinarian2008 10h ago
Isnāt that around 1500 dollars? All cut
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u/Old-Enthusiasm-7919 2h ago
It was close to thay yeah. I think we paid around 1600 but it was a lot of meat.
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u/No-Veterinarian2008 1h ago edited 1h ago
Most do not have that type of money to invest at one time sadly itās not realistic for the majority of families in this economy
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u/Internal-Flamingo196 8h ago
I want to do this but Iām worried about not eating it all before it gets freezer burnt
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u/KilljoyO03 6h ago
Invest in a vacuum sealer. Will help tremendously.
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u/holitrop 6h ago
When you purchase a cow it will come pre-cut, ground, vacuum sealed, and labelled in reasonable portion sizes. No need to seal it yourself.
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u/DerpiestDave 10h ago
Did that come already butchered or did you have to do it yourself?
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u/oryxa 4h ago
It comes butchered flash frozen and wrapped typically. Looking at anywhere from 6-7.5/lb but it's the best damn beef you'll ever have lol. An 1/8 lasts my partner and I about a year and cost us about $350
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u/Kaphis 4h ago
Through where can one get that?
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u/Old-Enthusiasm-7919 2h ago
Best bet is to just ask around, farm land ideally. I'm out in a ruralish area so they arnt hard to find.
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u/Hippo-adventura 11h ago
Flashfood is my go to- I spend $10-$20 and get a bunch of veggies and fruits on their last leg of life. Fruits get juiced and the pulp gets dehydrated to be jerky. Allows me to have high fibre filling snacks that last much longer than the fruits.
And the veggies, well, I cook based on what Iām given or cut em up and freeze em for a later time.
As a single person, Flashfood allows me a decent amount of food and with my dry goods, i can get roughly 2 weeks of food.
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u/powoar 10h ago
Oh I love flashfood! It gives me a chance to ~sometimes try new products I'd never pick up because of the price point. But you can get some wicked deals on there!
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u/Hippo-adventura 9h ago
Youāre 100% right on the new products part. Itās a very cost effective way that still tickles my sense of adventure.
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u/tyim 5h ago
Giant tiger for dry grocery, farmers market/farm share for produce and the butcher packs from withrows for meat, I'm down to $100 a week for a family of 3
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u/tyim 5h ago
I also cook 95% of my family meals and stick to basics and limit premade food as much as I can. Started buying extra milk and making yogurt with leftovers, got a bread machine and make a loaf and a pizza dough once a week, I have an instant pot too so I make my own tomato sauce and chicken stock once a month. I buy popcorn kernels and pop them on the stove for snacks, and chocolate chips to make cookies or whatever for treats. That's about it
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u/Spirited-Pin-8450 3h ago
I never have any luck making popcorn on the stove, so I bought a silicone folding thing that goes in the microwave, it works really well. Before that I was using brown lunch bags in microwave
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u/johnmlsf 3h ago
2nd this, Giant Tiger has fantastic prices. Plus they're a Canadian company with a lot of Canadian products.
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u/Dependent-Program-66 10h ago
Avoid packaged frozen food; take advantage of sales (even if only in your local store); avoid buying chicken or beef (if you have a hankering for meat, look at pork, itās the cheapest); learn how to turn rice, beans and lentils into tasty meals. If there is a No Frills close by you will find many items are less expensive than Sobeys or Loblaws.
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u/BluntzNmyPanties 2h ago
pork is super dirty and not good for you to consume like that
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u/Dependent-Program-66 1h ago
Unless you have a religious prohibition, pork is no ādirtierā than any other North American farm raised meat. The old threat of trichinosis has been pretty much eradicated with modern inspection processes.
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u/sychophantt 4h ago
Sobeys tends to run good deals on proteins if you time it right and stock the freezer. I check the weekly flyer and if chicken or ground beef is on a good sale I buy several weeks worth and freeze.
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u/Spirited-Pin-8450 3h ago
I always buy my meat there as they also often have it marked down to half price and it goes straight in the freezer
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u/alibythesea 1h ago
And Sobeyās FoodHero has 1/2 price deals on meat thatās about to expire - they freeze it. We buy it regularly, and never had any quality problems.
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u/alexmullen4180 11h ago
Flashfood and FoodHero have been great for me. They're apps that post daily deals, usually 50% off. Flashfood is for Loblaws stores and FoodHero is Sobeys.
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u/EmeraldB85 10h ago
Seconding foodhero for sure, even our tiny Foodland has an account and we get a ton of meat for half price that way.
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u/projectsmith 6h ago
Ground turkey at Costco
Cut it with lentils for more depth
Use over rice - in tacos
Don't eat out at all costs
Budget - watch what is spent and find ways to curb it more
Use the freezer - get a vacuum sealer
Costco - get the Costco credit card
Put everything on it
Every payment including mortgage if you can
Collect the $$ points (I'm at $200 already and it was reset in Feb)
Use said $$$ in groceries
Use a list at Costco - don't buy frivolous candy etc
Also protein shakes and bars are your friend
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u/Far_Establishment999 4h ago
Fortunately, I have free time. So I bake bread, muffins, and cookies. I make granola, and sometimes yogurt too.
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u/WendyPortledge 4h ago
I make all my food from scratch. No processed stuff. Ground meat and a veg every dinner (ex. Ground beef $7, broccoli $3 = $5/person). Follow flyer sales. Keep protein high to stay energized and full, with some carbs like rice and potato. Bananas are also one of the cheapest things in the grocery. Shop seasonal, sometimes the farmers market helps. Also, Walmart has the cheapest produce I have found.
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u/NorthStatus7776 12h ago
I eat great valu frozen dinners 4/7 days a week for lunch. 1.97 ā ļøš
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u/Spiritual-Stress-510 5h ago
Unhealthy garbage.
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u/NorthStatus7776 4h ago
How does it feel to be privileged enough to not have to rely on frozen dinners for lunch?
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u/jjax2003 3h ago
How is it privileged? It's just a simple fact that some people make more money due to the job they have. Nothing privileged about it. Majority of Canadians can get similar jobs to be able to afford food.
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u/NorthStatus7776 3h ago
I literally work 3 jobs to stay afloat. Privileged is indeed not having to worry about money when it comes to food.
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u/mm94 2h ago
I find this mentality difficult. I work a job that pays well and requires no education. Itās a difficult job, both physically and mentally. I end up feeling guilty because I make more money than most with comments like this.
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u/NorthStatus7776 2h ago
Don't ever feel guilty. I certainly hold no anger towards those who have got by. Theres a reason you're in the role you're in if you have no education. You had to be great at something to get you there. And it doesn't mean you didn't work hard to get there. Unfortunately I chose the healthcare route.
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u/Obvious-Holiday78 4h ago
My bf and I get our meats from 2 boys Never have issue with quality which is something I've fought with at sobeys and superstore. (Meats going bad a day after buying them and still being well within date.) Daves fruit stand for fruits and veggies and usually everything else i will get at Walmart or giant tiger. If you like Asian food I also suggest shopping at local Asian markets the quality compared to what you get in super store and sobeys is much better.
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u/Cranky_SithLord_21 2h ago
THIS! Can't speak to 2 Boys, but the Daves/Gateway circuit works. And E-Joy foods in Halifax. HUGE selection of food, amazing produce and meats, and reasonable pricing.
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u/Unlikely-Cry78 4h ago
The farmers markets when they're running are honestly competitive on produce, especially in the summer. Less packaging too which is a bonus.
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u/DomesticGoats 4h ago
Being vegan helps. We eat lots of lentils, beans and rice. Tofu too, but thatās sometimes a little more costly. We eat lots of different veggies but make sure a significant portion of them are cheaper varieties like cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. We also have a big veggie garden in the summer and we grow a lot of berries so we can freeze them for smoothies. My partner isnāt vegan but feels better eating less meat, so he just grabs meat now and then when thereās a good deal.
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u/1bunchofbananas 2h ago
I started buying ground beef from my friend which is so much cheaper than the grocery store. I buy eggs off her too. And then I watch for sales on meat at the store and I get multiple packs and freeze them. I make my own stock using veggie scraps that I save up in a freezer bag. I vacuum seal everything I portion to go in the freezer. I grow veggies in the garden during the summer and freeze what I can. I go to the farmers market for fresh fruits and veg and I find it lasts longer than the ones from a grocery store.
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u/Hezpez 2h ago
We just put in 4 new garden beds, time to grow some of our own.
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u/mrcfrost 1h ago
Everyone I talk who gardens had told me gardening isn't cost effective. I don't understand how it why not. Keep us posted
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u/Twinsta 12h ago
Costco. Basic foods nothing crazy.Ā
My grocery bill has been the same for pretty much 4 years now.Ā
There are two of us, I buy at Costco mainly, Sobeys once a monthĀ
We need mostly cucumbers, and peppers, and broccoli and potatoes and riceā¦. Lots of potatoes and rice I should say.Ā
Protein is ground pork, pork loins, chicken thigh and sausages and eggs almost dailyĀ
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u/FlacidRooster 8h ago
All of those meats are more expensive at Costco.
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u/Calm-Summer5860 6h ago
Where are you finding ground pork and chicken cheaper than Costco?
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u/FlacidRooster 5h ago
Ground pork is like $4.99 at Costco I get it for $3.49 at two local grocers. Chicken (boneless skinless) is on par with superstore last I checked but I buy boneless skinless for &3.99/lb when it foes on sale at a local grocer
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u/Calm-Summer5860 5h ago
What are you calling a local grocer?
I guess I'm going to have to look closer at my math as it would appear with chicken that I've been getting twice as much at Costco vs superstore.
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u/FlacidRooster 4h ago
Like gateway but not gateway. Yes you get twice as much chicken and youāre still paying the same per kg.
You donāt really save money at Costco on many items.
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u/Calm-Summer5860 4h ago
Excellent!
I was worried I was missing out on your clearly top secret location.
I'll just continue buying over priced (and obviously of the same quality) meats elsewhere.
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u/FlacidRooster 4h ago
Iām just saying that Costco isnāt as good a deal people make it out to be. Its meats are on par with superstore, thatās all.
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u/Realistic_Toe_219 4h ago
Kingwood Market has the large 2 kg packages of lean ground beef, same as Costco, for $12 kg compared to Costcoās now $13.99/kg. For any type of meat, Kingswood seems to be the cheapest, same with fruits and veggies. I bought a 9 pack of chicken thighs for $7. Walmart is also matching Costco for things like the 30 tray of eggs, rice and a few other things.
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u/No-White-Drugs 5h ago
Gateway frequently puts pork loins on for dirt cheap. Edit to add currently 2.49/lb
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u/Calm-Summer5860 5h ago
I'd rather not buy freezer burnt / refrozen dirt.
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u/No-White-Drugs 4h ago
Tell us how you really feel lol
Is there something I don't know about the pork loins they sell at Gateway?
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u/Initial-Ad-5462 5h ago
āStrugglingā would be a gross exaggeration for our family, but we are increasingly mindful of cost in meal planning and grocery shopping.
Look in peopleās grocery carts (and maybe your own ) and up and down the aisles: whatās racking up big bills are highly processed and packaged foods.
I often think of it as shopping and cooking the way my mother and grandmother did (Iām about as old as many Redditors grandparents, so these āold waysā might be further removed for some of you .) Mashed potatoes, cabbage, carrots, pork roast, tuna casserole, Mac & cheese, etc. We had that big sack of puffed wheat in the kitchen cupboard when I was little.
A newer recipe favourite in our house is mixed vegetables roasted with a bit of olive oil and herbs: sweet potato, carrots, coarse chopped onions, maybe an apple added in chunks.
And the crock pot is your friend.
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u/AnotherUsername1959 2h ago
Roasted vegetables are so good. Maybe a little too good for me, I'll skip the protein and eat all the veggies and at my age I really need to eat protein.
I hated that puffed wheat growing up, add milk and they fall out of the bowl and then almost instantly go soggy š Puffed wheat and corn flakes were our options growing up. We loved going camping/traveling to NS because we would get those tiny boxes of the good cereal.
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u/Initial-Ad-5462 5m ago
Ha ha! Same here with the little cereal boxes āEat right out of the Kel-Bowl Pak,ā probably a twice a year treat. My older sister always wanted the Frosted Flakes; probably Dad got stuck with the Rice Krispies, cuz Iām Dad now or even Grandpa.
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u/xIvyPop 4h ago
The Superstore PC Optimum points stack up fast if you're consistent about redeeming them. It doesn't feel like much week to week but I usually pull $50-80 off a shop a few times a year.
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u/Cranky_SithLord_21 2h ago
Glad you can make something of it, but Superstore is NOT the place for most to save any reasonable amount for groceries, if save at all. In my experience, their prices are on the whole more expensive than most other grocers. Mostly, they have selection, but the point is moot when every choice is overpriced, and shrinkflated. I bought store brand burgers there and it cost me 40 bucks for 2 packs!!!
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u/undercoverreseller 2h ago
š¤£ donate to the Weston gold pile and theyāll throw you a pittance back. Not a chance.
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u/Mystaes 12h ago
Honestly I was forced to because of my wifeās dietary restrictions. We donāt buy any red meat really outside of myself buying lunch meats or when we go out to eat.
We have potatoes in basically everything and make liberal use of a croc pot for meal prep. Whether itās casserole or chilli we can generally get something that costs ~20$ to feed two adults dinner for 3-4 days.
Honestly Iām trying to find a way to expand our repertoire though because it has gotten a little stale. But itās definitely kept our bill down.
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u/Maleficent-Map6465 11h ago
I created an Instagram account just to follow cooking accounts to get inspired . I use that one only for food so the algorithm stays tight and to the point. It's absolutely been the reason I enjoy cooking and meal prep now
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u/Mystaes 11h ago
Yeah. Iāve just found that options are extremely limited with our dietary restrictions so usually all the fun things we could try are a no go.
Iāll keep at it
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u/ment0k 11h ago
Try Food Gawker. It's basically a collection of thousands of recipes from around the internet and has a ton of filters to help sort through them all.
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u/02C_here 4h ago
You will love this:
Pick your protein, then browse top view images to find something tasty. I've made a BUNCH of these different recipes and haven't found a bad one. Sure a few weren't my thing, but still good enough to get through and not waste.
You can portion them off into freezer bags and you will build sort of a library of frozen meals.
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u/SaranMal 7h ago
Honestly part of it is having space to prep meals in batches to freeze down. Less frozen or instant meals from the grocery store. Fewer snacks like chips and more stuff like popcorn you need to self pop on the stove. Etc etc.
Also learn how to cook legumes, beans and Tofu. Fantastic protein options.
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u/loginpass 4h ago
Been checking foodhero before I shop at Sobeys and it's been helpful for proteins especially. Not everything is available all the time but when it is the discount is decent.
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u/Few_Bus9229 4h ago
Atlantic Superstore in Dartmouth has better prices on a lot of things than the Halifax stores for some reason. Worth a trip if youāre on that side of the bridge
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u/External_Ingenuity_4 3h ago edited 2h ago
Food hero or flash foods.
Great apps that give discounts
Edited to also add "too good to go"
A food app for resturants that sell their day Olds/ before they throw out- at discounted
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u/ikwyl6 2h ago
What are these like compared to Flipp?
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u/External_Ingenuity_4 2h ago
Flipp is basically flyers for the week, sans paper
Those apps are for discounts at different stores, usually 50% off.
They take things that are at their best before date and freeze them- or they take a whole bunch of products put them ina. Bag and sell them for 5$ (think those fruits and veggies that have a couple spoiled things in the bag, they take em out - and put them with othwr things- sell cheap)
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u/Historical_Law_5218 3h ago
No frills is my go to. Watch for sales and use their credit card for points. Their meat sales are amazing. You will notice items like butter will be on sale approx every 3 weeks. I stick to vegetables that are local and still priced low.. potatoes, turnips, carrots, cabbage. When the bread price fixing became public, I stopped buying bread and the price of bread remained ridiculous. I started making sourdough bread and we have fresh bread every second day.
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u/elevengrames 3h ago
It's insane.Ā We spend on average $250 to $300 a week for three people two adults and one kid. We try to bite as much stuff as we can on sale.Ā And we still never have enough food for the week.Ā
Our fridge and our freezers have been slowly emptying to the point that this week we had to actually stock up a bit. And it cost us $500 to do groceries this week. And that'll be just enough food to get us through the week.Ā
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u/False_Garden_3468 51m ago
I spent 1000 on groceries last month and my cupboards are still empty.. its killing me and I buy 300 here and 300 there and spend the most at meat shops. We cook every meal and there is no take out.
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u/diverdown_77 23m ago
Shopping around helps and not worrying about the buy Canadian crap as they jacked their prices up for that.
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u/Both-Employ840 12h ago
Gateway for some meat and produce, also local farmers markets for produce, plus we have a big garden every year and I hunt and fish a lot of the protein we eat.
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u/Subject_Parking_8542 11h ago
Rice š and beans š«