As summer comes to an end and parents begin thinking about what to pack in their children’s lunches for back to school, they can take some solace in knowing they’ll be spending a little less at the checkout. According to the Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab’s Special Back-to-School Food Prices Report 2026, an average basket of 45 food products dropped by 2.8 per cent from July to August nationwide. In July the average checkout price for a 45-item basket was $269.52, while in August the average bill fell to $262.07. In that 45-item basket, 30 of the products dropped in price, six increased, while nine remain unchanged. The numbers for the report were compiled using numbers from Statistics Canada, as well as GroceryPulse.ca. Most food categories declined month-over-month leading to the cheaper checkout. While meat and fish prices are up 1.9 per cent in August, dairy, fruit, bakery, and vegetables are all down in cost. Vegetables saw the biggest dip between months based on the sum of product medians by 10.8 per cent. Analytics Lab director Sylvain Charlebois says food inflation over the past several months has caused many families to “fall behind a little bit,” which is why he and his team created this first of its kind report to give families some knowledge to help create a budget. “August has actually been quite good for consumers, particularly Atlantic Canadians,” says Charlebois. “Grocers were very aggressive with promotions, which is certainly good news, and we’re expecting the same for September.” The report projects prices for lunchbox items will dip in September, before beginning to rise again in October ahead of the holiday months. That said, the report also advises families to expect uneven prices. When looking at specific needs for a child’s lunch, a more focused basket outlook with a dozen popular lunchbox products will cost a family in Moncton $54.99 weekly. It was the second highest price among listed cities behind St. John’s. Charlottetown placed fifth of the list with an average cost of $54.29, while Halifax was third cheapest at $52.52. When asked why there was such a large discrepancy between the three maritime cities, Charlebois says it comes down to several factors including the fact Halifax has more shopping options opening around the city. “We’ve actually seen new stores and that brought more competition,” says Charlebois. “That’s probably why prices are much lower, which is actually unusual for Halifax because typically Atlantic is more expensive.” As far as lunch building tips for families to help stay on budget, Charlebois advises families to remain flexible and have an idea of what the prices are before heading into the store. He says that flexibility is especially important when it comes to proteins.“ I would say there are three categories, vegetable protein, meat counter proteins, and of course can proteins,” Charlebois details. “You want to look at three options once in a while, and we actually have noticed that canned goods are a little bit cheaper right now. They could get more expensive later this fall, but canned salmon, canned tuna, sardines even are actually much cheaper right now.” When asked about how the geopolitical landscape amid a trade war with the United States may affect prices moving forwards, Charlebois says trade tends to keep food prices lower. However, as it stands, he says the world’s number one economy is making that trade aspect much more difficult.
