Grocery prices are rising again. Here are a few ways you can save money

An empty shopping cart in a grocery store is shown in this undated image. (File photo/Userba011d64_201/Istock.com)

The cost of groceries has been steadily rising over the last few months, but there are still ways in which Ontarians save some money at the tills.

The latest data from Statistics Canada shows that food purchased from stores increased by 3.8 per cent year-over-year in April, compared to a 3.4 per cent increase the prior month. It marked the third straight month in which grocery price increases exceeded the nationwide inflation rate and it likely brings back bad memories from 2023 when there were double-digit price increases at the grocery store.

Though the prices have not yet updated for April, the cost of beef ribs has soared in Ontario since January—going from $25.50 to $37.56 per kilogram in March. The price of striploin has also steadily scaled in price, starting at $27.73 in January and reaching $33.93 per kilogram by March.

StatCan noted that fresh or frozen beef was one of the biggest driving factors for pricier groceries last month, rising by 16.2 per cent compared to April 2024.

Why are groceries more expensive?

As we head into barbecue season, food economist Mike von Massow says the higher demand is causing a bit of a spike as the supply is lower than what it has been due to a bout of dry summer weather in western Canada and the U.S. in recent years.

Von Massow says prices for beef will stabilize once more calves are born and can rebuild Canada’s cow population following a bout of dry summer weather within the last few years.

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“We essentially are having an echo of bad weather from a few years ago,” von Massow told CTV News Toronto in an interview on Thursday, adding there was less feed available for cows out grazing in the field then. “The farmers kept fewer cows and so if you have fewer cows, you have fewer calves, which means less beef.”

It will take some time to rebuild Canada’s cow population, von Massow says, but once it does, then the price for beef will come back down.

Coffee and tea also propelled grocery costs as their prices soared by 13.4 per cent from April last year. For example, the average price of 340 grams worth of roasted or ground coffee in Ontario started at $6.90 in January, climbing to $7.54 by March. Though notably, Ontario’s tea prices wavered from $4.22 for 20 bags at the start of the year to $4.19 for the same amount in March.

The price of coffee has risen for a variety of reasons, von Massow notes, as not only is it highly susceptible to temperature changes, it is also one of the products Canada laid retaliatory tariffs on amid a broiling trade war with the U.S.

“The Canadian dollar has also gotten a little bit weaker and because we buy coffee from other places, because we don’t grow a lot of coffee here in this country, then that means our buying power is a bit lower,” von Massow said.

So how can I cut costs at the till?

With the summer months ahead of us and Ontarians dusting off the grill for barbecue season, marketing professor David Soberman told CTV News Toronto that if beef must be part of the menu, try to look at other proteins or opt for a cheaper cut.

“One thing you can also do is you can trade within a category downward,” Soberman said. “Obviously, if you want to have a porterhouse steak that’s going to be more expensive than if you have ground meat (but) you can also have things like sausages, which are ways to sort of economize—if what you really want to do is barbecue.”

Vegetables have also risen by 3.7 per cent in price from April last year, but von Massow says buying seasonal produce is a way of trimming your grocery bill.

“It means you have to be a bit more flexible,” von Massow said. “Being willing to explore other products that are seasonal is a way to save money because there’s variation as to when it comes into production.”

Ontarians can look to the province’s availability guide to see what locally-grown produce are at their peak freshness based on the month or season. For example, in May, vegetables like asparagus, radishes and spinach are in season, while bok choy, kale and peas are freshest in June.

Opting for frozen vegetables is also another way to get your daily produce intake that can also save on costs without sacrificing nutritional value, von Massow notes.

“I’m of a generation where I remember frozen vegetables and canned vegetables to be soft and soggy and not very good but with flash freezing technology, the nutrition is exactly the same and the texture is very close to the same,” the food economist said.

Von Massow also suggests scouring your grocery store for special deals they may have on offer.

“As an example, I’m a big yogurt eater—I never pay full price for yogurt. Now, I don’t stick with one brand, I buy whatever is on sale,” von Massow said. “Buying stuff when it’s on sale and storing it or freezing it is another way to save money.”

On top of searching for sales, Soberman says it also pays off comparing costs across stores to see which establishment has the cheaper product and perhaps sacrificing convenience to go somewhere where prices don’t strain your wallet.

“It’s sometimes quite surprising the amount that you can save, like you might not realize it but you go to Loblaws just down the block and you buy the 10 things that you need, and then you go to the FreshCo store and find that it’s $5 or $6 cheaper—that can make a big difference when you’re sort of on a tight budget,” Soberman said.