Back-to-school lunches need ‘flexibility’ amid uneven food prices: report

As Canadian families continue to get ready to head back to school, they could face a mixed bag of prices and need to be flexible when trying to plan out lunches for their children, according to a new report.

Released by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, the report shows that while prices for food in August were better than a month prior, they will still be uneven.

When it comes to what the lab considers a “focused school-lunch basket,” comprised of 12 popular school-lunch staples, prices declined about 2.8 per cent.

Among those, price drops among bagels, bottled water, cheddar cheese, tuna and peanut butter helped offset increases of things like orange juice, which saw an average increase from $7 to $7.44.

But while some prices are decreasing, the lab cautions prices aren’t down for good.

“Grocers are competing aggressively for back-to-school spending, and that is helping consumers for now,” said Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the lab, in a news release.

“The real test will come later this fall, when seasonal pressures begin to build and promotional activity may become less generous.”

He also cautioned the price can vary where you live, with that same 12-item school bucket ranging from $52.05 in Quebec City to $56.48 in St. John’s.

Back-to-school shopping is shown to be getting more expensive, and not only with food.

A survey conducted in April of almost 1,400 parents of children from kindergarten to Grade 12 and released last month found 91 per cent saying the items have become more expensive. About 53 per cent said they consider it “a lot more” pricey.

Parents are also often looking out for deals, with 43 per cent of parents looking for the best price, followed by 24 per cent focused on a good selection. Another 14 per cent use ads, flyers and promotions.

Even with price increases, including among food, a survey from Field Agent Canada found 93 per cent of Canadian children will be bringing packed lunches or snacks to school this year.

With many students expected to take a lunch to school, the Agri-Food Analytics Lab said there are things parents can do to keep a budget.

One option is to build around staple foods that didn’t see an increase compared to last month, including Greek yogurt, whole-wheat bread, bananas and carrots. As fruits are each changing but not together, it’s also advised to rotate what fruit you include based on the weekly price.