High price of groceries leading Manitobans to unhealthy diet
Posted March 10, 2026 11:36 am.
Last Updated March 10, 2026 11:38 am.
Many Manitobans are feeling the pinch at the grocery store these days because of rising food prices.
It’s causing some to turn to more processed and cheaper foods, sacrificing health and nutrition to offset the cost.
Demelza Martin, a mother of four children, says food inflation has made life “quite hard.”
“You can imagine our bills are quite high,” Martin told CityNews.
The Manitoba mom says most of the time, going for the healthy choice just isn’t an option for her family.
“Let’s say we want to go for something with more protein or even less sugar, but we notice the one with more sugar is cheaper, we’ll very often go for the granola bars with more sugar, because it’s cheaper,” she said.
Winnipegger Eileen Rowe says it’s no surprise people are opting for the less expensive option.
“A box of cereal is cheaper than a salad and a piece of fresh meat,” she said. “A box of Kraft Dinner is cheaper. What are people going to do?”
Dr. Leslie Redmond at the University of Manitoba’s department of food and human nutritional sciences says she’s concerned about the long-term health ramifications of Manitobans adopting less than ideal diets.
“People repeatedly are reporting cost as the number one barrier to eating a healthy diet,” the associate professor said.
Redmond notes there are still options to buy nutritious foods while also not breaking the bank.
“We love fresh fruits and vegetables, and I certainly promote them, but we also promote frozen, we also promote canned,” Dr. Redmond explained. “We want people to understand that choosing these other options typically are more affordable and they’re just as healthy, they’re just as nutritious.”
The Manitoba government is looking into the matter, announcing in February a grocery study targeting predatory pricing.
A statement from Finance Minister Adrien Sala reads in part: “We’re also taking action to improve affordability. Our government has frozen the price of a one-litre jug of milk through 2026, taken steps to address restrictive covenants that limit where grocery stores can open and expanded programs that help families access food, including the universal school nutrition program. We will have more to share with Budget 2026.”
RELATED: Grocers say they’re being squeezed by Manitoba milk-price freeze
Rowe wants to see more from elected officials.
“I think they could reduce the prices a lot, but they know we’re a captive audience,” she said.
