Price of nutritious food continues to rise in region

The cost of eating healthy has gone up once again in the region.

A recent Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health report states it would cost a family of four (a man and woman aged 31 to 50, a boy aged 14 to 18 and a girl aged 4 to 8) about $212 a week to eat healthy according to the Nutritious Food Basket (NFB).

That’s up from $210 a week last year.

The NFB “is a tool that estimates the basic cost for an individual or household to eat healthy,” the report states. “Data from the NFB costing is used by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) for program planning and to promote access to healthy, nutritious food.”

Since 2009 there has been a 27% increase in food costs in the region.

“The results of this report clearly show that individuals and families with low incomes do not have enough money to pay for their basic needs, including shelter and healthy food,” the report states. “Food insecurity is a serious public health concern because of its relationship with poor nutrition and negative physical and mental health effects among both adults and children.

“Improved incomes are the most important response to food insecurity.”