'Prices really have gone crazy': Cost of food changing Winnipeg family's holiday traditions

Jesse Alcasabas keeps an organized pantry for her growing family of six, but says with soaring prices at the grocery store, her cupboards aren't as full these days.

"Prices really have gone crazy," Alcasabas said.

"It used to be … you will never see this, these shelves empty," Alcasabas said, motioning to her canned supplies.

The Alcasabas family celebrates the holidays with Filipino meals and traditions — a feast that starts after midnight on Christmas Eve, which includes a buffet of homemade beef, chicken and pork dishes along with noodles, rice and seafood.

"If this is a long table, it extends to another table for desserts," Alcasabas said.

But her husband Gumsae told CBC News they won't have as many choices this year.

"Because of the beef right now, the prices, I don't think that's part of the menu now. We're just going to opt to something else," he said.

In Filipino culture, people show their hospitality mainly through food, Gumsae said. 

"The more that you see, the more welcome you are," he continued.

"Now, I guess we're just going to be doing small portions and do a little bit of variety versus before: big portions, more variety."

Over at the Christmas Cheer Board, they're feeling the price hikes, too.

With demand for hampers at an all-time high of more than 19,000, it means there won't be extra protein, the charity's executive director, Shawna Bell, told CBC News on Tuesday.

"The only thing we've been able to keep providing is the canned tuna. We would love to be able to provide meat options or even to provide a gift card, but this year we just can't," Bell said.

In 2022, the Christmas Cheer Board moved away from offering traditional Christmas meals, including turkey, to extend the food over several days, Bell said.

At the charity's warehouse on Century Street, Bell opens a box, revealing beans, cookies, pasta and more inside. Nearby volunteers arrange hampers and toys amid mountains of supplies.

Last year, the organization gave out about 18,300 hampers.

For about the same amount of food, inflation is costing the organization beyond $160,000 more this year, and it's spending even more to meet the higher demand.

"It's very difficult decisions that people are having to make about how they're going to spend their money, what little money that they have available." 

'Modest' food inflation expected in 2024

Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab says the cost of holiday food staples like carrots, potatoes and turkey are up 12.8, 6.6 and five per cent, respectively, since last year. 

Desserts and sides like chocolate, cranberries and stuffing are also more expensive, the lab's director Sylvain Charlebois, said this week.

He expects many Canadians to choose lower-cost options this season.

Canada's latest food price report points to Statistics Canada data showing Canadians spent less on food in August 2023 than in August 2022 — meaning people are cutting back on the quality or quantity of food, or they're finding alternatives, the authors say.

"We're expecting a more modest inflation rate for 2024," Charlebois said. "It'll be an easier year in 2024, compared to 2023."

Although food inflation could ease off, baking, meat and vegetables could still see increases of five to seven per cent.

The report anticipates a family of four will spend about $702 more next year than it did in 2023, with Manitobans seeing above-average hikes in the cost of food.

"The prices will affect behaviour for a very long time," Charlebois said.

Even more inflation is concerning to the Alcasabas family, who say they didn't pay as much attention to price tags only a couple of years ago.

"It takes me around 30 minutes to shop for three items, because I have to scan each aisle, get the good deals," Gumsae said.

Now, buying bulk, freezing deals in small portions, on top of meal planning, all help them stay within their budget.

The family also buys more directly from farms, eats more home-cooked dinners and wastes less.

"I look at the prices, and I have to compare: Where can I save more? Which is better in the deal?" Alcasabas said. 

It's an added step, but they're still celebrating being together this Christmas.

Cost of food changing Winnipeg family's holiday traditions

12 months ago

Duration 3:00

Food inflation is changing how many of us are eating and stocking up on groceries and it's also impacting the holidays. We talk to a Winnipeg family that is trying to make ends meet.