Canadians skipping meals as meat becomes a luxury amid cost-of-living crisis
New government data shows families can no longer afford to meet the Canada Food Guide as grocery prices soar.
Canadians are cutting back on meat and, in some cases, skipping meals altogether as grocery prices continue to climb, according to new research cited by Blacklock’s Reporter.
The report noted that in-house research from the Department of Agriculture shows the typical Canadian household can no longer afford to meet Canada’s Food Guide.
Sheila Gunn Reid, Lise Merle, and Kris Sims of the the Canadian Taxpayers Federation pointed to years of what they described as out-of-control government spending as a key driver behind rising food costs during Wednesday's live stream.
To help families cope, Sims shared budget-friendly "struggle meal" recipes from her own childhood, including a Tuna Cheddar Chowder recipe from Amy Dacyczyn’s 1990s classic The Tightwad Gazette, made with carrots, chicken noodle soup mix, canned tuna or salmon, milk and cheddar cheese. Sheila recalled her family’s hamburger chow mein, made with ground beef, onions, garlic, celery, chow mein noodles, water and soy sauce.
Sims also reminisced about similar meals from past economic downturns, including the 1980s oil patch shutdown in British Columbia, when families relied on dishes like beans and wieners or tomato soup with macaroni to stretch tight budgets.
The conversation turned pointed when the Rebel News journalists and Sims contrasted their recipes with reports that Prime Minister Mark Carney has spent roughly $200,000 per trip on catered meals, while ordinary Canadians ration canned tuna and rely on no-name condiments to get by.
Sheila attributed the affordability crisis to carbon taxes, inflation and supply chain management under the current Liberal government, arguing Canadians deserve relief at the checkout rather than lectures on nutrition.
Livestream Clips
Catch the most impactful clips from our daily news livestream, Rebel Roundup, featuring breaking stories, bold opinions, and exclusive insights from our top reporters. Stay informed and never miss a moment—watch now!
https://www.rebelnews.com/liveFeatured Stories
05:44
12:45
COMMENTS
-
Fran g commented 2026-07-31 20:05:47 -0400First of all carnage knows exactly the damage hes doing- he does not care. Hes an empty shell with no soul.
My daughter bought me in 2013 this book and I have made, deliciously, about 90% of the recipes. I highly recommend “Spilling the beans” by Julie Van Rosendaal and Sue Duncan. Most recipes are meatless, they use beans or lentils and grains like rice, buckwheat, pasta etc.and a lot of vegetables. I highly recommend this for low cost, nutrition, flavour, fiber, filling. Enjoy. Even check for this in second hand stores. Although I dont know why anybody would part with it. -
Bruce Atchison commented 2026-07-30 21:51:41 -0400If only we could get Carney to see the real damage his policies have done to this nation. But he’s insulated in this life from pain. But death is the cut off point of God’s grace.
-
Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2026-07-30 17:51:10 -0400Beef has become frightfully expensive. A few days ago, I saw steaks in a discount cooler for more than $17 each. Even earlier, I saw beef roasts costing close to $40.
Pork, on the other hand, is considerably cheaper.
