The Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) is a tool that measures the basic cost to eat healthy. It is used to monitor food availability and accessibility by relating the cost of the food basket to an individual's or family's income. The NFB measures the average weekly cost of nutritious food for a reference family of four (i.e., a man and woman each aged 31-50 years; a boy aged 14-18; and a girl aged 4-8). It includes 67 food items and is designed to reflect an eating pattern that meets the Canada's Food Guide. People who earn a minimum wage or require government assistance often cannot afford to buy healthy foods or meet their basic needs.[1] Food cost is commonly used to monitor the risk of food insecurity and identify vulnerable groups within a community.
Percentage of income required to purchase a Nutritious Food Basket by Family Type |
About the MeasureThis measure uses income, rent, and the cost of a Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) to determine the percentage of income required to purchase nutritious food for four family types. These family types are:
The cost of the NFB and the percentage of income required to purchase an NFB are calculated by local public health units across Ontario. Key FindingsIn 2017, the cost of a NFB for a reference family of four was $211.83 in Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph. The relative cost of a NFB for a family of four earning the median Ontario after-tax income has remained stable over time at about 12% of the family’s after-tax income. However, the relative cost of NFBs for all other family types decreased between 2016 and 2017. For these families, the relative cost of the NFB decreased because changes to the Canada Child Benefit lead to increased their after-tax incomes.
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Source: Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, 2011-16. Nutritious Food Basket Income Scenario Calculations. Updated November 1, 2017. LimitationsThe NFB cannot be used to compare the food landscape between different communities. It does not reflect individual cultural practices or diets for medical conditions. The family scenarios do not reflect all families across Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, but reflect the families most vulnerable to food insecurity.
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[1] Williams, P. L., Johnson, C. P., Kratzmann, M. L., Johnson, C. S. J., Anderson, B. J., & Chenhall, C. (2006). Can households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia afford a nutritious diet? Canadian Journal of Public Health/Revue Canadienne de Sante'e Publique, 430-434.