The Provincial Government recently released the cost of a 2024 Newfoundland and Labrador Nutritious Food Basket.
The latest report is the fourth release of data using the updated food basket developed for 2021. This allows us to make year-to-year comparisons, which you can view as a trend on our Right to Food Dashboard (along with other food insecurity indicators).
The Nutritious Food Basket
The Nutritious Food Basket is a standardized tool used to calculate the weekly cost of meeting the nutrient requirements for a family of four (specifically, an adult man and woman, a teenage boy, and a young girl). The food basket contains 61 foods from the 2019 Canada Food Guide based on the National Nutritious Food Basket.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency collects data about the costs of these foods around the province every October and November.
Nutritious Food Costs in 2024
In October 2024, it cost an average of $336 for a family of four in N.L. to purchase enough nutritious food for a week. That's $1,344 per month.
As we know, the cost of food varies around the province. Here’s the Nutritious Food Basket breakdown by region:
The highest cost was on the North Coast of Labrador. The Nutritious Food Basket costs $491 per week ($1,964 per month).
Next is the South Coast of Labrador, with a cost of $437 per week ($1,748 per month).
The most expensive Nutritious Food Basket on the Island was on the Northern Peninsula. It costs $400 per week ($1,600 per month).
Central/Western Labrador was $369 per week ($1,476 per month).
Western Newfoundland was $367 per week ($1,468 per month).
Central Newfoundland was $342 per week ($1,368 per month).
The lowest cost was in Eastern Newfoundland, at $321 per week ($1,284 per month)
Putting The Nutritious Food Basket In Context
It’s helpful to look at these costs as part of a household budget, especially for families with low incomes. Below, we look at the Nutritious Food Basket alongside social assistance and minimum wage rates.
Provincial Income Support
Based on the 2024 Provincial Income Support Benefit rates, a family of four (the same size used to calculate the Food Basket costs) would receive up to $1,301, or $1,451 for families living in Coastal Labrador.
Based on this maximum amount, a family of four:
on Labrador’s North Coast would spend 135% of their income support benefit (with cost of living allowance).
on Labrador’s South Coast would spend 120% of their income support benefit (with cost of living allowance).
on the Northern Peninsula would spend 123% of their income support benefit.
in Western Newfoundland would spend 113% of their income support benefit.
in Labrador West/Central would spend 113% of their income support benefit.
in Central Newfoundland would spend 105% of their income support benefit.
in Eastern Newfoundland would spend 99% of their income support benefit — the only region not spending more than their entire benefit on a nutritious food basket.
Total Welfare Income
The Provincial Income Support Benefit is only one part of the income picture for families that rely on it. There are also tax credits, child benefits, and supplemental payments.
According to Maytree’s 2024 Welfare in Canada Report, a family of four in St. John’s would receive an annual income of $36,133. They would need to spend 48% of their entire income on food to afford the nutritious food basket. This is the best-case scenario, with every benefit maxed out at 2024 levels.
Employment Income
The majority of food-insecure households rely on income from work — either with one or both adults working. In 2024, the minimum wage was $15.60 per hour. That’s between $11.70 and $7.50 lower than the living wage in 2024.
A family of four in St. John’s with both adults working 40 hours a week at minimum wage jobs would spend roughly 30% of their take-home income on a Nutritious Food Basket. While monthly child benefits would help increase incomes, many household incomes would be lower since having two full-time minimum-wage workers isn't feasible.
How It Compares to 2023
Food price inflation continues to slow down. The average Nutritious Food Basket in 2024 only costs $3 (or 1%) more than in 2023. Regional changes ranged from $18 cheaper (North Coast Labrador) to $12 more expensive (Northern Peninsula).
While this slow down is welcome news, food prices are already unaffordable. Prices have jumped more than 20% since 2021. Paying $336 per week for nutritious food is out of reach for many families.
We also know food costs are just one piece of the cost-of-living puzzle. Fixed costs like rent, heat, and light, are also increasing. Food often ends up near the bottom of a long list of household expenses.
Incomes still aren’t keeping up. The minimum wage is still far from a living wage. In 2024, social assistance and total welfare incomes were still well below a reasonable standard of living.
Changes in 2025
Looking at the next set of Nutritious Food Basket data (collected in October/November 2025 — to be released), there are a few things affecting affordability.
In the context of affordability, the increase to the Provincial Income Support Benefit will have the biggest impact. As of September 2025, a couple with children receive up to $1,720 per month (Basic Rate + Shelter). However, Income Support rates are not tied to inflation so households lose ground every year as prices go up.
The minimum wage also increased to $16 per hour. These increases are tied to inflation rates. Minimum wage earners aren’t losing ground but won’t see benefits to their household budgets.
The federal government also announced the new Grocery and Essentials Benefit, which will come into effect in 2026.
These measures will help, to some extent, but they’re far from enough. Incomes have not kept up with inflation and people continue to slip deeper into poverty. Everyone is struggling to afford the food they want and need, and low-income households feel it most.
Conclusions
While there are some small glimmers of hope, we can draw the same conclusions as we did for the 2022 and 2023 data:
We have legislated poverty by having income floors well below what would meet people’s basic needs (like other provinces, unfortunately).
This data clearly shows how our social supports and wages are not keeping up with food price increases. That gap is disproportionately large the more rural and northern you get in the province.
The cost of a Nutritious Food Basket helps us wrap our heads around what liveable income floors might look like. This data is used in regional living wage calculations and can help guide our advocacy for income-based solutions.
Posted: February 26, 2026
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