The NAFB is a tool developed by Alima for estimating the cost of a basic balanced grocery basket covering the nutritional needs of the Quebec population.
It allows for the measurement and tracking of the cost of a healthy and low-cost food basket in various communities and can be used as an advocacy tool to promote access to healthy eating.
The NAFB estimates the cost of a basic grocery list designed to meet the nutritional needs of the population.
The PPNE consists of a list of foods with quantities adjusted according to different age and gender groups. Its contents are periodically revised to adjust for current dietary recommendations and changes in eating habits. The cost of the basket is calculated from grocery store price surveys.
Alima conducts these price surveys four times a year to monitor the cost of food in Montréal.
The contents of the basket meet specific nutritional objectives based on the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and Canada’s Food Guide.
The NAFB is conceived to be affordable by relying on economical foods and promoting home cooking.
Discussion groups were held in several Quebec regions to gain a better understanding of Quebecers’ consumption habits and develop a basket that reflects their reality.
We have an NAFB newsletter! (available in French only)
Get the latest NAFB news
An online platform and tools have been created to allow various food security stakeholders to monitor the cost of a healthy diet in their area.
Practical tools
Online training will help users determine the right questions to ask themselves before conducting price surveys and will explain how to use the platform.
Quick access to results
Once the price survey results have been entered, users can view the price of the basket for the different age and sex categories. They can also estimate the cost of the basket for a family of their choice and monitor how it changes over time
In the 1930s, Alima developed an initial list of low-cost foods and a recipe book based on these foods. These tools were used by Alima employees during their nutritional consultations. This initial list of nutritious, low-cost foods is also how the food baskets got their start in Canada.
The first Nutritious and Affordable Food Basket (NAFB) was developed in the 1950s. Over the years, successive updates were made to adjust the basket to dietary recommendations and the population’s eating habits.
Since then, Alima has been monitoring the price of NAFB in Montreal. Several health regions in Quebec use Alima and its NAFB to assess the cost of food in their communities.
In 2021, the basket was updated to correspond to the current reality of lost-cost healthy eating. Its name changed to the Nutritious and Affordable Food Basket (NAFB):
Its contents were revised to match the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide recommendations and Quebecers’ eating habits.
The price survey methodology was revamped.
An online platform was created to make the tool more accessible to various food security stakeholders.