What is the NAFB?
The Nutritious and Affordable Food Basket (NAFB) estimates the cost of a basic, balanced grocery basket that meets the population’s nutritional needs. For over 70 years, Alima, Social Perinatal Nutrition Centre (Alima), has applied its expertise by observing and documenting fluctuations in food prices in Montréal.
What Does the 2023-2024 Report Reveal?
This report presents the cost of the NAFB in Montréal in July 2025 and puts its evolution over the past year into perspective.
Here are the 10 key findings from this report:
Current cost
In July 2025, a family of four (woman and man aged 31-50, boy aged 14-18, girl aged
9-13) has to pay $10.38/day per person, or $290/week to meet their nutritional needs.
Annual change
Between July 2024 and July 2025, the cost remained mostly stable, despite a small temporary increase in January 2025.
Change by category or subcategory
Significant increases (2024-2025)
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Commercial infant formula: +11%
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Frozen and canned fish: +12%
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Frozen and canned vegetables: +9%
Since October 2021, the price of commercial infant formula has jumped by 129%, reaching $53.32/kg in 2025.
Share of income spent on food
For a person earning minimum wage and living alone, the NAFB represented 17% of their income in 2021, compared to 20% in 2025, despite the increase in minimum wage.
When the cost of the NAFB exceeds 20% of net income, Alima considers a household to be under significant financial strain.
The apparent stability of the NAFB does not reflect a real improvement: past sharp price increases and the pressure of other essential expenses are making it increasingly difficult for many households to afford food.