Finding cheap groceries in Ontario is an uphill battle, and seeing eye-popping prices for everyday products at usual retailers like Loblaws, Metro, Longos, and others has become almost the norm.
To combat the issue, many on social media have been sharing their cost-saving tips and tricks with others. Most recently, an Ontario TikToker has gone viral after revealing a grocery haul in Toronto where 5 different types of produce cost them only $13 dollars.
Lake Kid told their followers that they were able to purchase four oranges, a bag of roughly six to 10 avocados, a package of broccoli, a "bunch" of bananas, and a package of blackberries for a total of $13 at a local produce shop near them.
"Meanwhile, I got a pomegranate from Longos, and it was $7," they said in their video.
The response was huge. Racking up more than 130K views, their video received tons of comments with more suggestions and tips for finding cheap groceries in Toronto.
"Fruit market along Bloor is best," one person commented. "If you gotta big box, Fresh CO has been super affordable and decent produce," another said.
But mainly, people wanted to know what store they were talking about.
But instead of a big reveal, Lake Kid has combined the tips and resources shared by various locals and created a free map of various cheap grocery stores around Toronto.
Toronto Independent Stores - Google My Maps
Described as a "community-sourced collection of affordable and independent stores in Toronto," anyone can send their suggestions to a provided email with the address and name of a cheap grocery store along with a description of what they sell.
In a follow-up video, Lake Kid said that the point of the map is to make local grocery stores that are "cheaper than Loblaws" to be more accessible to fellow Torontonians.
They also hope that this tool will help independent grocery stores get more love from Toronto's shoppers.
Canada’s Food Price Report 2023, which was released last year, predicted that Canadian families will spend up to $1065 more on food in 2023.
Some of the highest changes in prices can be seen in fruits and vegetables, the report found.
"Don't spend your money in big corporations if you can help it," Lake Kid said in their video.
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