The cost of a basket of nutritious food in Windsor-Essex did not change much in 2025, but other added pressures make eating healthy a challenge for many in the community.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's annual Nutritious Food Basket study found the weekly cost of groceries for a family of four in 2025 is $271.83, down 0.93 per cent compared to 2024.
"When we actually look at the comparison of what people have left over from the month when you take out rent and food, people are still in dire straits," said Karen Bellmore, public health nutritionist.
The study found that a family of four, with two minimum wage incomes, would only have $545 a month for all expenses after groceries and rent costs.
A single person could be in the hole $421.
"We look at the food costs because that tends to be the flexible expense. But we know when people are not nourishing themselves they tend to be sicker, they're not able to recover faster, and it really does put a lot of stress on an individual and a family," said Bellmore.
The health unit reports about a quarter of households in Windsor and Essex County faced food insecurity in 2023-2024.
