Illustration by Kat Frick Miller
Welcome to The Globe’s series, What’s in my cart?, where we ask Canadians how they stock their kitchens. Have your own personal grocery story? Share it here.
Between April and June each year, Lucas DesRoches begins his day before sunrise to fish for lobsters just off the north coast of Prince Edward Island.
The work is tough – it’s physically demanding, requires strength and takes place in cold and wet conditions. DesRoches parks his boat alongside the 123 other lobster fishermen who typically depart from Tignish Run by 5 a.m. each morning.
The catches vary from harbour to harbour, but here, near PEI’s northern coast, DesRoches says the fishermen haul between 20,000 to 90,000 lobsters onto their boats a season. They need to maximize their catch to pay off the cost of their fleet – licence, boat and gear – the cost of which has swollen over the years owing to the scarcity of permits and licences.
“Purchasing a fleet to fish around our part of the island can cost you up to $2.2-million,” says DesRoches.
Besides lobster fishing, DesRoches has also been competing in Strongman competitions since 2018. The competitions test an athlete’s strength, endurance and power in multiple weight-lifting categories. In 2023, he took the winning title in the under-120-kilogram division at the Canadian Amateur Strongman competition in Winnipeg. More recently, he had been training for the Clash of the Island Strongman Show in Charlottetown, which took place earlier this week.
“It takes a lot of meat to keep me going,” jokes DesRoches, who at the time of this interview weighed 272 pounds.
Despite the common trope and memes of muscle-filled gym rats who count every calorie and track macronutrients to hit their protein goals, DesRoches opts for a simple, no-frills diet.
To fuel muscle growth, he eats “a lot” of carbohydrates such as jasmine rice, potatoes and bananas; sources of protein including chicken, beef and eggs; and healthy fats, which he gets from avocados, nuts and the fresh lobster he consumes for its omega-3 fatty acids.
“I cook at home daily, pack a lunch for work and eat whole foods that make me feel good,” says the strongman. The only restaurant meal he indulges in is an occasional 22-ounce prime rib from the Keg.
How I save money on groceries: I buy whole beef in bulk, which costs me about $2,000, but lasts me the entire year. I watch the prices per pound, and buy it at the right time to get the best price.
How I splurge on groceries: In addition to the cow I buy every year, I splurge on prime cuts of beef. I buy prime rib or brisket or tenderloin when I want it.
The hardest shopping habit to keep up: Living in a small town, it can be difficult to get good quality, fresh produce when it’s not in season. It can be a battle to always have fresh vegetables and fruits on hand, and I prefer fresh over frozen.
How I’ve changed my eating habits recently: I cut out processed foods altogether including bacon, beef jerky, margarine and seed oils. I no longer use protein powders and I try to stick to only one-ingredient foods.
Five items always in my cart:
- Whole lamb – Montrose Meats P.E.I. – around $650: I buy an entire lamb about once a year. The lamb is more of a Sunday meat for me, and a good way to switch it up, since different proteins have different vitamins and minerals.
- Scallops – JNK Fish Mart – around $18/pound in the summer: As a lobster fisher I’m a bit spoiled for seafood. I can trade lobsters for other fresh seafood from other fishermen. I usually trade for scallops, which I really enjoy, and make a great protein. But the best way to ensure you’re buying local lobster is to check lobsterpei.com for places to shop and Canadian companies to buy from. Royal Star Foods carries my lobsters.
- Russet potatoes – WP Griffin – $36: I buy my potatoes from this local farm in 50-pound packages. They’re a great source of carbohydrates, which fuel me. I usually eat them with a protein and asparagus or string beans on the side for a balanced meal.
- Berries – local berry farms – $5 a pint: I enjoy strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. I usually look for them on sale at any grocery store in the winter, and in the summer it’s really easy to find them for sale at the local farms.
- Grass-fed butter – Gay Lea – $7.70: I was influenced by some of my healthier friends that use grass-fed instead of regular butter or margarine. I find it’s good quality, and it’s got a great taste. I fry my eggs in it, which is pretty often, since I eat about six to 10 eggs a day. It’s my choice of cooking fat.
