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Dairy products in Canada have shot up in price over the past three years, and increased costs affect every grocery budget.
Canadians feel the crunch regarding food insecurity, so I’ve been working hard to find grocery savings tips to pass on to my readers.
While at Food Basic buying our weekly groceries, we couldn’t help but notice that a bag of milk (3 bags) cost us $5.69.
Beginning Feb 1, 2023, milk prices are again expected to rise after the Canadian Dairy Commission approved a 2.2% increase or two cents a litre.
It comes after the commission approved two price hikes in 2022: A 2.5 per cent increase, or roughly two cents per litre, in September and an 8.4 per cent increase, or six cents per litre, in February.
Altogether, the total 12-month farm gate milk price increases amount to roughly 10 cents per litre, or 13.1 per cent.
City News Toronto
We’ve seen a significant increase in grocery expenses over the last ten years, citing prices as a culprit and a changing lifestyle.
Only a few years ago, we’d get bagged milk at Shoppers Drug Mart for $3.99 if we were Optimum Club members.
Gone are those days, although we have found ways to save money on dairy products to help balance our grocery budget.
Today, I want to share our experiences saving money on dairy products so you can source similar deals.
Canadian Coupons
Canadians can still find paper coupons at grocery stores, in magazines, on flyers, and straight from the manufacturer.
Their flyer and website offer coupons from stores such as the Bulk Barn.
Shoppers can also find coupon savings on apps such as Checkout51.
Although coupon savings may seem small, the rewards are significant as the money does add up.
Related: Where to find the best coupons in Canada
If you shop on Amazon Canada, they also offer coupons on grocery items and a 5% discount on bulk purchases of five.
We also purchase egg white powder, No Yolking powder, and non-dairy products if the price is right from Amazon Canada.
Related: Grocery products we buy on Amazon to save money
FlashFood App and Grocery Rewards
If you haven’t heard of the Flashfood App by now, it’s necessary for anyone trying to cut grocery costs.
You will find just about any grocery items, including dairy products, offering up to 75% off the retail price.
Granted, what you find on the app will surprise you, but it’s a way to cut costs on food.
Nielsen Homescan is a way to earn rewards points by grocery shopping and scanning your products at home.
The scanner is mailed to qualifying participants and can redeem points for gift cards and other items.
I redeemed my Neilsen points for a refrigerator when I lived in the UK.
Read more about Neilsen Homescan and learn how to sign-up.
Lastly, I have only good things to say about the Shoppers Optimum Program.
Being an Optimum member has allowed us to amass 7 million Optimum Points over eight years.
Although we’ve saved the points, we can redeem them for more than $7000 worth of grocery products from any Loblaws store or Shoppers Drug Mart in Ontario.
I advise shopping only on 20x the points days and saving points for big redemption days.
Buy Dairy Products In Bulk
When dairy products go on sale, consider whether it’s worth it for you to buy extra.
For example, Selection brand cheese bars were on sale at Food Basics for $3.99, so I bought eight.
Our family loves cheese, so it won’t take long to get through that much cheese, especially during the holidays.
Besides, you’d be surprised how long cheese will last in the refrigerator and if you get a bit of mold, just cut it off.
Generally, if we store cheese wrapped tight in the refrigerator in a plastic zippered bag, we have no problems.
Our son takes an iogo yogurt drink to school daily in his lunch, which can get pricey.
An 8-pack of iogo drinks can cost between $3.99 and $4.99 at the grocery store.
Generally, we purchase two bulk cases from Costco for $8.99 each, giving us 24 bottles.
Related: Is a Costco membership worth the money?
Freeze Dairy Products
Another option is to grate the cheese and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When you need a bag of shredded mozzarella for a pizza, defrost the cheese, and you’re all set.
We buy a 2kg Salerno Mozzarella from Costco for $25.99, shred it, then freeze half of it each time we shop.
Other dairy products that we successfully freeze are butter and bags of milk.
We’ve had zero issues freezing dairy products, although if you freeze a cheese bar, it will break into pieces when defrosted.
Is it worth freezing dairy products? I will say yes, especially if you find a great deal and want to stock up.
Related: 11 Costco grocery products we buy to save money
Expiry Dates
Years ago, when we shopped at Zellers, they would discount the product if we found dairy products within a week from expiry.
Since they offer reduced pricing, we still do the same whether we shop at Food Basics, No Frills, or Zehrs.
Related: The cheapest grocery stores in Canada to shop at
A grocery store would instead earn some money for a product than nothing, so don’t be shy and ask to speak with the dairy associate.
If you cannot find anyone brings the product to customer service or speak with a manager.
Local Dairy Farmer
Shopping for dairy products from a local dairy farm helps Ontario farmers make a living by farming.
Bartering is a great way to negotiate a deal with a dairy farmer, especially if you know how to fix farm equipment.
I know that’s trade-specific, but I’m just sharing ideas to encourage readers to think outside the box to save money.
Perhaps you grow vegetables or make homemade beets, jams, or meals to go that you could exchange for dairy products.
If you have nothing to barter, you may even find being a regular customer will net you reasonable pricing and the freshest product.
Dairy Manufacturing Plant
See if your city or town has a dairy plant nearby since many have a storefront.
You may find local ice cream, butter, milk, and other dairy products for less since you cut out the middle man, otherwise known as the grocery store.
Kawartha Dairy, for example, has storefronts across Ontario where you can purchase popular dairy products, including ice cream, milk, and butter.
Delicious Homemade Dairy Products
Dairy-Free Milk Options
We also buy non-dairy products such as Kirkland Unsweetened Almond Milk and, on occasion Unsweetened Macadamia Nut Milk.
Both of these non-dairy products are shelf-stable and last for months and months, which makes them a great savings option.
After checking prices, we found that buying non-dairy products in bulk from Costco would net the best savings.
Raising Chickens and Dairy Cows
Depending on your local bylaws, you may be able to raise egg chickens in your backyard.
We have city friends with at least two chickens and quails, so they don’t have to spend money buying eggs.
Raising chickens takes upkeep and a bit of money, but you’ll always have the freshest eggs.
If you have enough land to farm dairy cows, perhaps this is another option that may save your family money.
Final Thoughts
Saving money buying dairy products is possible, although you won’t find deals every week.
Finding the options that work well for you and your family makes sense so you can use the savings toward other products.
Always create a grocery budget and meal plan with quick backup meals, prep in advance, and use grocery rewards points, cash-back, and the Flashfood App.
Discussion: What other ways do you save money on dairy products?
Please leave me your comments below.
Thanks for stopping by to read CBB.
Mr. CBB
