What’s on my grocery list: How five Canadian athletes, chefs and entrepreneurs shop for nutrition and budget

No matter where in Canada you live, you have probably noticed your food bills ballooning for much of the past year. The cost of groceries has risen by almost 10 per cent in 2023, causing spending on food in the typical family of four to jump by more than $1,000 compared with 2022. Foodflation is showing no signs of stopping and is forcing many to become savvy shoppers in order to balance healthy eating with reasonable spending.

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We asked five people for whom proper nutrition is non-negotiable about how they navigate the grocery store. Here, a world decathlon champion, an Olympic gold medalist, a Guinness World Record holder, a celebrity chef and a budding food entrepreneur dish on the foods they simply cannot live without, and how they save money at the checkout without compromising on health.

Wallace Wong

Whether it’s fuelling his bodybuilding workouts or slicing vegetables at Guinness World Record-setting speed, Wallace Wong makes good use of his food. The Mississauga-born chef, who rose to fame through his standout appearance on Top Chef Canada and tantalizing cucumber-cutting videos, makes massive grocery runs that motivate him to whip up snazzy, healthy daily dishes on a budget.

What’s in my cart: I cook roughly 20 meals a week for myself and see my shopping as a puzzle: I start with a protein source like steak or a whole chicken. Then, If I plan to cook lean meat like chicken breast, I will buy high-fat produce like avocado; but if I am eating a rib eye, then I will accompany it with lean greens like broccoli or peppers.

Then, I often choose simple carbohydrates – like potatoes, jasmine rice and rice noodles – over complex ones like sweet potatoes, because my body is already working hard to digest high-fat and protein meals. I will also buy soy sauce, salt, pepper and occasionally chili oil for seasoning; and chicken bones to make soups and stocks because they are high in collagen and protein.

The favourite item: Crispy Minis rice cakes. They are almost as savoury as chips, but much lower in fat and calories.

A shopping tip: Try out new stores. I love Asian supermarkets like T&T, FreshWay, Galleria and Sunfood. They have ingredients I grew up with and tend to be less expensive than traditional grocery stores. T&T is like the Asian Eataly or Farm Boy, in terms of cleanliness and product offerings. It has a great variety of all Asian products – from Chinese and Korean to Japanese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese. FreshWay is the less expensive version of T&T. Galleria is my spot to go to find anything and everything Korean that I love, from vegetables to seafood, prepared items and snacks.

A new habit: I’ve gamified the grocery run and try to buy as much food as I can for $50. Sometimes, what I end up with doesn’t fit any of my recipes – recently I came home with bell peppers, onions, pineapple, pork and sausages – but it forces me to invent a new dish and have fun doing it.

Rodney Bowers

Celebrity chef Rodney Bowers is best-known for hearty creations such as a full-bodied gravy and home-made meatballs. But a recent Type 2 diabetes diagnosis has led the Newfoundland native to rethink his diet. Bowers, a father of two, is now learning how to cook family-friendly meals with a healthy twist – all without compromising on taste.

What’s in my cart: I buy what is in season, so in the winter it’s lots of squashes, cabbages, apples and root vegetables. I also do not compromise on high-quality vinegar, olive oil and tamari (my son loves Thai and Vietnamese cuisine). I buy lots of chicken, salmon, tuna and even sardines for a quick protein – canned seafood is having a moment right now. We will also cook red meat once a week.

The favourite item: I love fresh herbs and spices like parsley, cilantro, chili and tarragon: They can even make chicken and vegetables taste exotic.

A shopping tip: Buy for the leftovers. If you are strapped for time to make good food and are cooking for two, for example, make enough for four. My partner, Meredith, and I have a show called Double Your Dish, which provides tips on how to make one meal last and taste good for several days. If you can master the leftover game, you will waste less food and save money. Also, I am not above the coupon hustle – I get that from my mother, a lifelong sales sleuth.

A new habit: My cooking is changing to help care for my disease. I stay away from processed foods, and always keep peppers, cucumbers, carrots and apple cider vinegar around to snack on before meals. It helps regulate my blood glucose.

Pierce LePage

A love for baking and brownies has done little to slow down Pierce LePage, a 27-year-old star decathlete and 2023 World Athletics Championship gold medalist. Because when you measure 6-foot-7 and log in four hours of training a day, you take all the fuel and calories that you can get.

What’s in my cart: Lots of meat for protein: chicken, steak, salmon, bacon, Swedish meatballs and sausages that I cook with rice, eggs and any vegetable that’s fresh. I make a lot of stir-fry dishes. Beyond that, lemonade and iced tea are my consistent guilty pleasures.

The favourite item: Honestly? Pie crusts. I have had a baking hobby since high school, specializing in unhealthy but delicious brownies. Right now, I’m learning to make pies.

A shopping tip: Buying in bulk works well for me because I need to consume a lot of food, I don’t mind eating the same things several days in a row, and I’m often too busy with training during regular mealtimes to cook myself fancy dishes.

A new habit: I’ve been searching for high-protein, high-calorie recipes on TikTok to save time and try new things with classic food items, and I have been finding great dishes. One of them is a simple Korean stir fry that I love. It’s just marinated beef over rice with standard seasoning like soya sauce, honey and garlic – not fancy, but excellent.

Maggie Mac Neil

Elite swimmer Maggie Mac Neil was never a typical postsecondary student. She managed to win Pan American, Commonwealth and Olympic titles in the 100-metre butterfly before even graduating. But, as did many other undergrads, she leaned on a campus cafeteria for everyday sustenance. Now the 23-year-old from London, Ont., is living on her own and learning to cook entirely for herself as she prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games.

What’s in my cart: I buy frozen fruit, yogurt, bananas, honey, orange juice and peanut butter for the smoothies I make every morning. I usually train twice between breakfast and dinner, so I rarely have a big lunch, and rely on snacks to get me through to dinner. Goldfish crackers, Cheerios and bagels are staples because they are easy to carry. Then, my classic dinner items are pasta, chicken, broccoli, onions, peppers and, lately, lots of peaches and Kielbasa sausages.

The favourite item: Ice cream, which is a nice treat after a long day of training. I once bought an 11-litre tub of Chapman’s cherry cheesecake ice cream for $40 – best investment ever.

A shopping tip: Buying produce in season is a great bang for your buck. I am living and training in Louisiana, and the peaches in the late fall and early winter are delicious and affordable.

A new habit: I stopped buying in bulk. When I lived with my parents in high school, we would make big Costco runs. But now that it’s just me, I find that buying too much causes me to throw a lot of food away. So, now I am more intentional: I make a list of what I want for the next few days and stick to it to avoid wasting food. It’s cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

Jake Karls

When an MRI revealed arthritis in his back last year, Jake Karls, the co-founder of low-fat chocolate Mid-Day Squares, vowed to take healthy eating to a new level to control his inflammation. But his life as an entrepreneur, which involves more than 100 flights a year, leaves him little time to bargain hunt. Swapping processed foods for plenty of fresh produce is keeping his mind sharp and his pain at a minimum.

What’s in my cart: My wife and I make lots of salads and meat-based dishes, so I am big on grass-fed meats and organic produce. My staples are apples, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, purple cabbage, carrot, avocado, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sweet potato and brown rice. For snacks, I eat the brownie-batter Mid-Day Square (I’m allergic to nuts, so I can’t eat most of my products).

The favourite item: I have Quaker oatmeal every day with a banana, cinnamon powder and Manitoba Harvest hemp heart seeds to fuel my mornings. I also need my Van Houtte drip coffee – there is something meditative about old-school drip.

A shopping tip: Shop at several stores. Arbitrage makes it so that products have different prices from place to place. By visiting many stores, you are also more likely to find new products you love.

A new habit: I have become big on snack containers. My move is to travel with cut-up pineapple in a Tupperware. That way, I can avoid takeout all the time – it’s cheaper and I feel better.