Émergence d’un nouvel indicateur pour un budget alimentaire décent des foyers québécois

Abstract

Since the 1950s, the place of food in the budget of Quebec households has been continuously reduced, in competition with other budget items. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting inflation have changed the situation, especially for the most precarious. To apprehend the household food budget, two approaches are traditionally used. The first assesses what households spend on average, based on basic food items. The second calculates what a healthy diet should cost. These two approaches are useful, but they ignore the situation of the poorest households, as well as tastes and food cultures. This article aims to present the reflection and the original results of an exploratory survey carried out in the community environment of the metropolitan region of Montreal. What we will call the decent food budget is a new indicator for understanding the cost of a diet that is more in line with tastes and food cultures. This work aims to pave the way to new demands for food in low-income households.