Nils-Gerrit Wunsch
Research expert covering foods trends in North America, Europe, and the global food system
Get in touch with us nowDietary habits in Canada
Beyond food inflation, a quarter of Canadians are trying to cut back on their meat consumption, whereas a further 11 percent of Canadians completely cut meat from their diet. This group includes vegetarians (4%), pescetarians (4%), and vegans (3%). Younger consumers in Canada are much more likely to follow one of these diets than older consumers. Those between 20 to 29 years of age are about five times as likely to be vegans as 50 to 59-year-olds. However, this does not mean that younger consumers are more health-minded. In fact, older consumers are much more likely to try to eat healthily than their younger counterparts.
What a Canadian eats and drinks
If taken together, dairy products and eggs comprise the largest food category in the Canadian diet. Over 122 kilograms of eggs and dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are consumed per capita. Vegetables follow closely behind at about 118 kilograms. Bread and cereal products follow in third place with 87.6 kilograms, with the per capita consumption of fruits and nuts at a similar level. On the beverage side, 69 percent of Canadian consumers regularly drink coffee, followed by juice drinkers at 53 percent. Bottled water is consumed by half of all Canadians on a regular basis.
