For those people who live cheque to cheque, fresh produce can be a big expense.
Increasing cost of fresh veggies has been taking a larger crunch out of the salaries of consumers. Since last year there was an 11 percent increase in the average price of the fresh veggies.
Between September 2014 and September 2015, the price for fresh veggies rose by 11.5 percent while for fresh fruit it went up for a about 8.5 percent.
Surrey Food Bank's Executive Director, Marilyn Hermann, has found new clients who will come in because the quality of their diet is losing their balance.
She said "I had a senior, for example, who came to me for the first time she came to a food bank. She said I just wasn't eating properly by the time I supplemented my husband's healthcare, he's in long term care, by the time I paid my rent, my basic utilities, there was very little money left over for food. And when she walked away the very first day she was here with fresh fruits and vegetables, she was grinning from ear to ear. She said it's been a long time since I could afford something like this."
Other food bank chose to have partnership with farmers and other groups that have the capacity to buy big in order to have access to produce at lesser prices. To help their situation they welcome cash donations for those who give.
Great Vancouver Food Bank is also collaborating with local farmers in order to make sure that their members will have healthy food. Reports for overall increase in its food bank members are not available.
People who consistently consume fruits and vegetables as part of their everyday diet have trim down risk of many chronic diseases. But the increase of prices for fruits and vegetables may now affect what a person consumes these days.
