The School-Lunch Price Drop: Illusion or Opportunity for Canadian Families?

As Canadian parents finalize back-to-school checklists, a surge of promotional flyers has brought a brief respite to the weekly grocery bill. According to Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, a targeted 12-item school-lunch basket declined 2.8% between July and August—dropping from $55.61 to $54.04. Staples like cheddar cheese, peanut butter, bagels, and chicken nuggets led the price cuts as major grocers aggressively competed for family foot traffic. However, this late-summer dip i