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Thanksgiving Dinner Costs 10% More. So Why Is Grocery Inflation Only 2.8%?

  Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and if you're still planning the grocery run, the numbers are not in your favour. Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab prices a turkey dinner for four at $35.72 this year, up 10% from $32.48 in 2025. Here's the catch: Statistics Canada says grocery prices rose just 2.8% in August, and that was the first time in more than two years that food inflation came in below the overall rate (3.0%). So why does the holiday table feel so much pricier than the grocery aisle overall? The turkey is doing most of the damage Dalhousie's basket covers a 7-lb whole turkey plus potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing and gravy. Here's how the pieces moved: Item (dinner for four) 2025 2026 Change Turkey dinner, total $32.48 $35.72 +10.0% The turkey itself (7 lb) $10.43 $12.53 +20.1% Everything else (sides, pie) $22.05 $23.19 +5.2% Ham dinner, total $34.87 $36.37 +4.3% Source: Dalhousie Agri-Food Analytics Lab (totals, t...

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Healthy Meals: Restaurant-Style Beef and Broccoli

               beef, broccoli, green onions, and red peppers on plate with rice in the background

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup oyster sauce
  • ⅓ cup sherry
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ pound beef round steak, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed
  • 1 thin slice of fresh ginger root
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

Directions

  1. 1.  Whisk oyster sauce, sherry, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl; stir until sugar has dissolved.

  2. 2.  Place steak in a shallow bowl. Pour oyster sauce mixture over meat and stir to coat; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

  3. 3.  Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; let sizzle for about 1 minute to flavor oil, then remove and discard. Stir in broccoli. Toss and stir until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove broccoli from the wok and set aside.

  4. 4.  Add a little more oil to the wok, if needed, then add beef with marinade. Stir and toss until sauce thickens and turns shiny and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return broccoli to the wok; stir until heated through, about 3 minutes.

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