16°c Clear
28°c Isolated showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Eating lunch out three times a week could cost $2,000 a year
Most Canadians dine out at lunch at least once a week, a new survey suggests.
TORONTO -- A new survey suggests more than half of Canadians head to a restaurant for lunch at least once a week.
It's a habit that's costing many Canucks some serious dough.
The poll by Visa Canada suggests while eating out might be convenient, the price of that "gourmet" sandwich is not so appealing.
The survey suggests the majority of the 60 per cent of Canadians who eat out once a week spend between $7 and $13 on their meal.
It also suggests the average Canadian who opts to buy a lunch spends about $8.80 on the meal -- and Ontarians appear to eat out the most often, with 20 per cent hitting up restaurants three or more days per week.
Quebecers, on the other hand, seem to make a habit of packing their own lunches more than anyone else, with the survey suggesting half brown bag it every day.
Andrew Rice, a Toronto-based senior financial advisor with Stewart and Kett Financial Advisors Inc., says it's unreasonable to pledge never to eat out, but there are a few tricks to avoid doing so all the time.
His first tip is to add up the cost of eating out over a prolonged period of time.
After tax, eating out three times per week at $8.80 a pop could add up to about $20,000 after 10 years, he said.
"Is it really that much of an inconvenience (to pack lunch)?"
If that's not enough of an inspiration, he suggests bringing some fruit and a drink from home, and grabbing just a simple sandwich while you're at work.
"Some is better than none," he said.
Lazy lunching can be detrimental not only to Canadians' wallets, but also to their health, according to one nutrition expert.
Aviva Allen, a Toronto-based nutritionist, said it's best to pack lunches whenever possible.
She suggested fish or whole wheat pasta with a tomato-based sauce, veggies and protein as options for healthy and relatively painless-to-prepare lunches.
She also suggested doing some prep work, like washing and chopping, on the weekends, when there's more free time and less hunting for one's keys before making a mad dash out the door.
"Making things like soup or stew in larger batches that you can freeze or use for other meals during the week, that can also help," she said.
A stirfry is also a good option, she said, as long as it's light on soy sauce.
-- The Canadian Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 10, 2012 B5
More Business
- Back to Top
- Return to Business
More Business
(1 of 6 articles for today)
House to consider cuts to food stamps as part of massive farm bill
3:02 AM 0WASHINGTON - A wide-ranging farm bill the House is considering would cut food stamps by $2 billion a year and ...
Poll
Most Popular Business
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- Shark Club opens in citiplace
- Daycare-subsidy rules bad for business
- Magellan signs MOU to produce F-35 tails
- Carriers turned off by Canada's wireless law
- Local business incubator gets new name
- NY, Va. 7-Eleven stores raided as US accuses owners and managers of exploiting immigrants
- Mountain Equipment Co-op unveils new logo, name to appeal to urban customers
- U.S. hedge fund increases its ownership stake in Tim Hortons to 5.5%
- St. Vital Centre's energy savings help managers snag BOMA awards
- Sobeys expanding reach in Western Canada with Safeway acquisition
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- Shark Club opens in citiplace
- Aircraft maintenance engineer taking off
- Two CBC reporters freed after being detained in Turkey
- St. Vital Centre's energy savings help managers snag BOMA awards
- Toronto condo market poses economic risk to Canada
- Daycare-subsidy rules bad for business
- New owner for lumber stores
- Fund helps entrepreneurs fly
- New owner for lumber stores
- Earls Pembina says goodbye after 18 years
- Sobeys expanding reach in Western Canada with Safeway acquisition
- Grove Pub to take over former home of Papa George's
- New rules let customers cancel phone contracts without penalty after two years
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Where is easy street? Survey of city's richest routes may surprise
- Custom-made suits no longer just for the ultra-wealthy
- Eateries brace for Blue blitz
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- Daycare-subsidy rules bad for business
- Warren Buffett -- Winnipeg-style
- Knights riding in with cash to spend
- Transcona transformation
- Target exceeds sales goal at Canadian stores
- The $2-million question
- Accounting merger adds and subtracts
- Bombardier wins German locomotive rail order potentially worth US$2 billion
- Magellan signs MOU to produce F-35 tails
- Sobeys expanding reach in Western Canada with Safeway acquisition
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- Toronto condo market poses economic risk to Canada
- Cutting edge, made-in-Manitoba tech finds buyer -- in Manitoba
- Google unveils Internet beaming balloons launched into stratosphere
- Warren Buffett -- Winnipeg-style
- Fund helps entrepreneurs fly
- Accounting merger adds and subtracts
- St. Vital Centre's energy savings help managers snag BOMA awards
- Daycare-subsidy rules bad for business
- New owner for lumber stores
- Snowbirds: It's that time of year again
- Sobeys expanding reach in Western Canada with Safeway acquisition
- Custom-made suits no longer just for the ultra-wealthy
- New rules let customers cancel phone contracts without penalty after two years
- Where is easy street? Survey of city's richest routes may surprise
- Value Partners cracks $1-B mark in assets
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Manitoba Movers
- Grove Pub to take over former home of Papa George's
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.