Groceries

We had heard from many sources that one of the only downfalls of island living is the cost of groceries. That kinda scared me a bit because our grocery bill is always high. I am celiac, which makes breads and pasta hard to find and 2 or 3 times more expensive than the wheat varieties. That added in with our desire to shop local and direct from suppliers pushed our Edmonton monthly groceries to about $500 (for the 2 of us...)
We made it through April in Victoria at $350, which includes staples for the pantry (condiments and spices) and about 90% locally sourced food.
I think that my penchant for shopping local is actually an advantage here- there are so many locals wanting to sell because they don't have to pay shipping! The growing season is also way longer so there is better access to fresh fruits and veggies (and better pricing because they aren't hard to find!) I am looking forward to a trip to the country with my cousin in June when the farmer's bring the crops to the end of their driveways and you walk from house to house to pick what you want!! Yum!