The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Oct. 8, edition that global food prices reached their highest level in nearly four years last month, bad news for Canadians headed into holiday entertaining. The Globe's guest columnist Bianca Thompson writes that large gatherings such as Thanksgiving and Christmas can add another layer of pressure for households trying to keep grocery costs down. A study from Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab found that a Thanksgiving dinner for four will cost $35.72 this year, up 10 per cent from $32.48 in 2025. But that estimate included a seven-pound turkey and basic side dishes, only factoring in the cost of potatoes, carrots, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, dinner rolls and a pumpkin pie. The Globe set out to price a traditional, yet cost-conscious, dinner for six people at Loblaw, No Frills, Walmart and Real Canadian Superstore in midtown Toronto. After comparing all four stores, No Frills had the cheapest one-stop cart at $105.20 before tax. The same basket came to $124.15 at Loblaw, $131.09 at Walmart and $133.93 at Real Canadian Superstore, a difference of $28.73 between the cheapest and most expensive options.