Shepherd's pie, meat pie, meatball stew, split pea soup: these are the meals that span generations in Quebec. But who still remembers what they actually cost to make?
That's the question we asked ourselves — and now we answer it every week, with the real prices from the flyers.
The classic that costs more than it used to
Shepherd's pie is three basic ingredients: ground beef, creamed corn, potatoes. Nothing exotic. Yet its price changes week to week depending on the deals.
This week (W34), our calculation gives $2.10 per serving for a 6-serving shepherd's pie at Metro — ground beef, creamed corn, potatoes and butter, priced against this week's actual flyers. Not a "theoretical" price: the prices you see in the flyers, this week, at that store.
What we actually do
We built a Quebec classics calculator that, every week:
- Takes the real flyers of the week (Metro, IGA, Maxi, Super C, Provigo, etc.);
- Looks for each classic's ingredients in the available deals;
- Computes the cost per serving at the store where each recipe is cheapest;
- Shows the savings versus regular prices.
Result: 20 great classics, priced every week, with the real grocery list.
This week, here's what it looks like
| Classic | Price per serving | Servings | Store | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd's pie (pâté chinois) | $2.10 | 6 | Metro | $3.00 |
| Spaghetti with meat sauce | $2.74 (-53%) | 6 | Metro | $8.84 |
| Chicken pie | $0.66 (-57%) | 6 | Super C | $6.08 |
| Meatball stew (ragoût de boulettes) | $2.26 | 6 | Metro | $4.00 |
| Fricassée | $2.26 | 6 | Metro | $3.00 |
| Meatloaf | $4.91 (-12%) | 6 | IGA | $3.00 |
| Pork roast | $1.10 (-19%) | 6 | Metro | $0.96 |
| Cabbage soup | $1.68 | 8 | Metro | — |
| Split pea soup | $1.75 (-27%) | 8 | Super C | — |
| Meat pie, baked beans, cretons, pouding chômeur… | calculated weekly | — | — | — |
(The percentage = average discount on the ingredients on sale that week. Some classics like meat pie and cretons are calculated every week — this week their ingredients weren't discounted enough to show a reliable price, and we'd rather not invent one.)
Why price per serving is the only number that matters
A full shepherd's pie sounds "cheap" — but it feeds 6 people. The number that matters is the cost per serving: $2.10 for a homemade shepherd's pie is cheaper than any frozen dinner, and it's priced with real meat, real potatoes and real butter.
The same logic applies to every classic: split pea soup at $1.75 per serving (8 servings!) is the ultimate budget meal. Meatloaf at $4.91 per serving is the priciest on the list — but it's also the one that compares to a restaurant meal.
How to use the classics this week
- Open the classics page: repas/classiques — all 20 dishes, priced per serving.
- Pick your classic based on what's on sale this week. If ground beef is discounted, it's shepherd's pie week.
- Click a recipe to see the grocery list with real prices, adjustable servings and exact quantities.
- Shop at the right store: each recipe is priced at ITS store — no need to run to three places.
👉 See this week's Quebec classics, priced on the real flyers
Methodology: every week, the classic recipes are calculated from the current flyer prices (W34: August 20-26, 2026). Ingredients are matched by name against the week's deals; the cost per serving is the sum of real prices divided by the number of servings. Basic ingredients (salt, pepper, oil) are treated as "already at home". A classic without a price shown that week means its ingredients weren't discounted enough for a reliable calculation — we prefer honesty to an invented number.