Last Updated: September 6, 2026
Shopping for food is a task for every newcomer to Canada.
To learn how to shop for food in Canada, visit ESLFromCanada.com. That’s where you will learn simple English for the supermarket. I teach food vocabulary, and I also have lots of lessons that teach grammar and sentence structure.
Grocery shopping means buying food at a store. Just like in your country, you will see food in aisles, shelves, coolers, and freezers. Customers put everything in a cart, and then pay at the checkout. Most stores accept cash, debit cards, or credit cards.
Here are ten phrases for your next trip to the store. You can practice them at home first.
But always try to say, “Excuse me” first. That’s the polite way to start a question.
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"Where is the produce section?" The word produce means fruits and vegetables. Usually, this is the first part of the grocery store when you walk in. In Canada, we get fresh produce from all over the world, even in the middle of winter. That’s because we have local food, and also food that is shipped from faraway places like Mexico, California, Florida, and Peru.
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"Excuse me, can you help me?" Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most people who work there are happy to help. It also makes their day more interesting!
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"Do you have more of this in the back?" This is a good phrase to remember. Sometimes, it looks like the shelf is empty, but there is more in the back of the store. Also, if the produce looks old…there may be better fruits and vegetables if you just ask for them.
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"How much does this cost?" In Canada, we pay in dollars and cents. So the store worker may say: “That’s one dollar and ninety-nine cents a kilogram.” But in English, we often use shortcuts. So the worker will probably say: “That’s a dollar ninety-nine a kilogram.” Don’t be surprised if the answer is in pounds (lbs.) instead of kilograms (kg). The word “pounds” is an old word for weighing things. One kilogram is 2.2 pounds. One pound is 454 grams.
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"Is this on sale?" If something is on sale, that means it’s cheaper. If it’s for sale, it’s the regular price.
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"I would like to pay by debit card." This is a good way to pay, because it’s your money. If you pay by credit card, you are borrowing from the bank. If you borrow money from the bank, and you don’t pay it back right away, you will have to pay interest as well. That’s a bad habit!
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"Can I get a bag, please?" Most stores will give you a bag, but you will have to pay for it! The best thing is to bring your own bags. Just remember not to put anything into your bags until the very end. Always use the store’s shopping cart to pick your food.
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"Could I have a receipt, please?" This is very important. If something is wrong and you need to bring the food back, the store will want to see your receipt. Always keep a receipt to prove you bought something.
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"Where can I find the dairy aisle?" The dairy aisle is where you will find milk, yogurt, butter, and some cheese. But you will also find other things there: like eggs, juice, and different kinds of cream.
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"I am just looking, thank you." This is what you say if the store worker asks “Can I help you find something?” If you don’t need any help, this is a polite way to say “no, thanks”.
Seven Other Things to Know!
1) In Canada, a lime and a lemon almost look the same. Except a lime is green, and a lemon is yellow. An orange is orange, and agrapefruit looks pink or yellow. All of these fruits are called citrus fruits.
2) In Canada, we say tomato with a long “a” (like in the word “bake”). But in England, they say tomato with a short “a” (like in the word “apple”). Either way is OK.
3) Sausages, hot dogs, and bacon are all made from pork. Be sure you know what is in your meat!
4) There are different kinds of milk, depending on how much fat is in it. Homo milk has 3.25% fat; 2% milk has 2% fat, 1% milk has 1% fat, and skim milk has 0% fat.
5) There are also different kinds of cream. Whipping cream, for example, has 35% fat. Coffee cream has 10% fat.
6) Butter is made from milk. But margarine, which some people use instead of butter, is made from plant oils.
7) Donuts look like bagels. But donuts have sugar, and bagels do not.
How Do I Learn the Names of Food?
For only $19 a month, you can try many lessons about food and shopping. To start, go to ESLFromCanada.com and try the free lessons. See if they are right for you!