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Go grocery shopping in 1926

Go virtual shopping in 1926, using John Davidson’s own grocery list for his third adventure to the Garibaldi Mountain area. (Yes, he planned ahead!) Find out how prices compare between then and now.



Go virtual shopping in 1926, using John Davidson’s own grocery list for his third adventure to the Mount Garibaldi area. (Yes, he planned ahead!) Find out how prices compare between then and now.

This interactive activity takes students to a 1926 grocery store. Students shop by clicking on an item and dragging it into a bin. When they run the computer mouse over an item, both its 1926 price and its 2008 price appear. When they drag the item into the bin, the virtual grocer rings it into the cash register. A price list details the items that John Davidson purchased, such as 5 pounds (2.27 kilograms) of bacon for $2.45 and a package of cornstarch for 11 cents.

Grocery Item Quantity 1926 Price per Unit 2008 Price per Unit 1926 Total per Item 2008 Total per Item
Biscuit Mix 5 lbs $0.37 $2.00 $1.85 $10.00
Butter 20 lbs $0.44 $3.69 $8.80 $73.80
Milk 2 doz. tins $1.40 $24.00 $2.80 $48.00
Coffee 6 lbs $0.66 $4.54 $3.96 $27.24
Tea 3 lbs $0.64 $3.79 $1.92 $11.37
Oats 15 lbs $0.06 $2.27 $0.90 $34.05
Sugar 7 pkg. $0.33 $3.00 $2.31 $21.00
Ham 25 lbs $0.50 $4.50 $12.50 $112.50
Bacon 5 lbs $0.49 $4.50 $2.45 $22.50
Eggs 15 doz. $0.36 $2.99 $5.40 $44.85
Cocoa 1 tin $0.32 $9.00 $0.32 $9.00
Wax Paper 1 roll $0.40 $3.29 $0.40 $3.29
Orange Marmalade 2 tins $0.67 $5.00 $1.34 $10.00
Strawberry Jam 2 jars $0.77 $5.00 $1.54 $10.00
Black Currant Jam 2 jars $0.82 $5.00 $1.64 $10.00
Lemons 3 doz. $0.28 $9.48 $0.84 $28.
Oranges 1/2 case $6.50 $20.00 $3.25 $10.00
Dates 10 lbs $0.09 $3.49 $0.85 $34.90
Raisins 5 pkg. $0.17 $4.99 $0.83 $24.95
Cheese 10 lbs $0.32 $5.53 $3.15 $55.30
Ginger Snaps 5 lbs $0.38 $5.00 $1.90 $25.00
Cheesecloth 20 yards $0.09 $1.00 $1.80 $20.00
Almonds 2 lbs $0.65 $12.42 $1.30 $24.83
Lemonade 6 tins $0.23 $5.30 $1.35 $31.80
Chocolate 12 doz. $0.50 $10.00 $6.00 $120.00
Potatoes 1 sack $2.60 $25.00 $2.60 $25.00
Olives 1 bottle $1.00 $2.50 $1.00 $2.50
Pickles 1 gal $1.95 $15.14 $1.95 $15.14
Corned Beef 2 tins $1.50 $4.52 $3.00 $9.04
Carrots 20 lbs $0.05 $0.99 $1.00 $19.80
Peas 1 doz. pkg. $0.18 $4.99 $2.16 $59.88
Corn 1/2 doz. tins $2.15 $18.00 $1.08 $9.00
Tomatoes 6 tins $0.17 $2.39 $1.02 $14.34
Pork and Beans 9 tins $0.13 $1.75 $1.17 $15.75
Crisco 4 lbs $0.29 $2.61 $1.16 $10.44
Beef Steak and Onions 1.5 doz. tins $5.75 $30.00 $8.62 $45.00
Creamettes Pasta 6 pkg. $0.09 $3.00 $0.55 $18.00
Onions 10 lbs $0.06 $1.99 $0.60 $19.90
Cabbage 15 lbs $0.03 $0.79 $0.45 $11.85
Rice 1.5 lbs $0.09 $1.54 $0.13 $2.31
Cornstarch 1 pkg. $0.11 $5.50 $0.11 $5.50
Prunes 10 lbs $0.16 $6.00 $1.60 $60.00
Pears 1 doz. tins $4.10 $24.00 $4.10 $24.00
Salt 1 sack $0.13 $1.49 $0.13 $1.49
Baking Powder 1 tin $0.30 $5.83 $0.30 $5.83
Baking Soda 1 pkg. $0.12 $1.56 $0.12 $1.56
Pepper 2 tins $0.09 $4.00 $0.18 $8.00
Mustard 1 tin $0.23 $5.50 $0.23 $5.50
Rope 300 ft $0.02 $0.67 $4.50 $200.00
Toilet Paper 1 doz. rolls $0.48 $8.00 $0.48 $8.00
Soap 8 bars $0.07 $0.83 $0.56 $6.64
Cleanser 3 tins $0.11 $1.27 $0.34 $3.81
Candles 2 doz. $0.37 $12.00 $0.74 $24.00
Matches 2 doz. pkg. $0.22 $12.00 $0.44 $24.00
Empty Lard Pails 2 $0.75 $5.00 $1.50 $10.00
Total $111.22 $1,489.10

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