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MONTREAL — Canadians are eating out more and can expect to pay extra to do so in 2018, suggests a forward-looking report into food prices.

Food inflation overall is expected to rise between one and three per cent next year, says Canada’s Food Price Report, which was crafted jointly for the first time by researchers at Dalhousie University and the University of Guelph.

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For an average family of four, that represents an increase of $348 to about $11,948 for the year.

About 59 per cent of the expected hike — $208 — will come from consumers eating out and opting for prepared food.

“Most of (the increase) will come from food service which would make some consumers a bit vulnerable — particularly those who don’t cook or (who) eat out a lot,” lead researcher Sylvain Charlebois said in an interview from Halifax.

“But if you are cooking and you rely mainly on grocery stores to get your food, you should be in good shape for 2018.”