Sometimes for Ontario and Quebec residents, it can feel like any discounts or savings you can possibly earn at the Metro grocery store are at the discretion of Metro Canada as a whole.
In some respects, that’s true, especially when your main method of savings is the weekly flyer and some coupons, which are set by the grocery chain itself. But, if you’re able to shop strategically – along with still taking advantage of those more customary offers that come directly from Metro – your weekly grocery shopping trips may open up to even more potentially secret savings.
Below, you’ll find 10 savings secrets (some encouraged by Metro Canada and others not) that will no doubt be a welcome salve against food prices that seem to climb higher and higher.
Editor’s Note: Prices in the following article were noted as of May 11, 2022 and are subject to change depending on the Metro store you’re visiting and the day you are visiting it.
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1. Buy bulk produce
You can buy potatoes for $2.49 per pound at Metro ($5.49 per kg) but buying single potatoes is for suckers when you can get a 4.5 kg bag for $5.99, which is a much better deal.
There may be some concern as far as not having enough to do with that many potatoes or the potatoes going bad before you can use them, but potatoes can keep for up to several months in a cool, dark pantry with lots of ventilation. Even at room temperature, they keep for 2 to 3 weeks.
Plus, if you look online, there are several listicles featuring tons of recipe ideas for potatoes. For example, here’s just 1 of the hundreds that exist called, “What To Do With 10 Pounds Of Potatoes” featuring 3 potato recipes for your family that freeze incredibly well.
Of course, potatoes aren’t the only produce items you can buy in bulk for a much cheaper price.
You can also get better deals on things like apples ($5.99 per bag, which is $0.53 per 100g vs. $1.04 each or $5.49 per kg), avocados ($6.99 per bag, which breaks down to a $1.17 per unit vs. $2.99 each), and onions ($3.99 or $0.29 per 100g vs. $1.98 each or $6.59 per kg.) if bought in bulk.
2. Forget the deli section
You can get a lot of imported, high-quality cheese from all over the world in the Metro deli section, such as the Applewood smoked cheese at $47.90 per kilo ($8.43 for the cheese block sold), but it isn’t worth it compared to the prices at the general cheese section where you can get 400 grams for $8.49. Plus, if it’s on sale, it can be bought even cheaper at $3.99 per 400g.
Deli meat is the same. It’s some of the most expensive cured meat in the store, especially when it’s pre-sliced and packaged. For example, as of the writing of this article, you can get Selection’s sliced black forest ham for $5.99 per package, which breaks down to $3.42 per 100g.
However, if you just buy a chub of ham and get the deli counter to slice it for you or slice it yourself using an old meat slicer you found at a garage sale, you’ll get more ham for less ($17.99 each, which is $2.57 per 100g on 700g of ham). You can then individually wrap and bag each piece in ziplocs and freeze it (with a paper towel to absorb moisture) and preserve it even longer.
3. Buy cheaper cuts of meat and tenderize them
Staying on meat for a second, this strategy is recommended by Metro itself.
The idea is to look for cheaper cuts of meat, such as the following:
- outside round,
- inside round,
- short-rib roasts,
- sirloin blade, and
- tip.
These cuts are cheaper because they are tougher, but the ingenuity and genius of you as a shopper and a cook comes when you’re able to tenderize these cuts through various methods of cooking that make them moist and succulent like:
- stewing,
- marinating,
- braising, or
- stir-frying strips of meat.
There is definitely something to buying cheaper cuts of meat and then tenderizing them yourself, as stewing beef is available for $11.51 for a 550 g pack at Metro Canada. This is in contrast to top sirloin steak for $30.89 each (two steaks per tray) at 1,087g which breaks down to $28.42 per kg or $12.89 per lb.
So if you have just a modicum of cooking acumen, you can save money on beef when you shop. Not only that, but the Metro grocery store wants you to, since it’s a strategy that the grocer itself promotes.
4. Buy meat and fish whole or go for the value pack
This is our last one on meat – we promise!
We just needed to say that if you’re okay with bones (they’re great for soup) you’ll get much more value out of your shopping trip at the Metro grocery store.
To put it another way, resist the temptation to buy boneless or pre-cut meats and instead buy your meat whole or bone-in and cut it yourself. Not only will you get more, but you’ll save more too.
Just look at the fact that a pork shoulder can be had for $22.27 when it’s available, as opposed to a boneless pork chop which comes two per tray and can be had for $19.82 per kg, which is $8.99 per lb and $7.14 for 360g at Metro.
If bones put you off and you absolutely believe it’s boneless or bust at your dinner table, then value packs can also save you money.
For example, 5 chicken breasts can be had for $13.21 per kg. or $5.99 /lb. in a value pack (classified by more meat in a single package and meant to be frozen for later use).
This is compared to a single boneless chicken breast for $15.41 per kg, $6.99 per lb. and $3.47 each. If you bought 5 of those, you’re looking at almost $17.35 for 5 single chicken breasts.
There’s one more secret to buying whole chicken at the grocery store and that is that the cooked rotisserie chickens are cheaper than the bone-in raw chickens you can buy.
An investigation by CBC Radio’s The Cost of Living found that cooked rotisserie chickens are between $8 and $12 at major grocery stores across the country, including Loblaws, Sobeys, Save-On-Foods, Costco, and of course, Metro. However, more than that, raw whole chickens are more expensive at the same store. For the record, at Metro specifically, raw whole chickens cost $13.53 each, weighing 1,500g at $9.02 per kg. and $4.09 per lb.
CBC’s research cites many reasons for the price discrepancy between cooked rotisserie chickens and raw whole chickens, including the fact that they serve as a loss-leader to get customers in the door, rotisserie chickens are actually smaller than their raw counterparts and less meat means a cheaper cost.
Finally, there’s the fact that rotisserie chickens are sold at such volume (Costco sold 106 million rotisserie chickens globally in 2021) that they can discount them and still make a lot of money.
Either way, if cooked rotisserie chickens are cheaper where you shop, buy those over whole raw chickens whenever you can. Plus, you save a bunch of time cooking!
5. Shop the Selection or Irresistibles store brand
There is actually something to shopping the store brands and saving money and it turns out, Metro is no different.
For example, bacon at Metro usually goes for between $5.99 and $6.99 per pack, but if you buy the selection brand bacon, you can get a pack for $4.49.
Brand name chocolate bars like Caramilk cost $3.69 each when not on sale and the Irresistibles chocolate bar with a brownie centre cost $2.59 each when not on sale.
Finally, going a little more obscure this time, basil from Irresistibles is $2.50 each, while regular basil is $3.99.
Yes, you can save at least a dollar per product simply by choosing Irresistibles or selection over the equivalent name brand products, and when you’re skimping and saving any way you can, a dollar here and there really goes a long way.
If you’re looking for even more grocery store savings secrets, check out this more general look at saving at the grocery store.
6. Collect Air Miles at Metro Grocery Store
Metro is an Air Miles partner, so even if you don’t get a straight ahead discount on food, you can take advantage of earning Air Miles points for travel, merchandise, statement credit, or gift cards using either Cash or Dream Miles (Cash for merchandise and gift cards or Dream for travel).
Plus when shopping at an Air Miles partner like Metro Canada with an Air Miles rewards credit card, you get rewarded twice: once from your Air Miles Card when you present it to scan at checkout and once when you pay with your credit card.
Below you’ll find some of the best options available in Canada for the best Air Miles credit cards. Have a look at their best attributes at a glance:
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Rewards | Annual Fee, Income Requirements | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMO Air Miles Mastercard |  $20 GeniusCash + Up to 1,200 2,500 bonus miles (terms) |
* 1 Mile per $25 spent on all purchases * 3x the Miles for every $25 at participating Air Miles partners * 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores |
* $0 * $15,000 personal |
Apply Now |
| BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard | $150 GeniusCash + Up to 9,000 bonus miles, first year free (terms) |
* 1 Mile for every $12 spent * 3x the Miles for every $12 at participating Air Miles partners * 2x the Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores |
* $120 * $80,000 personal/$150,000 household |
Apply Now |
| BMO Air Miles Mastercard For Students | Up to 800 bonus miles (terms) | * 1 Mile per $25 spent on all purchases * 3x the Miles for every $25 at participating Air Miles partners * 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery stores |
* $0 * None |
Apply Now |
Though we feel the credit cards above are the best in Canada offering Air Miles rewards, there are even more where that came from at our compare cards page that may better suit your specific needs.
For now though, let’s go into further detail regarding the credit cards in the above table.
Best balance transfer rate on an Air Miles credit card
While the welcome bonus with the
- 1 Mile per $25 spent on all purchases
- 3x the Miles for every $25 at participating Air Miles partners
- 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores
Particularly the Air Miles partners bit, given that Metro is one of them.
In addition, if you happen to already be carrying a balance, this card will give you 0.99% on interest in the first 9 months on balance transfers with only a 2% fee to go with it.
Once the promo period is over, the interest rate goes back to 23.99%, so take advantage of the promotional rate while you have it.
And did we mention the GeniusCash bonus? With this card, you can earn $20 in GeniusCash, on approval, which is a great start to any new credit card.
Best welcome bonus on an Air Miles credit card
×1 Award winner 
GC: $150
1x Award winner
The
While holding this card in your wallet you can earn Air Miles in the following ways:
- 1 Mile for every $12 spent
- 3x the Miles for every $12 at participating Air Miles partners
- 2x the Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores
For the $120 annual fee (waived in the first year), you get all the typical World Elite benefits you would come to expect from a Mastercard with that label, including a full slate of insurance options that feature all of the following:
BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®* Please review your insurance certificate for details, exclusions and limitations of your coverage.Extended Warranty 1 year Purchase Protection 90 days Travel Accident $500,000 Emergency Medical Term 15 days Trip Cancellation $1,500 Trip Interruption $2,000 Flight Delay $500 Baggage Delay $200 Lost or Stolen Baggage $750 Personal Effects $750 Hotel Burglary $500 Rental Car Theft & Damage Yes Rental Car Accident $200,000 Rental Car Personal Effects $1,000
In addition to this, you'll also earn $150 in GeniusCash, if you qualify. Once approved, you'll be on your way to enjoying your cash bonus.
Best student Air Miles credit card
The
It has the exact same Air Miles earning delineation as the regular
- 1 Mile per $25 spent on all purchases
- 3x the Miles for every $25 at participating Air Miles partners
- 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery stores
The welcome bonus is pretty small at 800 Air Miles points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, but it’s a good start if you’re a student who wants some Air Miles rewards from your starter credit card. The points can go towards $80 of purchases with Air Miles Cash, which is what you can use to buy merchandise and gift cards (anything other than travel).
Other than that, the other benefits that come with this card include purchase protection, discounts on car rentals, and for those new to credit cards, the opportunity to build and establish a credit history.
Comparing earn rates
With the details of all these Air Miles cards brought to bear, it’s time to compare the earn rates of each of these cards to determine the best among them.
Of the Air Miles cards available that could possibly be used at Metro grocery stores to earn points toward travel, merchandise, gift cards, and statement credits, the above comparison of earn rates shows that the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard is the clear winner at 1.78%.
Meanwhile, to no one’s surprise, the BMO AIR MILES Mastercard for students has the lowest earn rate of all the cards.
Honestly, it’s down to what your priorities are, but if you want to maximize what you can earn with Air Miles at Metro, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard is the one. Just remember the income requirements of $80,000 personal and $150,000 household, along with the $120 annual fee (waived in the first year).
7. Buy frozen produce instead of fresh
This “secret” is also recommended by Metro itself, and it’s basically the assertion that frozen is just as good as fresh when it comes to produce. Remember, you don’t have to use it by a certain date or fear that it will go bad.
You also don’t have to worry about the quality. It’s an outright myth that you lose anything from a nutrition perspective when it comes to frozen food over fresh. In fact, a 2017 study from The Journal of Food Composition and Analysis confirmed that to be the case.
And ultimately, frozen food (at least in Metro Canada) is cheaper. Fruit at Metro is $6.99 each or $1.17 per 100g for mixed berries. Buying that fresh (as part of a fruit salad) will cost $9.99 each or $1.41 per 100g.
These make for great smoothies, baked treats, pancakes, and ice cream, so you can gain some savings in addition to gaining weight (we’re kidding).
8. Take Advantage of the Metro Canada Flyer
Now we arrive at perhaps the most obvious way to get discounts and deals from the Metro grocery store. Not so much a secret, but this is the one thing the store puts out on front street every week.
Still, many of us throw out the flyers we get in the mail without looking twice, but if you actually stop and look, you’ll see big savings.
Some examples, fresh strawberries and asparagus for $2.99 per pack, Dempsters bread for 2 for $4 (or $2.49 per loaf) and imported blue cheese (normally $8.82 per pound for half price, so don’t just throw out the flyer immediately – try it, and see how much you can save).
9. Look for “Eat It Tonight” deals
This one comes directly from my wife who often stops in when she’s picking up groceries after an online order to see what’s available on the “Eat It Tonight,” deeply discounted display shelf.
If you’re not picky and need a quick option for dinner, you can grab some ready-made meals for as much as 50% off.
Make sure you actually do eat it tonight though, as it’s likely nearing its best before date. Luckily, you can freeze these the minute you get home though to extend their life a little bit longer.
10. Get a credit card that gives you rewards on groceries
Finally, a high leverage credit card can save you money at Metro Canada through the cash back and points you can earn on groceries. Here are the best available credit cards for earning rewards on grocery purchases.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Rewards | Annual Fee, Income Requirements | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt | Up to 15,000 bonus points (terms) | * 5 points per $1 spent on eligible groceries and restaurants * 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services * 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit, and ride share purchases * 1 point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
* $155.88 * None |
Apply Now |
| BMO Cash Back World Elite Mastercard | $150 GeniusCash + Up to $480 cash back in the first year, first year free (terms) |
* 5% cash back on groceries, up to $500 in monthly spend * 4% cash back on transit, up to $300 in monthly spend * 3% cash back on gas, up to $300 in monthly spend * 2% cash back on recurring bills, up to $500 in monthly spend * 1% cash back on all other purchases |
* $120 * $80,000 personal/household $150,000 |
Apply Now |
| Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite | $20 GeniusCash + 10% cash back for the first 3 months, first year free (terms) |
* 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bill payments * 2% cash back on gas and transit * 1% cash back on all other purchases |
* $120 * $60,000 personal/$100,000 household |
Apply Now |
| BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite | $150 GeniusCash + Up to 70,000 bonus points, first year free (terms) |
* 5 BMO Rewards points for every $1 spent on dining, groceries, gas, and transit * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
* $120 * $60,000 personal/$100,000 household |
Apply Now |
| Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard | $125 GeniusCash + 10% extra cash back for the first 2 months (terms) |
* 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories * 0.5% cash back on all other purchases |
* $0 * $12,000 personal |
Apply Now |
The best Metro grocery store credit card
Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* ×8 Award winner 
8x Award winner
The
Just look at what this card gives you in terms of rewards and you’ll already see that the points on groceries reign supreme:
- 5 points per $1 spent on eligible groceries and restaurants
- 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services
- 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit, and ride share purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
So what do these points actually get you? Like usual on credit cards, you can redeem them for things like travel (including flights and hotel stays), merchandise, gift cards, and statement credits, but this card really shows its value when you look at its potential when transferring points to other rewards programs.
For example, when you transfer your points to Aeroplan or British Airways, you get $1,080 in annual rewards value. Even when you factor in the $155.88 annual fee – doled out monthly as $12.99 (less than a Netflix subscription) – that’s still $924 in net annual rewards.
Best Metro Canada credit card for cash back
GC: $150
The
- 5% cash back on groceries, up to $500 in monthly spend
- 4% cash back on transit, up to $300 in monthly spend
- 3% cash back on gas, up to $300 in monthly spend
- 2% cash back on recurring bills, up to $500 in monthly spend
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
And, when you add that to this great welcome bonus $150 in GeniusCash, it makes the offer even more tempting.
All of that together, this card makes a very compelling case for inclusion in your wallet.
Best high spending cap on grocery cash back
GC: $20
The best thing about the
- 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bill payments
- 2% cash back on gas and transit
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
It also offers more than most when it comes to insurance, including 15 days emergency medical and trip interruption coverage. Here are all the insurance coverages that are available with this card.
Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card Please review your insurance certificate for details, exclusions and limitations of your coverage.Extended Warranty 1 year Purchase Protection 90 days Mobile Device $1,000 Travel Accident $500,000 Emergency Medical Term 15 days Trip Cancellation $1,500 Trip Interruption $2,000 Flight Delay $500 Baggage Delay $500 Lost or Stolen Baggage $500 Rental Car Theft & Damage Yes
We're not done yet, though! In addition to those bonuses, this card also qualifies for $20 in GeniusCash on approval, so if you hadn't decided yet, this may swing the card in your favour.
Best Metro grocery store card for lifestyle credit
GC: $150
With the
- 5 BMO Rewards points for every $1 spent on dining, groceries, gas, and transit
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
But the welcome bonus is also pretty high, especially when you include GeniusCash. You'll get $150 once you get approved for the card.
This is in addition to the 70,000 rewards points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months and $2,000 every month in the first year.
But a benefit that separates this card from the rest is a $50 annual lifestyle credit to spend on whatever you want every year.
That’s certainly a nice bonus that makes this card unique among the other credit cards we’re examining here. You’ll also get 10% more points if you add another authorized user to the card.
Best Metro grocery store card for flexibility
×1 Award winner GC: $125
1x Award winner
Finally, there’s the
- 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
Of course, one of these categories can be groceries along with many others that can be changed as your spending changes.
Earn an extra 10% cash back for the first 2 months, up to $1,000 spent
This card also really shines with the welcome bonus and the included GeniusCash offer of $125 on approval.
Plus, there is a balance transfer offer as well, which is 1.95% on balance transfers for 6 months and then 22.95% after that.
Comparing earn rates
As far as which credit card you can earn the most from out of the ones above, let’s take a look at the overall earn rate.
It should surprise no one that the
This is especially true given that the next highest earn rate comes from the
Though the other credit cards have comparatively smaller average earn rates, they still beat the other credit cards that didn’t even make the list and they have other qualities that we’ve already highlighted that make them a worthwhile asset above just their earn rate.
Bottom line, if you’re shopping at Metro, you would do well to earn some perks and rewards on your purchases, even if it’s only for statement credits or cash back on your bill.
Your turn
We know that some of these secrets aren’t actually secrets at all. In fact, some of them are rather obvious, but savings are savings, especially at Metro grocery stores. Besides, others of these tips are secrets – shared by strategic and smart shoppers over the years.
Do you do any of these? How has it worked out for you? Tell us in the comments below!
FAQ
What are the best ways to save money at Metro Canada?
Honestly, the best ways we could find are laid out in the above article, but some of our favourites among them include forgetting the deli section, buying fish and meat whole, and collecting Air Miles.
Are the flyer discounts offered by a Metro grocery store actually worth it?
Yes, they’re a great source of discount as long as you can take advantage of them in the week they are valid. Check out our section on flyers to see sample pricing.
Is Metro the biggest grocery store chain in Canada?
No, it’s actually the third largest grocery chain in Canada after Loblaws and Sobeys. It remains astounding that it’s still the third largest grocer, while serving only Ontario and Quebec.
What’s the best credit card for saving money on groceries at Metro in Canada?
The best credit card for groceries in Canada is The American Express Cobalt by a pretty wide margin with an earn rate of 4.50%. It also gives you 5 points per $1 on groceries.
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