Want a new grocery shopping strategy? This popular TikTok hack may help you save time and money, with the added bonus of making healthier and more eco-conscious deductions at the store.
Grocery prices are at an all-time high, with the shopping cart contents of a $100 shopping list from 2019 reportedly costing $137 as of April 2024. That’s a 37% increase and far heftier than average wage increases and inflation rates in that five-year period. Shopping more strategically may help Americans stay within budget at the supermarket, and this brilliant trick doesn’t feel frugal — just efficient, smart, and celebratory of the best thing in life: Food.
Here’s how to try the 6-to-1 grocery shopping method, wherever and whenever you shop,
The Origins of the 6-to-1 Grocery Shopping Method
The 6-to-1 Grocery Method came from, where else, TikTok. In early 2024, Chef Will Coleman shared a now-viral video explaining his signature shopping method, designed to make visiting the supermarket cheaper and easier. The fun part about his easily applicable method is that the efficiency method works anywhere, from Erewhon to Trader Joe’s to Wegmans, and every grocery store in between.
The Basic Idea Behind the 6-to-1 Grocery Shopping Method
The 6-to-1 Grocery Method is a basic calculation (we’re talking elementary-level math, basically counting), to plan your weekly grocery shop. Here’s the system: Fill your grocery cart with six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one "fun" item for yourself. It’s a countdown of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, prioritizing nutritious ingredients without depriving yourself of a little treat. The method is also super flexible, so you can switch up what you buy each supermarket visit without overthinking the contents of your cart, thanks to the method.
President Biden Is Calling Out Snack Companies for 'Shrinkflation'
Of course, portion size can also vary for the 6-to-1 method, regardless of whether you’re shopping for yourself or a larger family. The method is also adaptable to several diets, including veganism.
How to Use the 6-to1 Grocery Shopping Method in Real Life
There are various ways to implement the 6-to-1 method practically. You can start by making a shopping list of the six veggies and proteins you need to buy, thinking of what works together and what can function best for meal prep or recipes in your rotation. Or, you can wing it at the supermarket, picking what looks freshest in the produce aisle, the catch of the day at the seafood counter, and so on.
Here’s What’s Really Going on With Skyrocketing Food Prices
For example, if green leaf lettuce looks great this week, add radishes and carrots to your cart to make a nice salad. The radishes and carrots could also work with a roast protein, like chicken. Green beans, asparagus, and kale could also work nicely as a side dish with the chicken, or in a stir fry with tofu or shrimp. Eggs with kale make a nice breakfast, perhaps with an English muffin or rice, which could pair with the stir fry. A box of pasta can be your third starch, a versatile base for any of the veggies or proteins, and you can add pasta sauce to the mix or go for hummus to dip your veggies in. The special item is totally up to you!
Of course, the 6-to-1 method leaves plenty of room for interpretation. If you’re planning on making a curry that requires both curry paste and a can of coconut milk, count that as one sauce. The strategy is also flexible with budget. If canned lentils are the best protein for you this week, go for it. If frozen veggies are easier on the wallet, stock up on six.
Chocolate Prices Are Skyrocketing — and it Has Very Little to do With Inflation
The method also doesn’t account for fresh herbs, essentials such as cooking oil and spices, or beverages (coffee!). Adapting the method to your weekly shop will provide the best use for your specific lifestyle.
Planners can also build off a basic template for the 6-to-1 method, and print it out and write it on their smartphones each week.
Benefits of Using the 6-to-1 Grocery Shopping Method
The biggest benefit of using the 6-to-1 method is that it can help save money and simplify the shopping process. By streamlining what goes in your cart, you’ll hopefully have less spoiled food at the end of the week, fewer cartons and boxes stacking up in your pantry until they expire, and more cash in your pocket from not buying on impulse.
Walmart May Owe You Money Thanks to a $45 Million Class Action Lawsuit
The method also leaves little room for highly processed food and junk food, so you’ll have to think carefully about which little treat will offer the most joy this week. This is definitely a method for an ingredients household.
FAQs
The 6-to-1 grocery method entails buying six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads and one treat. Continue to shop carefully while at the store to get the best deals. Flexibility with your purchases will be a key to making this method a success.
What is the 6-to-1 method of grocery shopping? ›
The 6-to-1 Grocery Method is a basic calculation (we're talking elementary-level math, basically counting), to plan your weekly grocery shop. Here's the system: Fill your grocery cart with six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one "fun" item for yourself.
What is the 6-to-1 grocery shopping rule? ›
The 6-to-1 grocery method is an approach to cooking that involves picking six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one fun item. The purpose is to streamline your shopping experience, promote variety, eliminate food waste, and keep grocery costs lower.
What is the 6-to-1 diet plan? ›
In my 6/1 Plan, I tell you exactly what to eat for the first 6 days and then allow you a “diet break” on the 7th day. All you have to do is choose the correct weight category. Eat the meals laid out in the prescriptive programme, stick to the right amounts, and you will drop body fat.
What is the 3 in 1 grocery method? ›
We set up a “3 in 1” shopping schedule, consisting of three separate grocery runs on average each week — one larger shop, where my husband or I (or both!) pick up groceries for the first half of the week, and one or two small- to medium-sized shops to fill in what we need for the remainder of our meals.
What is the average grocery bill for a family of 6? ›
For reference, a family of six typically spends anywhere from $1126 to $1546 per month on food and approximately $1,200 per month on other necessities, such as cleaning supplies.
What is a good strategy to spend less on groceries? ›
Buy items in bulk and freeze the extras
Some foods are significantly cheaper when purchased in bulk. So when it makes sense, buy in large quantities and freeze what you don't need right now. This can apply to bread, meat, cheese and more. This practice can be especially useful during certain sales.
How much money do you save buying groceries vs eating out? ›
Facts & Findings. Americans save around $12 by opting to cook and eat at home, with the average home meal costing $4.23 versus over $16 per meal at an inexpensive restaurant. Annually, it costs over $13,000 more to eat out than it costs to prepare the same amount of food at home.
What is the average household grocery bill for 1? ›
The average household in California spends approximately $297 a week on grocery shopping, according to the data released in November. That is almost $30 more than the reported national average. Here's how much California spends based on household size: One person - $176.81.
What is the 3 2 1 food rule? ›
The 3-2-1 meal plan is a simple approach to healthy eating that involves dividing your plate into three sections: one section for fruits and vegetables, one section for lean protein, and one section for whole grains or starchy vegetables.
6:1 fasting: This pattern is similar to the 5:2, but there's only 1 day of reduced calorie intake instead of 2 days. “Eat Stop Eat”: A 24-hour complete fast one to two times per week. 16:8 fasting: This pattern involves only consuming food in an 8-hour window and fasting for 16 hours a day, every day of the week.
Is a 6'1 diet effective? ›
Studies suggest that intermittent fasting is equally as effective at promoting weight loss as a calorie-counted diet for those who are overweight and obese. Results vary, however, dependent on your individual circ*mstances and the amount of weight you have to lose.
How many times should I eat a day to lose belly fat? ›
Authors Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, claim that in 32 days, you can lose up to 15 pounds and drop belly fat by following their plan: Eat 400 calories per meal, four times per day (daily total: 1,600). Don't go longer than 4 hours without eating.
What is the 6-to-1 grocery hack? ›
In a TikTok video that has received nearly 1 million views, Chef Coleman broke down how exactly the 6-to-1 grocery method works. You buy six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one "fun" item for yourself.
What is the 6'1 grocery method? ›
The 6-to-1 grocery method entails buying six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads and one treat. Continue to shop carefully while at the store to get the best deals. Flexibility with your purchases will be a key to making this method a success.
What is the 6-to-1 food method? ›
The 6-to-1 grocery method instructs shoppers to buy six veggies, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces and one fun item.
What is the supermarket lean method? ›
To manage these interruptions, lean organizations often rely on the so-call "supermarket". As a way to manage this problematic material flow, a supermarket carries extra items in a quantity that ranges between a minimum and a maximum that are determined by the size of the interruption it is meant to tackle.
What is the inventory method for grocery stores? ›
Grocery stores use the first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory method, which entails stocking older foods and other items for sale toward the front of shelves to sell them first.
What is one strategy that supermarkets use to sell more groceries? ›
Use email marketing
Grocery stores benefit from repeat business. Those paper towels a customer bought yesterday will run out, and they'll need to get more somewhere. Sending emails to your customers is a great way to stay top of mind so they think of you first when they need to restock their shelves at home.
What is grocery scale? ›
Grocery scale scanners are devices used in retail environments to weigh and scan items, typically fruits, vegetables, and other loose or bulk items.
