The 6-To-1 Grocery Purchasing Methodology That’ll Save You Time and Cash

Once you’re a busy father or mother attempting to feed a household with completely different tastes, grocery procuring can shortly flip right into a chaotic—and costly—chore. Between inflation, meals waste, and the limitless “What’s for dinner?” dilemma, many people are hungry for options that assist us do extra with much less. Enter Chef Will Coleman’s 6-to-1 Grocery Purchasing Methodology: a wise, versatile technique that makes planning, procuring, and cooking less complicated and extra sustainable.

What’s the 6-to-1 Grocery Purchasing Methodology?

Designed to assist buyers concentrate on elements that can be utilized throughout a number of meals, Coleman’s methodology is simple: store for six greens, 5 fruits, 4 proteins, three starches, two sauces, and one enjoyable merchandise. The consequence? A cart stuffed with cost-effective, versatile elements that may stretch into per week’s price of meals with out waste or overwhelm.

Earlier than coming throughout the 6-to-1 Methodology on social media, I believed I had a good grocery procuring technique. I’ve at all times been acutely aware about meals waste, so every week, I might plan meals round elements I already had and solely store for what I used to be lacking. Appears easy and environment friendly sufficient proper? Whereas that technique does work, I discovered myself in a relentless loop of attempting to not waste leftover groceries from the earlier week, and I wasn’t at all times prioritizing produce and more healthy entire meals. Plus, procuring that method simply wasn’t thrilling.

“I created the 6-to-1 Methodology out of a necessity for extra intentional grocery procuring,” Coleman instructed me. “I wished a system that made it simpler to plan balanced meals, scale back my reliance on processed meals, and reduce down each time and spending on the retailer.”

I lately put Coleman’s methodology to the check, and the outcomes have been spectacular. I loved the power to be inventive and plan how I might use contemporary elements in varied methods for a number of meals inside the similar week in order that I might begin contemporary the following. I shopped with intention, stayed beneath finances, and had what I wanted to make 9 full meals (three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) for my household of 4.

what I purchased:

Greens: Butter lettuce, celery, Caesar salad combine, onions, contemporary herbs, cucumbers*

Fruits: Apples, citrus fruits (orange, lemon, lime), strawberries, grapes, tomatoes

Proteins: Floor beef, salmon, rooster, eggs

Starches: Spaghetti, brioche buns, flour tortillas

Sauces: Mayonnaise, avocado cilantro sauce

Enjoyable merchandise: Chocolate chip cookies

*Though cucumbers are technically a fruit, I categorized them as a vegetable right here since I solely used them in salads and inexperienced juice. Once more, one of many nice issues in regards to the 6-to-1 Methodology is it’s customizable!

what I made:

Breakfasts: Breakfast burritos, inexperienced juice, fruit salad

Lunches: Salmon Caesar salad, floor beef burritos (with pantry rice and beans), jerk salmon burgers with lemon-garlic-herb aioli

Dinners: Curry rooster (with pantry rice), spaghetti and meatballs (with store-bought sauce), candy and bitter rooster with selfmade fried rice

Snacks: Fruit, chocolate chip cookies

Value Breakdown for the week

Whole spent: $117.90

Meals made: 9 (with 4 servings every)

Value per serving: $3.28

Why this methodology works

As a working mother, I can’t at all times put together three meals a day, each day. However even with my hectic schedule, this methodology helped us eat most of our meals at residence somewhat than resorting to quick meals, takeout, or spending a whole bunch on a single dinner out. Past the associated fee financial savings, I additionally appreciated the way it inspired us to eat more healthy—with contemporary elements and balanced meals I felt good about serving.

“Prioritizing entire elements not solely helps higher consuming habits, but it surely additionally helps to keep away from overspending on pointless or overly processed meals objects,” Coleman defined.

Along with value financial savings and more healthy meals decisions, the great thing about the 6-to-1 Methodology is in its customizability. It really works whether or not you’re looking for choosy eaters, attempting to scrub out your pantry, or simply eager to keep away from the temptation of impulse buys. Plus, you don’t have to be knowledgeable chef to make it work—only a residence cook dinner trying to simplify the weekly meals routine.

And when you’re excited about studying extra, Coleman lately expanded on this idea in his debut cookbook, From Cart to Kitchen, which dropped on June ninth. The guide options 60 recipes and ten grocery lists that comply with the 6-to-1 Methodology, making it simple for anybody to begin procuring smarter and cook dinner with confidence. It’s obtainable for pre-order now, and after attempting the strategy myself, I can confidently say it’s price each penny.