Chef's incredible 6-1 method saves you big money on groceries and makes shopping a lot easier

Several consumers tend to overspend while shopping for groceries and end up feeling guilty about it later. This is why trips to the grocery store should be all about making healthy food choices and avoiding unnecessary items. Yet, people often repeat the same mistakes when it comes to grocery shopping, and some enter the store without a grocery list which makes them overshoot their monthly budget. The attractive products on display and the challenge of figuring out what to eat tempt us to buy much more than we need and when we go for billing, we feel that we have spent over the limit. This is where a shopping method designed to prevent overspending on groceries comes into play.

Shoppers who are in a toxic relationship with their grocery shopping often get stuck in the cycle of dreaming about gourmet meals and then regretting it when products go bad. The 6-to-1 grocery shopping method is becoming viral on TikTok and it can save a lot of time, effort, and money. The method is pretty straightforward as it suggests buying six veggies, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one treat for yourself. Chef Will Coleman introduced this method to eliminate random buying, and so that you stick to the weekly recipe list to buy only what you need. The 6-to-1 method is aimed at not just saving you pennies but also at making your trip to the grocery store short and effective.

The fun element of the 6-1 method is that while budgeting your grocery shopping, you are not signing up for boring meals. After you have set up a basic meal list, you can play with the ingredients and craft your meals per your taste and preferences.

Vegetables: Cilantro, mushrooms, chickpeas, frozen veggies, premade salad kits, spinach and bell peppers

Fruits: Strawberries, bananas, lemons, blueberries, cucumbers, cherries, and apples

Proteins: Milk, cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt, salmon, tofu and a variety of nuts and seeds

Starches: Pasta, rice, tortillas and cereals

Sauces: Premade pasta sauce, salsa, soy sauce, teriyaki and meat-based sauces

One fun treat: A bottle of wine

If you are a pasta person, then these ingredients are curated for you though it is important to note that this list is not fit for everyone. You can definitely make some changes based on your preferences but keep the categories intact in order to follow the 6-to-1 method. With these mouth-watering ingredients, you can have tacos, scrambled eggs, smoothies, or a fresh cereal yogurt bowl for breakfast. During lunch, you can try making some creative rice bowls, wraps, or just have some grilled vegetables sprinkled with lemon and asparagus. For dinner, pasta, or fried rice with a glass of wine could be the best option to satisfy your cravings. Mixing and matching the ingredients in different categories creatively will ensure you have interesting and wholesome meals throughout the week.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 10, 2024. It has since been updated.