A Dietitian’s Thoughts on the Viral ‘6-to-1’ Grocery Shopping Method

With the climb of food costs and the lack of time we all have to get our grocery shopping done, Will Coleman, a Brooklyn based food content creator and recipe developer, created the TikTok and Instagram famous 6-to-1 grocery shopping method.

What is the ‘6-to-1’ grocery shopping method?

So let’s first break down this idea. This method is to provide some framework for food shopping once a week. The goal is to first avoid hopping in and out of the grocery store every day or every few days.

The next goal is to focus on certain foods. So to go along with the count down, we are looking at:

6 vegetables

Think of fresh items like lettuce, broccoli, peppers, garlic, onions… well you got the idea! This can also include canned or frozen vegetables too.

5 fruits

Think of fresh fruits like apples, pears, peaches, bananas, but also can include canned pineapple chunks or mixed fruit packets from the freezer section.

4 protein sources

Here we are talking about poultry, meats and fish, but also includes plant based protein sources like beans, tofu or nuts/nut butters.

3 starches

Here we think of bread, pasta, rice, cereal.

2 spreads or sauces

Think of items like tomato sauce, salad dressing and barbeque sauce. Pretty much anything you add to your food groups noted above

1 “fun thing for yourself”

What are you feeling like this week? Muffins from the bakery department? A special type of coffee? Doritos? Do you get the idea here?

Lastly, we are trying to focus on reducing the cost of food. By using this method there is hope we have a plan for the week, which will result in reducing random items being bought at the store and less take-out resulting in less money being spent.

Now, although the numbers seem to be set in stone, Coleman does note that adjustments may need to be made based on family size as well. I feel like this is very important to take note of! What a couple eats vs. what a family of four or six people eats is very different. Even ages of individuals might cause a variety.

My view of the 6-to-1 grocery shopping method

I think overall the takeaway from this method is to:

Step 1: Plan out what you are eating for the week based on you/your family’s schedule. This is your perfect opportunity to use My Plate as a guide to help you hit your food groups. Did you includes fruits, vegetables, starches, protein sources? Let’s add dairy into the mix here too!

Over the past few years, we have written a few other blogs to help you with this, so go check them out!

Step 2: Create a list of what you need based on your meal plan. You should be noting a trend with what you are jotting down.

Step 3: Hit the grocery store with your list and stick to it! Remember it can include a “fun item” or even items (more than one!) if you’d like! By doing so, this should help you keep the cost of your food bill in check. Check out another one of our blogs here to help you out – How to Combat Rising Food Costs Before, During, and After the Grocery Store

So overall, I don’t think you need to stick to a certain number of each item to reduce time and food cost, but rather think of you and your family’s needs for the week, what food can make meals happen and write a list and stick with it!

If you feel like you need more help with making this all happen, we are here to help. Just reach out!

Cheers to well balanced meals while reducing time and money,

References:

https://www.tiktok.com/@chefwillco/video/7319664712189234474?lang=en

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/food/story/viral-6-1-grocery-shopping-method-food-creator-106486319