I utilize the "6 to 1" approach for purchasing groceries, affording both time and financial savings.
Let's Freakin' Save Some $$$ with the "6-to-1" Shopping Method!
Tired of breaking the bank and wasting food at the grocery store? Chef Will Coleman's "6-to-1" shopping method just might be the game-changer you've been waiting for! This badass method simplifies your shopping spree and wallet in one fell swoop. So buckle up, folks, it's time to dive into this cash-saving, waste-minimizing odyssey.
Grocery shopping can be a nightmare. Expensive as hell and more time-consuming than catching a catfish with bare hands (not that we've tried that). But for those like our homeboy Will Coleman, the "6-to-1" shopping method is the→ fastest D sequences from A to B.
In a captivating TikTok post, the culinary maverick lays out their simple plan: 6 veggies, 5 fruits, 4 proteins, 3 staples, 2 sauces or spreads, and a wild card "fun item" to satisfy your cravings. Yes, you read that right, just 6-to-1 baby!
But can this glow-up my grocery game? As a solo shopper and partner team, we were eager to find out. So, we jumped on board and attempted this revolutionary shopping method.
What's a minute of adjustment between friends?
Confession time: our shopping habits are as organized as a drunken frat party. We meticulously plan meals, check inventory, collect coupons, and create a shopping list like a boss. But Coleman's method seemed flexible enough for our wild hearts to handle. No need for a regimented shopping list; you can just go to the store, pick what you fancy, and plan your meals based on your purchases.
At first glance, six types of veggies and five types of fruits looked like a shitload of produce for one shopping session. Even though we were veggie-lovers, it still seemed like a veggie overload for one trip.
But guess what? After a quick run to the store, we found ourselves wondering if we should have bought more produce. Our fridge was bursting before we even whipped up our first meal!
Having a hard time selecting our staple items? We got crafty and bought Greek yogurt, which is packed with protein and can be transformed into a sauce for one hell of a versatile meal.
Here's what landed in our cart:
- Veggies: Carrots, spinach, mixed salad greens, bell peppers, jalapeños, and mushrooms
- Fruits: Apples, cherry tomatoes, bananas, blueberries, and frozen raspberries
- Proteins: Nordic beans, chickpeas, eggs, and tofu
- Staples: Spinach and ricotta ravioli, small potatoes, and whole grain English muffins
- Sauces or spreads: Greek yogurt and Hershey's chocolate topping
- "Fun" item: Pistachio ice cream
By sticking to what we needed for our meals and leaving the rest on the shelves, we were able to significantly cut our grocery expenses.
Our bill came out to around $60 (about €52). We typically drop between $70 to $85 (about €61 to €75) each week on groceries. WINNING!
I repeat breakfast and lunch like a broken record (in a good way)
In our regular grocery routine, we alternate between savory and sweet breakfasts, and switch up our salads or leftovers for lunch. But with the 6-to-1 method, we kept it simple and rotated between a few delicious dishes to save time on meal planning.
Breakfast was an English whole grain muffin slathered with nut butter, honey, and bananas or blueberries, or a muffin topped with egg, cheese, spinach, and spicy sauce. For lunch, we mixed chickpeas with fresh apple slices, spinach, and a bagged salad mix. Yum!
Dinner is where I flex my culinary muscles
Being weekend warriors, we had more time to get creative in the kitchen. One night, we whipped up a spicy bean-tofu burrito, complete with a tangy Greek yogurt dip, followed by spinach-ricotta ravioli slathered in store-bought mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Another pasta dish featured bucatini, Parmesan, spinach, and tomatoes, topped with fried, quartered, or grated potatoes.
On weekends, we took advantage of extra cooking time to throw down some vegetable and fried egg dishes. It felt damn good not to feel pressure to finish every ingredient during the week.
I put the "sweet" in "sweet tooth"
To keep my partner surprisingly happy, I whipped up our favorite chocolate chip cookies using pantry staples and frozen raspberries. I also devoured pistachio ice cream with fruit and Hershey's chocolate topping when I needed a sweet fix.
So, how did the 6-to-1 method fare?
Overall, I'd rate our week as pretty successful with the 6-to-1 method. We used up almost all the food we purchased for this experiment, and we even spent less on groceries this week than we normally would. A few items that didn't get eaten after seven days, like ravioli and carrots, could easily be saved for another round.
This 6-to-1 method is particularly useful for those who struggle with making lists, impulse buys, or food waste at the supermarket. In the future, we might swap out sauces and spreads for dairy products or alternatives to make the plan even more versatile.
This article was originally published on February 23, 2024, and last updated on April 28, 2025.
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- The "6-to-1" shopping method, as demonstrated by Chef Will Coleman, simplifies shopping and wallet management by focusing on 6 veggies, 5 fruits, 4 proteins, 3 staples, 2 sauces or spreads, and a wild card item to cater to cravings.
- In the study, we found the method flexible enough for our unstructured shopping habits, as it requires selecting produce and planning meals based on purchases.
- By sticking to essential items for our meals, we significantly reduced our grocery expenses, with a weekly bill of around $60 (≈€52), which is below our usual spending of $70-$85 (≈€61-€75).
- Adopting the 6-to-1 method allowed us to maintain a simple meal rotation for breakfast and lunch, while still enjoying a variety of dishes for dinner.
- Although we had some leftover ravioli and carrots, we were able to utilize almost all the food we purchased.
- This 6-to-1 method is beneficial for individuals who struggle with list-making, impulse purchases, or food waste at the supermarket, and we may modify the plan to incorporate more diverse sauces and dairy products in the future.
