Can this shopping hack save you cash at the checkout?
In 2024, we’re all looking for ways to save money at the supermarket — and now one particular cost-cutting method is being hailed as a ‘game-changer’ after going viral on TikTok.
New York chef Will Coleman shared a “6-to-1 grocery shopping method” in a video, claiming it could help families save hundreds at the checkout.
The chef behind the profiles @chefwillco on Instagram and TikTok explained the technique with the help of a nutritionist in a clip that’s since been viewed over a million times, reports the New York Post.
@chefwillco If you’re looking to save time and lots of money when grocery shop, then my 6️⃣ to 1️⃣ method is for YOU! Today we’re shopping at @@Publix in ATL 🏬 Stop by next Sunday to see the FOUR RECIPES we made with $90! Follow me for more affordable and healthy ways to enjoy food. Details: Plan your grocery shopping method with my method to save time and lots of money! I grab 6 veggies, 5 fruits, 4 proteins , 3 starches, 2 sauces and condiments, and 1 fun item for yourself.
♬ original sound - Chef Will Coleman
“You grab six veges, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads and one fun thing for yourself,” he explained.
“This makes grocery shopping way easier, way cheaper and you get in and out, so you’re not there all day long.”
He came up with the method to save money and buy higher-quality food items instead of paying for processed or pre-packaged meals.
“Fruits and vegetables are usually on the lower end of things, and they can stretch beyond one meal. You can be way more creative about what you’re putting out in the kitchen, and of course, it’s healthier as well,” he told People.
Coleman acknowledged people might hesitate to add six vegetables to their trolleys, but said there were countless ways to prepare them.
“People [can be] a little scared of using vegetables, or they [don’t] know you can even cook with six different vegetables,” he added.
“But vegetables are affordable and versatile. You can get them pre-cut, pre-made, pre-roasted.”
In another clip, he revealed the four meals he cooked with his groceries, from breakfast tacos to roasted salmon and kale pasta salad, for about US$90 ($147).
Responding to concerns from some viewers over whether the method would work for a big family, Coleman explained, “You can do this for a household of two or four or six or eight. It doesn’t matter.
“You can make it work for yourself — and the way to go about that is to just grab a few more of the single items you choose in each category for your family,” he told People.
Several of his followers have claimed the hack is a “game-changer”, with one commenting, “Thank you! ... Just spent $47 [NZ$76] on groceries for a family of four.”
“I’m so happy I came across this. Just went grocery shopping, spent too much money, and I don’t even know what I bought,” praised another watcher, vowing to try the 6-1 method next time.
Another wrote, “I tried this method today. I loved how much more intentional I was on my grocery trip.”