The 5-4-3-2-1 method is the secret to a successful supermarket shop

Cut cost and food waste

Sick of throwing out half of your produce drawer after an expensive grocery shop at the start of the week? This supermarket hack could be the answer to your problems.

No matter how much you buy, the supermarket shop comes around way too fast every week.

There’s nothing I put off more than meal planning, leaving me stressed every Sunday. 

The mental effort that goes into pre-planning how to use up fruit and veg as quickly as possible to avoid having to throw away ¾ of the bag never subsides. 

What is the 5-4-3-2-1 supermarket method?

You may have heard of the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method for anxiety, but this hack is bringing mindfulness to your grocery list instead. 

If you just jot down every product you feel like eating in your notes app, or worse, wander down every aisle grabbing any item that makes your stomach rumble, it’s likely you often find yourself regularly leaving the supermarket with a much fuller trolley than intended.

The 5-4-3-2-1 method, sometimes called the 6-1 method, adds some structure to your grocery shop, cutting the amount of mental admin needed and (hopefully) reducing the amount of food waste. Image: Canva

With the cost of living crisis showing no signs of easing up anytime soon, and more of us trying anything and everything to reduce the amount of food we’re throwing away, it’s the perfect time to reassess the way we shop.

The 5-4-3-2-1 method, sometimes called the 6-1 method, adds some structure to your grocery shop, cutting the amount of mental admin needed and (hopefully) reducing the amount of food waste. 

Popularised by chef Will Coleman on TikTok, people have been using the hack to buy a week’s worth of groceries for less.

The method can of course be tailored to suit your diet and lifestyle, and there are a few different variations online. Image: Pexels

The New York-based content creator said in one video that he was able to make between four and six meals for himself and another person for under $153, but costs vary from store to store.

The method can of course be tailored to suit your diet and lifestyle, and there are a few different variations online, but the aim is to buy:

5 vegetables

4 fruits

And don’t forget a little treat for surviving the aisles. Image: Pexels

3 proteins

2 spreads or sauces

1 type of grain

And don’t forget a little treat for surviving the aisles. 

The method won’t work for everyone, but it’s a great way to boost your mindfulness when grocery shopping, encouraging you to think more about what each ingredient adds to your meals rather than just grabbing a bunch of items and planning how to use them up later.

Make the method work for you

While you’ll need to buy multiples if you’re feeding a family, and are likely to need a few extra items like herbs and spices, oils or milk, the guide sets you up for a week of balanced, healthy meals, without the overthinking.

So instead of just combing through food-based content creators’ pages, websites and Pinterest looking for recipes that both contain the same core ingredients and actually interest you, you can simply look to fill in the gaps in each category missing from your pantry and fridge. 

The method won’t work for everyone, but it’s a great way to boost your mindfulness when grocery shopping, encouraging you to think more about what each ingredient adds to your meals rather than just grabbing a bunch of items and planning how to use them up later.

Originally published as The 5-4-3-2-1 method is the secret to a successful supermarket shop