What is the 54321 Grocery Shopping Trick?

The basic concept was created by New York City chef Will Coleman. You choose a week’s worth of food from the following categories:

• 5 vegetables
• 4 fruits
• 3 proteins
• 2 sauces or spreads
• 1 carb
• 1 treat

You can also pick a number of “free” foods that are staples you use all the time–think milk, butter, flour, and seasonings. This amount is designed to last a week for one person, although of course, you may need to buy multiple 54321 options to cover every member of your family.

This method does require some pre-planning, but because you’re being so intentional about the food you choose, you’re saving money while effortlessly building nutritionally balanced meals. “When I’m grocery shopping, I always think about variety, convenience, and what I actually like to eat,” says Laura Iu, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor, a yoga guide, and the owner of Laura Iu Nutrition. “That combination makes healthy choices feel realistic and doable.”

I definitely tried to think in terms of foods I knew I loved so putting together meals would be fast and easy. Here’s my shopping list:

• 5 veggies: frozen broccoli, tomatoes, frozen corn, lettuce, frozen pepper and onion mix
• 4 fruits: bananas, frozen blueberries, avocados, fresh orange juice
• 3 proteins: frozen haddock, frozen chicken legs, small filet mignon
• 2 sauces/spreads: clam sauce, tomato sauce
• 1 carb: linguini
• 1 treat: gingerbread scones
• staples: milk, butter, Greek yogurt, oatmeal, olive oil

My meal planning was pretty straightforward. For breakfasts, I mixed up yummy fruit salad, or opted for my go-to yogurt or oatmeal. For lunches and dinners, I paired my haddock with a lettuce and tomato salad drizzled with olive oil, sautéed broccoli to have with filet mignon, enjoyed baked chicken with corn, whipped up a pepper and onion stir-fry, and devoured pasta meals with my sauces. The gingerbread scones were fab, too.

My take: This method really works! Not only did my grocery bill shrink, I really enjoyed the healthy dishes I prepared. I would definitely do the 54321 again. I will say, though, that it’s important to buy sufficient portion sizes. Instead of one piece of fresh fish for a protein option, choose a bag of frozen fish, so you can get multiple meals out of for a better price. Choose the larger size of any frozen produce you buy for the same reason and consider stretching your treat into a full meal.

Ultimately, the 54321 grocery shopping trick can be pretty much whatever you want it to be. After you experiment with different combinations, you’ll find the best combos that work for you and your family.

Source: goodhousekeeping.com©