6 to 1 Grocery Method for Meal Planning (Free PDF)
We talked a few months ago about the 6 to 1 grocery method, and I still think it is a great strategy to work into meal planning! It offers a set structure so it can help a lot of people that are struggling to get started.
It also leaves some creativity as well as basic principles that can help no matter your family size, if you have any food allergies or sensitivities, and it will help with any budget.
6 to 1 Method Basics
This plan is very simple. It is a strategic list that you can base your meal planning menu on with a set number of ingredients.
Your Choices:
- 6 vegetables
- 5 fruits
- 4 proteins
- 3 starches
- 2 sauces
- 1 sweet treat
At the end you will have a list of 21 items to make your meal plan. You can apply this to just dinners or you can do a full meal plan of breakfast, lunch, dinners, and more.
If you want to see an example of a full meal plan using this method, check out my Week #8 Meal Plan!
Free Printable PDF
To get you started, I have made a blank template that you can use to try out the 6 to 1 grocery method.
How to use this plan to save money…
The typical grocery order is about 50 items, so by only buying 21 you could definitely save some money.
I would encourage you to really push those savings by looking at local sales flyers and buying items that can easily be used for multiple meals. Like a bag of potatoes, a bag of rice, a bag of carrots, etc.
All of those items will easily help you make multiple meals and help stretch your budget!
