The 6-to-1 rule for saving on groceries and how it works

When it comes to buying groceries I have two goals; to eat healthy and to stay on budget. 

The six-to-one rule is a trick I’ve been using since I moved out on my own at age 21, and I still use it for my four-person household today. It keeps me on track each week, and ensures I avoid last-minute takeout or expensive drive-thru meals for my kids when we’re on the go. This nifty grocery-shopping rule works like this:

I buy:

Six vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, etc.

Five fruits, like bananas and berries.

Four proteins, like tofu, chicken and eggs.

Three starches, like pasta, potatoes or rice.

Two spreads or sauces, like hummus or tomato sauce.

One treat, like ice cream or fancy coffee pods.

You can use the six-to-one rule with dietary restrictions, and scale it to the number of people in your household. Here are a few additional tips to help bring your grocery bill down while you test out the six-to-one rule. 

Use a budget

The prices at the grocery store are not coming down, despite slowing inflation. We’ve all had to adjust. With a budget in hand, you can shop with intention. Reviewing your purchases over a period of time is a great way to identify expensive (and sometimes unhealthy) food habits.

Though I prefer to shop in a physical store (lately I’ve been bringing my three- and five-year-old to teach them about money while we go through the aisles), online grocery shopping has some added benefits for your budget. You can keep a list and plan exactly what you need, and buy just those items. Online shopping can also help with impulse control. If you’re not in the store, you’re not tempted by things you don’t need. Just watch out for the service charges when you’re checking out your order. Do a quick Google sweep to see if there are any relevant discount codes you could apply.

Buy what’s in season

Rarely do I have the exact same items in my cart every week. Whatever’s in season, I buy because it can be two or three times less money than out-of-season fruits and veggies. Check the end caps on the rows of produce aisles; that’s where the in-season foods are often found. You might discover a tasty new food with this strategy — I now have a go-to roasted rutabaga recipe I use every fall as a result of trying it for the first time a few years ago.

Generic brands for staples

The prices can be 20 to 30 per cent less when you buy generic. Pasta, canned goods, flour, sugar, cereal, nuts and more — these staples are often packaged under the private label brand for the store you’re shopping at. If you’re concerned about the ingredients, read the labels. You might be surprised to learn they’re often exactly the same as brand names … and often get made in the same factories.

Shop at discount stores

These retailers might not have the nicest carts, checkouts or most convenient parking lots, but you will save. If you have time, go to a few stores, especially if you know there are better deals elsewhere for certain items. If you don’t have time, see if your mains

Not sure which stores have the best prices? I like couponing apps like Flipp, Checkout51 and Save.ca. These savings apps aggregate the best coupons, flyers and prices for all retailers. Looking through paper flyers works too. Coupons can be super helpful for people with expensive dietary restrictions. 

Other ways people, myself included, are saving on groceries are by using up loyalty points, switching to cashback credit cards, incorporating more plant-based meals into their weekly meal plan and endeavouring to waste nothing (hello leftovers, right?!).

I use the six-to-one framework to structure my shopping list and make a meal plan. Unlike writing it out by hand like I did when I first moved out, nowadays, I get a bit of help from ChatGPT with my list and coming up with recipe ideas. It’s so easy!tay store does price matching. Flash a copy of the competition’s flyer to the cashier (paper or digital), and they will match the price at certain stores. 

This article was originally published in The Star. Lesley-Anne Scorgie is a Toronto-based personal finance columnist and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star