How to Shop Strategically and Save Money With 6 to 1 Grocery Shopping

We understand that grocery shopping isn’t always the most fun obligation, what with the planning and creating a budget-friendly grocery list. Alas, people gotta eat. Thankfully, the 6 to 1 grocery shopping strategy makes putting together your grocery list a painless process. Pair that with Fetch, and you have a winning combo that will not only make grocery shopping a breeze but also allow you to earn rewards on all your purchases.

Read on to learn how to put the 6 to 1 grocery shopping method into action, as well as how the free gift cards you’ll earn grocery shopping with the Fetch app will help save money on groceries.

How to use Fetch while grocery shopping

With Fetch, you’ll earn reward points on all your purchases, whether you shop in person or online; your points can then be redeemed for free gift cards you can use to offset future grocery hauls. There are a number of ways to earn rewards fast grocery shopping with Fetch:

• Take advantage of personalized offers on products we know you’ll love; you can even make your grocery list by favoriting offers in the app.
• Buy boosted brands that will earn you even more points on all their products. 
• Shop online using Fetch Shop to earn points per dollar on every purchase.

The 6 to 1 grocery shopping method explained

The 6 to 1 method makes grocery shopping efficient, while also helping you prioritize the right food groups. To put the 6 to 1 grocery shopping technique to use, simply add the following items to your list in these corresponding quantities:

• Six vegetables
• Five fruits
• Four proteins
• Three starches
• Two sauces or spreads
• One treat

How the 6 to 1 method will help you make good grocery choices

Originating from Chef and Tiktoker, Will Coleman, this method was designed to help you make good food choices, and save you money to boot. The bulk of your cart will be produce, which is typically cheaper than proteins and meat. It also leaves room for “luxuries”, so you won’t have to skimp on food-related happiness, but the ratio keeps your in-store impulses in check. 

What’s more, the 6 to 1 Method creates a sense of “food concepts” instead of rigid recipes, so your meals can rely on spices and ingredients you already have at home, and you can take advantage of additional sales when shopping. 

Take our fun “Which Type of Grocery Shopper Are You?” quiz to learn about your shopping strengths and pitfalls. 

How does 6 to 1 compare to the 54321 grocery shopping method?

An earlier but similar iteration of the 6:1 method is the 54321 grocery shopping method, but how do they compare? 

Honestly, they are very similar, but the 6:1 method feels like an improvement, since it bakes your “treat” or optional extra into the formal list and adjusts your shopping list to include more grains or starches for well-rounded meals. Compare the 54321 grocery shopping method for yourself:

• 5 Vegetables
• 4 Fruits
• 3 Proteins
• 2 Sauces/Spreads
• 1 Grain or Bread
• Plus 1 optional extra/treat

What’s not factored into the 6 to 1 or 54321 methods?

While the 6 to 1 and 54321 methods aim to reduce grocery shopping-induced anxiety, save you time, and help save money with a focused list, both strategies omit some essentials you may still need to add to your list:

• Neither method includes necessary cooking staples like oil, butter, sugar, milk, spices, etc.
• Coffee, tea, and beverages are altogether overlooked.
• Common grocery store items are not accounted for on your shopping list, such as paper plates.
• Food taxonomy comes into question, like, “Is corn a starch or a vegetable?”

Neither method need be followed exactly at the sacrifice of a great shopping deal, but we think you’ll agree that using a mindset like 6 to 1 grocery shopping as a general framework while putting together your list still takes much of the guesswork out of the process and offers helpful prioritization of what to buy.

Download the Fetch App to start earning grocery rewards

Whether you are grocery shopping for one, for two, or for the whole family, we recommend giving either the 6 to 1 or 54321 grocery shopping method a try.

Regardless of which you choose, using the Fetch app is a winning strategy for every grocery run. Whether you opt to snap a pic of your receipt after checking out at the supermarket or grocery shopping online using Fetch Shop, our rewards app will have you earning points in a hurry; with those points, you’ll be able to get gift cards you can use to offset the cost of future grocery trips for the month and save money.

Download the app today, get to shopping, and start earning and saving!