Each year, the spring semester brings lots of experiences for seniors to look forward to: spring break, St. Patrick’s Day, graduation… just to name a few. However, even though this is an exciting time for seniors, it can also be anxiety-inducing as the “real world,” with all of its challenges and stressors, looms ahead.
One of the many anxieties that young adults may experience comes from having to grocery shop for one person. Perhaps some seniors have some experience with this already, but it is a skill that is important to have as students move into the world of no meal plans.
Here are some tips that can be used to create a grocery list for one person:
Create a 10 item grocery list
According to Abigail Rose of Allrecipes.com, a grocery list for one person can be simplified into 10 simple items. This includes a fruit, vegetable to eat raw, vegetable to cook, protein, starch, legume, dairy, breakfast item, pantry staple and a wildcard item. These essential items can be combined to make pre-planned meals to last throughout the week.
Make a realistic grocery list
According to Aaron Hutcherson of The Washington Post, the most important thing to remember when grocery shopping for one is “thyself.” This means that you should be realistic about what you actually will eat, what you like to eat and your cooking abilities. Hutcherson recommends asking yourself questions like the following when determining your food habits: “How often do you prepare your own food versus having someone else prepare it for you? Are leftovers okay for the week, or would you rather be one and done with your meals? If you freeze leftover food, will you remember to eat it down the road? Can you stick to a strict food plan, or do you need some level of flexibility built in?” These questions can help you to create a grocery list that is actually beneficial to you and to avoid unnecessary food waste and purchasing.
Try the six to one method
Chef Will Coleman went viral on Tik Tok after describing his six to one grocery shopping method. With this method, one’s grocery list consists of six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one fun thing. This method offers an easy organizational map to follow, thus eliminating the guessing game when it comes to how much food to buy. Some feedback for this method is that it is a bit too much food for one person, so this can be adjusted if desired.
The grocery store can be a daunting place at times, but it doesn’t have to be. These strategies can be a great starting point for learning how to effectively grocery shop for one person. While it can take some trial and error to find a method that works for you, hopefully this list can at least begin to take the “scaries” out of grocery shopping.
