The Viral “5-4-3-2-1” Hack Will Make Your Weekly Errands Even Easier

Why are trips to the grocery store always so chaotic? Even if you go in with a shopping list, it’s easy to get distracted by sales or seasonal snacks, and before you know it, your cart is full of random things. To make matters worse, once you bring everything home, it often still feels like you have nothing to eat.

It’s why people are quickly falling in love with the “5-4-3-2-1 method” that’s going viral on TikTok. The idea is to keep these numbers in mind as you go shopping and buy five vegetables, four fruits, three proteins, two starches, and one item that’s just for fun.

This approach is meant to take the guesswork out of shopping, says Linda Lin, a nutritionist and herbalist, and in turn helps prevent overwhelm. “There are so many choices in stores, and it’s easy to fill your cart with things that don’t actually make a meal,” she tells Bustle.

It’s also common to buy a ton of produce with good intentions, only for it to rot in the back of your fridge. “That’s the frustrating part because you spend the money, but it doesn’t translate into easy, nourishing meals,” she says. This method aims to change all that. Here’s what to know about the hack, plus examples of what you can buy.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Method

The 5-4-3-2-1 method gives you a simple template to follow the next time you’re pushing a cart up and down the aisles. It also covers all your bases without overcomplicating the grocery shopping process. Every time you need to shop, simply grab five vegetables, four different kinds of fruits, three proteins, two starches, and one snack or dessert.

“As a nutritionist, I’m a fan [of the method],” Lin says. “Grocery shopping does not need to be stressful, and having a formula like this makes it simple. I like that it focuses on fresh, whole foods, too, and since most of your cart is coming from the produce and protein sections, it saves time.”

The template also brings structure without being rigid. “You are hitting all the major food groups, so you are naturally set up for balanced meals,” she says. “It also helps prevent waste because you are not just grabbing everything in sight — and it makes the week ahead feel easier since you already have the building blocks for meals.”

Shopping just for yourself? “You can adjust to three veggies, two fruits, two proteins, one starch, and still keep your fun item,” she says. Scaling down can prevent your purchases from going bad.

Quick & Easy Meal Ideas

“With these ingredients, you can mix and match all week,” says Lin. Think baked salmon with broccoli and sweet potatoes, chicken with rice and sautéed spinach, or scrambled eggs with onions and peppers. “The fruit works well for snacks or smoothies,” she adds. “It is surprisingly versatile.”

If you’re shopping for one or two people, these groceries should last about four days. “It is a rhythm you can repeat weekly, swapping in different items for variety,” she says.

Potential Downsides

While a genius idea that’s beloved on social media, the 5-4-3-2-1 method doesn’t take into account other types of groceries, like spices, beverages — think oat milk, orange juice, or sparkling water — or pantry staples that are always nice to have on hand, like cans of beans, soup, or sauces.

It also doesn’t work for more complicated dishes, like if you’re making a fancy recipe, baking a cake, or cooking a holiday meal. And that’s OK.

According to Lin, the 5-4-3-2-1 method isn’t a strict rule, but a helpful framework that takes the guesswork out of shopping. If you have a bigger family or eat at home for every meal, you might need to scale up to make it work for your needs.

On an average day, this hack will still save you time, money, and mental energy, and maybe even make grocery shopping more fun.

Source:

Linda Lin , nutritionist, herbalist