Family: Five members, including Kelly and her husband and three children ages 8, 6, and 2 Location: Western Massachusetts Special dietary needs: None
Grocery Shopping Strategy
Grocery shopping isn’t just another boring to-do for Kelly Kennedy, RDN. “I think most people hate grocery shopping, but I love it,” says Kennedy. Her experience at the supermarket has become more challenging, though, as prices have started to rise, with five hungry family members to feed. “I get really excited if I see a new product or something is on sale, but all those extra purchases can really add up, especially now,” she says. Kennedy’s No. 1 grocery shopping rule? “Stick to a plan,” she says. “I used to always go with a list and then freestyle when I got there, but now I go with a list and I stick to it; this way I don’t think, ‘Oh, look at the fancy cheese!’” Here, discover Kennedy’s other grocery shopping strategies, and what she buys when she’s there. Because Kennedy loves grocery shopping, she prefers to go in person. “When someone else picks out produce, they aren’t spending the same time and attention as I do,” she says. Still, if she’s crunched for time and knows she won’t be able to get to the grocery store, she’ll shop online, usually late in the evening. “That might be the only time I have, and I can get in an order even when the grocery store is closed,” she says. When Kennedy goes to her local grocery store, she leaves her kids at home. “My daughter thinks that certain products are cool, and asks, ‘Can we get this?’” Those add-ons can blow the budget, so Kennedy takes the errand as time for herself, and it also helps her focus and get out faster. Once in the store, Kennedy always hits up the produce section first to buy fruit for her kids’ lunches and snacks they can easily serve themselves. Then she heads to the middle aisles, picking up things like whole grains, beans, and tomato sauce. “I do shop the bulk bins for whole grains and nuts because those items tend to be cheaper in bulk,” says Kelly. Another pro tip: Kennedy recently redid her pantry with all clear containers, so she can easily see what needs to be replenished, whether it’s whole grains or dried beans. Finally, she’ll circle back for meat, dairy, eggs, and other freezer or refrigerated items. “I always do the refrigerated and frozen sections last. For me it’s all about food safety and keeping things cool and frozen as long as possible,” says Kennedy. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), frozen or refrigerated foods should not be kept at room temperature for more than two hours, or bacteria will rapidly start to multiply. A statistical analysis published by Statista in January 27, 2022 found that grocery shoppers spend anywhere from 28 minutes to 33 minutes on a typical grocery shopping trip (not including travel time). Kennedy says she can’t stick to her budget if her family of five eats meat every day. So instead, they’ve made a switch to eating meat several times a week. “I will build meals around beans or other types of protein, and there’s so much research to support the health benefits of that,” Kennedy adds. For example, a study published in March 2020 in the journal Neurology found that a vegetarian diet full of vegetables, nuts, and soy lowered the odds of stroke compared with a diet that included meat or fish. And a review of research published in January 2021 in the Journal of Hypertension found that plant-based diets with limited animal products (like meat) lead to lower blood pressure. Last but not least, Kennedy builds one “night out” into her budget each week. “I like supporting local restaurants, and it’s a nice little treat and a break from cooking,” she says. Lately, Kennedy has been ordering in from a homemade pizza company or going out for sushi. “I like to order out what I can’t make,” she says.
What I Buy
Here’s what Kennedy purchases each week. Plain, nonfat yogurt They eat it with berries or mix it into smoothies. Berries (fresh or frozen) For smoothies, with yogurt, or as a snack Fresh in-season fruit The family’s go-to snack Fresh veggies (kale, lettuce, broccoli) For salads or sides, or to chop and have with hummus as a snack. Canned beans and tomatoes To top salad or use in veggie chili Hummus A quick snack with protein and fiber Quinoa/farro/brown rice/whole-wheat pasta Staples for side dishes (for example, farro alongside a chicken breast and broccoli). Clear pantry containers make it easy to see when bulk items are running low. Whole-wheat bread For sandwiches or toast with natural nut butter. Coffee! No explanation needed. Nonfat or lowfat milk To drink straight up, or to add into smoothies Eggs They’re a great option for breakfast. Frozen veggies For a quick side for dinner or lunch when fresh isn’t available Chicken and fish For dinner entrées Old-fashioned or steel-cut oats For overnight oats or oatmeal Nuts A handful makes a great snack, and they’re good on top of oatmeal. Natural nut butter To spread on toast Kefir This fermented yogurt-like drink is a good snack with some fresh fruit, and is full of probiotics that can help the gut, according to the Mayo Clinic. Total cost: $225 each week
My 5-Day Meal Plan
Here’s how Kennedy puts her ingredients to use.
Day 1
Breakfast Oatmeal with berries and walnuts Lunch Curried pumpkin soup Dinner Veggie chili Snack Hummus and veggie sticks
Day 2
Breakfast A smoothie with frozen fruit, kefir, and spinach or kale Lunch Leftover veggie chili Dinner Grilled chicken, farro, and roasted broccoli Snack A handful of almonds and fresh berries
Day 3
Breakfast 2 Eggs, whole-grain toast with peanut butter, glass of milk Lunch Salad with chickpeas Dinner Homemade chicken noodle soup Snack Apple with peanut butter
Day 4
Breakfast Overnight oats with seasonal fruit Lunch Tuna salad in a whole-wheat wrap Dinner Baked salmon, green beans, and cauliflower mash Snack Glass of kefir and a piece of fruit
Day 5
Breakfast Cottage cheese muffins Lunch Leftover homemade chicken noodle soup Dinner Baked falafel on a bed of lettuce Snack Avocado with lemon juice and kosher salt
Money-Saving Tips
1. Look for Sales on Meat
It’s time to start paying attention to the sales, suggests Kennedy. She typically looks online (or uses an app) to see what the sales are at her local grocery store, primarily for meat. “We do eat meat in my family, and that’s where it’s gotten so expensive, so I need to plan based on what the sales are,” says Kennedy. If she sees that chicken breasts are on sale, for example, then she’ll brainstorm what she can make with them in a meal. Just know that what’s on sale isn’t always good for you, cautions Kennedy. “A lot of things they put on sale are junk food, unfortunately,” Kennedy adds.
2. Shop Online if You’re Prone to Impulse Purchases
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy primarily grocery shopped online, and while it wasn’t her favorite method of shopping, it did help her stick to her budget. “I knew my total before I checked out, so I could make changes in my cart before I bought everything,” explains Kennedy. If you’re prone to buying things on a whim and want to stick better to your list, it might be worth giving online shopping a try.
3. Buy In-Season Fruits
Kennedy eats berries year-round — but she buys fresh ones only in the summer, when they are in season. She switches to frozen in the winter. “I don’t want super-expensive, pale berries that aren’t as good for you because they are coming from further away, so are picked before they’re fully ripe,” says Kennedy. When buying frozen berries, Kennedy recommends looking for bags that don’t contain added sugar. Some fruits, like apples, Kennedy doesn’t buy frozen, and she sticks to buying them in the fall and winter.
4. Practice Your Mental Math
Want to keep your brain sharp and your grocery bill low? Start doing mental math at the supermarket. “If you’re not doing math at the market, you’re doing it wrong,” jokes Kennedy. She is constantly comparing the price-per-pound of each item she buys, and keeping a running tally of the bill in her head. One tip: A bigger package of something, such as brown rice, isn’t always cheaper than two smaller packages of the same rice, she says.
