The mental load affects millions of households and transforms simple races into exhausting puzzles. According to an OpinionWay study conducted in 2022, more than 40 % of this charge is directly linked to the management of meals, and mainly food races which concentrate almost half of this burden. Between the fear of waste, respect for the budget and the desire to eat well, each passage in store can turn into an ordeal.
A method signed Will Coleman
Faced with this observation, Will Coleman, a culinary creator based in Brooklyn, imagined a simple organization to reduce this stress. He explains to Good Morning America : “I had enough to waste money, waste food and spend hours at the grocery store trying to know what to buy and what to cook throughout the week“.
From there was born the method “6-to-1”, sometimes called “5-4-3-2-1”. It is based on a basic rule: anticipate needs for a full week by shopping only once, ideally on Sunday. For large families, two passages are enough.
How does rule 6-5-4-3-2-1 work?
The method is available in six food categories, to be purchased in specific proportions. The principle is to constitute a varied and sufficient base for the week, without unnecessary overload or expenses:
- 6 vegetables, fresh or frozen;
- 5 fruits for desserts and snacks;
- 4 proteins (meats, fish, eggs or vegetable alternatives);
- 3 starchy foods like rice, pasta, potatoes or quinoa;
- 2 fats, for example butter or olive oil;
- 1 Joker Plaisir, sweet or salty, to keep an extra little.
Result: meals are organized naturally, waste decreases and the budget remains under control. This planning transforms the races into a quick and effective approach, with the assurance of having everything you need on hand to vary the plates without effort.