Grocery shopping on a budget for one person – how do you do it without ending up with tons of leftovers or spending too much? Here are my best tips!
These days we’re all looking at the price of groceries and trying to save where we can. Inflation is a fact of life but that doesn’t mean we have to like it! But I promise that there are good ways to still save on your grocery bill.
I’ve written on this topic quite a good bit over the last few years but today’s post is slightly different. A lot of my budget grocery posts are more geared towards families instead of grocery shopping on a budget for one person. So today’s post is for the single people – those of you who are just grocery shopping for one and would end up with way too much food if you followed some of my other meal plans and recipe ideas.
Tips for Shopping (and Eating) on a Budget for One Person
To get started let’s talk about some basics. There are some key budget grocery tips that are the same whether you are buying for one person or for ten. Let’s review those first!
Psst – Not sure how much your food budget should be? The U.S. Department of Agriculture outlines the average cost of groceries per person here , but I don’t think you necessarily have to spend what the average American spends. Read this to help you plan your monthly grocery budget.
Make a grocery shopping list and use it.
This is an important tip no matter if you’re shopping for a single person or for a large family. Having a list will keep you on track and help you buy what you actually need instead of impulse purchases like the random stuff on the end-caps that you don’t need.
Don’t shop hungry.
I don’t think I need to elaborate on this one, do I?
Be willing to buy off brand.
I’ve found that most generic brands are almost indistinguishable from name brands and will save you a nice chunk of money. I do have a select few items that are worth it to me to buy name brand when I occasionally buy them (Oreos and Cheez-Its come to mind.)
Shop at lower cost grocery stores.
Being willing to grocery shop at lower cost stores like Aldi or Walmart is an easy way to save on your groceries. I know they’re not as trendy or fancy, but saving money is always on trend in my book. 😉
Alternatively, if you love your local grocery store but it tends to be a bit pricier make sure to shop the sales and take advantage of coupons whenever you can. (Different stores do things differently, but I’ve really been loving all the sales and digital coupons at my local Kroger lately!)
Keep track of your total as you shop.
When I’m on a tight grocery budget I will open my calculator on my phone and add up my total item by item as I shop. It may seem ridiculous, but you’ll be amazed how quickly things add up and having a running total as you go can really help you stay on track.
Be willing to cut things in order to save.
When you’re on a tight budget you need to be willing to occasionally do without some pricier items. For examples of what I’m talking about see this article: 10 Things to Cut to Save On Your Grocery Bill.
Don’t forget about meal planning.
Forgetting to meal plan ahead of time is a sure way to end up either spending more at the grocery store because you don’t know what you need, or just throwing in the towel and eating out. Careful planning will always help you save money!
But there are some other budget grocery tips that especially apply if you are just shopping for one person. Let’s look at those now!
Freeze meat in meal size portions.
No need to buy smaller quantities if you don’t want to, just freeze what you won’t use right away! For instance, you could cook up a whole chicken and then freeze the shredded meat in one or two cup portions to use in recipes, on salad, etc. Don’t feel like you have to eat chicken for an entire week just because you cooked a whole one. (Plus having extra portions in the freezer will save you time later on meal prep!)
As another example, if you buy a package of chicken thighs (or pork chops, or ground beef, etc.), open the package and divide it into meal size portions, and freeze whatever you won’t use right away. Ziplock bags for the win!
Use leftovers creatively.
No one wants to eat the same thing over and over again, but you don’t want to waste food either. Instead, learn to repurpose your leftovers.
For instance, say that you cooked a package of four chicken thighs for dinner and only ate one. Take the meat off the bones of the other three and use the shredded meat on a salad or in quesadillas the following day. Yay for variety AND easy meals!
Embrace frozen veggies.
We’ve all had fresh produce go bad in the fridge, but it happens even more easily when you’re just one person trying to use it all up. If you’re having this problem it may be time to embrace the frozen section and purchase more frozen veggies. Then you can just take out what you need for one meal and stick the rest back in the freezer.
This way you avoid food waste and can have a little variety instead of eating the same vegetable all week before it goes bad. (You can swap some of your fresh fruits for frozen as well if you enjoy things like smoothies!)
Choose simple recipes.
Since you are shopping and cooking for one, avoid choosing recipes that call for a bunch of random ingredients that you’ll never use again. Stick to recipes that call for basic ingredients that you’ll use over and over.
Utilize your freezer.
There are so many perishable items that freeze well, so take advantage of that! Only used a quarter of an onion? Have extra bell peppers that are going to go bad? Chop up those leftovers and freeze them to use later in a recipe! You’ll be creating less food waste and saving yourself time in the future.
Also, if you’re following a regular recipe, divide it into several portions and freeze some. This will save you so much time later and keep you from eating the same casserole all.week.long.
Consider trying meal boxes.
I usually don’t mention meal boxes as a way to save on groceries, but I’ve seen some really great deals on them and I think they can be even more economical for one person. They can also be a great way to add variety and try some new things without buying a bunch of extra ingredients that you won’t use!
Only buy bulk items if you’ll actually use them.
Buying larger quantities isn’t always the best way to go. After all, it’s not saving you money if you won’t end up eating it! While there are times when it may make sense, I would say that generally if you’re buying for one, bulk purchases probably aren’t going to be the best deal and you should stick with small quantities.
You may also be interested in: Meal Plan for Two with Grocery List
Sample Meal Plan for One
Here’s what a simple meal plan could look like for a single-person household. You’ll notice that this is just a plan for dinners because I feel like those are what are most helpful to plan out. However, all the same tips and principles for grocery shopping for one apply to breakfasts and lunches as well.
1. Stovetop chicken breast with a side of frozen broccoli and a store-bought loaf of French bread
Make three chicken breasts (I like this recipe for super juicy breasts); eat one for dinner and set aside the other two for later on.
2. Simple chicken soup with a side of French bread again
Use one of the leftover chicken breasts to shred for your soup.
3. Mexican shredded chicken casserole with tortilla chips
Half the recipe and shred up your last chicken breast to combine with the beans, corn, and spices.
4. Pork chops over pasta with frozen green beans
If you only make one recipe from this meal plan let it be this one. It’s SO good.
5. Pork sandwiches with the leftover pork chops with more of the frozen broccoli
Cut or shred your pork chops and make a sandwich on a bun or roll. Top with cheese and let it melt in the oven a bit. Yum!
6. Homemade mac and cheese with a side of frozen green beans
Make a half recipe and put half of it in the freezer for later!
7. Leftovers
What do you think, would this meal plan for one work for you? Let me know in the comments, plus be sure to share your favorite tips for grocery shopping on a budget for one person!
