Grocery store guide for singles

Ah, the dream of owning your own home… Your rules, your house, your bills and your supermarket. When you leave your parents’ house, no one tells you the drama of having to put together a list of everything you need to support a home (and your stomach). This guide can solve your problems with practical tips and a suggested list to take on your next trip to the market!

Smaller, much smaller portions

When you lived with your parents, the most natural thing in the world was to buy 1 kg of meat, 10 cartons of milk, two dozen eggs… But when you only need to feed one human being, the bill changes a lot. Therefore, when buying bread or foods that come in large quantities, freeze what you are not going to consume. Remember: your freezer is your best friend.

Keep a weekly menu

It’s not exactly a consensus, however, planning your meals for the week helps you not buy junk or need to make three trips to the supermarket. Not to mention that this will help you not to eat lasagna or ramen noodles every day, let’s agree. Take into account how often you actually eat at home: if you have lunch out every day, that’s already one dish less.

Choose shopping day

It’s no use going to the market on Monday, then going only on Thursday the next week… A little bit of organization at these times makes all the difference! See which day is best for you and also check if there are promotions on any day of the week. Your pocket thanks you!

Monthly vs weekly purchase

It is easier to separate survival items by necessity: cleaning, hygiene, housekeeping products (such as paper towels, plastic bags, etc.) and non-perishable foods can be purchased once a month. Fresh ingredients, such as vegetables, fruits and meat, need to be purchased weekly or every 15 days.

Lists, lists everywhere

Sounds silly, but it saves your bank account and your life by preventing you from running out of toilet paper. Keep everything you have in your pantry in the fridge or on a board on the wall: toilet paper, meat, fruit, rice, sugar, milk… That way you know exactly how much you have and how long it will last!

Fruits and vegetables: go to the fair

They are fresher, tastier, cheaper and last longer than the ones you buy at the supermarket. If your city has big markets or fairs, take a Sunday to go there and discover that a dozen oranges can cost just R$ 1.

Have a trusted butcher

This sounds crazy and nobody tells you, but when you order the meat at the counter, you can choose the cut and, above all, the quantity. No more taking 100g from the tray or having to cut that piece into smaller steaks to freeze. You’ll already have everything in the right amounts for each day! Heads up: defrosted meats should NOT be returned to the freezer. And they last 3 months in the fridge.

chicken and fish

They are great for a healthier menu and also gain practical variations during the week, such as roasted, grilled or breaded chicken. When freezing, place the fillets separately one by one.

Eggs: the strategic exit

When laziness hits, it’s very easy to think of a dish with eggs that doesn’t even take 5 minutes. So keep your fridge stocked with them, but don’t overdo it. Half a dozen is enough to save you for the week!

Pasta is essential

Pasta is always a good option for those who live alone. It’s practical, fast and turns into a thousand different options, from salad to soup. For those who prefer to buy fresh pasta, the trick is to just boil what you are going to consume and freeze the rest. If you have leftovers, make a salad the next day or add a different sauce for dinner! Ready-made sauces are obviously more practical, but they can be sooooo caloric. If you prefer, prepare a healthier homemade version and freeze in closed glass jars for up to 3 months.

Herbs and spices to spice up recipes

Of course, fresh ones are better and have a shorter shelf life. You can freeze that basil or rosemary you just bought, but the ideal is to really use it as soon as you buy it. Or else keep a garden to always have fresh whenever you want!

fresh x ready

Items like pre-cooked vegetables and ready-made salads are practical in a busy day-to-day. The only caveat is the price: they are usually more expensive than fresh products. Balance some cooked vegetables with the salads to assemble and you get the best of both worlds.

treats

Alright, we know that it always makes you want to buy that wonderful imported chocolate biscuit, a brie cheese to accompany a wine and eat filet mignon every day. If the month is tight, leave it for later; otherwise, include up to two options (if one of them is not very expensive) in your list.

And wholesale, is it worth it?

Prefer shopping at wholesale markets just for cleaning products or items like toilet paper, garbage bags and paper towels. They will last forever!

Bags to freeze: salvation!

An essential item on the list of anyone who doesn’t cook every day of the week and has more portions of food than he needs is that disposable bag, just like the ones used to pick up fruit, you know? It’s easy, fast and a thousand times more practical to freeze with that!

Save on shipping

If you don’t have a car, think carefully about each trip to the market: in addition to shopping expenses, you will need to include the cost of a taxi or bus/metro. And it’s not worth going back and forth several times, is it? Because the car also uses gas and has to pay parking fees.

How do you know what to freeze and for how long?

Tomato doesn’t go to the fridge and you don’t have to wait for the food to cool down completely to store it, you know? Not even potatoes should stay in the fridge! Here we made a list of 11 foods that should not go in the fridge, but here is also a guide for you to freeze food correctly. And don’t forget to label the jars with the date!

monthly shopping list

• Cleaning products: 01 of each
• Personal hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap): 01 of each
• Toilet paper: 01 pack
• Garbage bags, paper towel, cleaning cloth, aluminum foil and cling film: 01 pack each
• Rice and beans: 01 pack of each
• Oil: 01 unit
• Olive oil: 01 extra virgin and 01 traditional
• Wheat flour: 01 package
• Sugar: 01 pack
• Coffee: 01 small package (250g)
• Dehydrated seasonings: 01 pack of each
• Carton milk: 03 cartons
• Eggs: half a dozen
• Macaroni: 01 pack
• Cream cheese, cottage cheese and/or butter: 1 of each
• Drinks (box juices, soft drinks and alcohol): 04 units
• Cereals: 01 of your choice
• Vegetables that last longer (potatoes, carrots, etc): buy by the unit, not packets
• Honey: 01 unit
• Frozen products that are not so absurdly caloric: cheese bread is a good thing to have in the freezer, as it is quick to make.

weekly shopping list

• Fruits and vegetables that need to be consumed soon
• Cold cuts: buy by slices (calculate how much you eat in the week)
• Loaves: Just buy enough for the week (and freeze the rest)
• Yogurt: if you eat it every day, buy one for each day
• Juices: from a box, choose 2 to 3 per week
• Meat: you have the option to buy for the week or for the month. Remember to order separate pieces to freeze later. Start with 150g of each type for each meal and increase or decrease as needed.
• Jellies: buy the individual packs!
• Snacks: pita bread and tortillas are good options to have in your cupboard, as they last longer and replace meals.

Shopping in the palm of your hand

If you are not the type to make lists on paper, then you need a cool app to help you with this task. MeuCarrinho is free for Android and iOS and serves to assemble your lists and compare offers in markets near you. Boa Lista is a Brazilian app, available for Android and iOS, that compares prices based on the product’s barcode. And if you’re having trouble finding recipes to make a weekly menu, bet on Look&Cook, an app with recipes illustrated step by step for each one. It’s in English, but the pictures help a lot! And Munchies Total has the easy, quick and simple recipes that everyone wants when they’re feeling lazy. The best thing about the app is that you put what you have in the cupboard and it gives you a recipe with those ingredients. This way you can become a chef in the blink of an eye!