How to Grocery Shop for Two

Most shopping tips and recipes online are either geared toward solo shoppers or families, with nobody saying much about how to grocery shop for two. We’ll walk you through meal planning for two (with a grocery list), but here are some quick tips:

• Meal plan in advance.
• Choose recipes that share ingredients.
• Shop your store’s sales.
• Earn rewards on your grocery shopping purchases with Fetch.

Don’t have Fetch yet? Download the app today, start snapping receipts, and earn free gift cards you can use to offset future grocery trips or to treat yourself and others!

How Much Are Groceries for Two People?

When you’re making a budget for two, you should first be asking yourself how much groceries are for two people. It’s not as simple as doubling the cost of groceries for one person, and it’s going to depend on where you live.

• The monthly cost of groceries for two people ranges from $500 – $800, depending on the state you live in.
• That means you should be budgeting between $125 and $200 per week for groceries.

If you haven’t done it before, grocery shopping on a budget for two with just $125 per week might seem tough, but we’ve got some tips for you. First: remember to snap your receipts in the Fetch app, so you can earn points toward free gift cards.

Meal Planning for Two: Ideas for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

When it comes to meal planning for two, one of the smartest things you can do is double (or triple) dip on ingredients. Choose one or two proteins for the week, and pick entrees with a common theme (or at least common ingredients). Here’s a sample meal plan that should get you through a week (and then some).

Breakfast

• Omelets with bell pepper and sausage
• Oatmeal with fresh fruit
• French toast (use leftover French bread)
• Smoothies

Lunch

• Chicken wraps or burritos
• General Tso’s chicken/tofu
• Mason jar salads with roasted chicken or baked tofu
• Leftovers from dinner

Dinner

• Stovetop chicken with roasted potatoes
• One-pan sausage, broccoli and potatoes
• Crockpot salsa chicken
• Potato soup

Were you looking for a meal plan for two with a grocery list? Keep reading, we’ve got you covered.

Grocery Shopping List for Two People

Before you start working on your grocery shopping list for two, open up the Fetch app, so you can know which products and brands will earn you extra points. If you followed our “meal planning for two” guide up above, we’ve got the start of your grocery shopping list for two right here:

Meats

• Chicken breasts
• Sausage

or

• Tofu
• Vegetarian sausage

Dairy and Refrigerated

• Eggs
• Milk
• Shredded cheese

Produce

• Fresh fruit
• Bell peppers
• Garlic
• Broccoli crowns
• Russet Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Shredded iceberg lettuce or a bagged salad
• Green beans

Grains, Sauces and Dry Goods

• Brown rice
• Steel cut oats
• Pasta
• Black beans
• Loaf of French bread
• Tortillas
• Salad dressing of choice
• Jar of salsa

Printable Grocery Shopping List for Two

Grocery Shopping on a Budget for Two

If you’ve been buying for one, you might be surprised by what changes when you start grocery shopping on a budget for two. 

When you’re learning how to grocery shop for two, first take what we told you about solo shopping on a budget and cut out tips like “buy smaller portions of perishable foods” and “make more frequent, smaller shopping trips.” While you can still do those things, you probably won’t need to, because you’ll be going through food twice as fast.

Here are some of the best ways to grocery shop on a budget for two people:

• Look at the ad(s) for your regular grocery store(s).
• Plan most of your recipes based on weekly discounts and sales.
• Make your grocery shopping list for two based on your meal plan.
• Only go shopping on a full stomach.
• Buy bulk and/or larger sizes of shelf stable foods.
• Choose larger sizes of staple perishable foods like milk and cheese.
• Compare store brands to on-sale name brands. The store brand isn’t always cheaper!
• Check the dates and choose the products with the furthest “best by”/expiration dates.
• Limit impulse buys just like when you shopped solo.

The most important tip for grocery shopping on a budget for two, though, is to stick to this list as closely as you stick to your budget-friendly grocery list. Meal planning for two can be pretty affordable when you turn these tips into habits.

How to Grocery Shop for Two: Use the Fetch App

If you don’t already have it, download the Fetch app now, and check the “offers,” “brands” and “clubs” tabs to look for the latest deals while you build out your grocery shopping list for two people. We think you’ll find those offers are easier to earn when you’re shopping for two.