Nicole Simonek

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Lazy Girl Guide: Grocery Shopping For One

Nicole Simonek

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This has definitely taken years for me to perfect, but I finally have my grocery shopping for one down to a science. This routine allows me to minimize waste and have a takeout week or dinner out every now and then if I want to. The ingredients will definitely vary person to person, and this might not be for you if you do not like repetition in your meals. For me, I love eating the same thing every day (very Virgo, I know).

You do not need to adhere to the brands I choose below, and can create different variations based on food/flavor preference and price point. Most of these will last a long time; the items to replenish on a weekly basis if you plan on cooking at home are eggs, spinach, parmesan, milks, and yogurt. I like to focus on meals with whole foods; I could list a bunch of microwaveable entrees but I need all the healthy nutrients I can get with my busy lifestyle! These are just the core meal ingredients, so feel free to tack on your favorite salad and burrito add-ons or snacks! A handful of these are traditional Japanese foods, being half Japanese and growing up eating them — feel free to drop me a line if any ingredients are hard to find or if instructions are unclear.

These meals are also meant for people with the preference of using minimal cooking skills (like me). I take the Lazy Girl level up a notch by ordering everything on Instacart (including Costco - no membership required), while also getting Delta points with each order (Update: Instacart took away the Delta points #sigh, but it’s still convenient). Double whammy!

**This does not take any dietary restrictions in mind, so if you have any feel free to drop me a line! I have tried most dietary preferences and can whip together a customized list for you. Please consult your doctor before making any major diet changes!

Breakfast

I am not much of a breakfast person so I prefer to delay the breakfast foods for lunch, and instead have my iced cappuccino’s and some yogurt. For the milk and yogurt, I know for a fact that I go through them in less than a week, but if you think they will perish untouched in your fridge then opt for a different, non-perishable breakfast!

Update: I now alternate between yogurt, Perfect bars, and Purely Elizabeth oatmeal packets!

Smoothie Snack

I used to make my smoothies Erewhon and Kreation style using 20 different powders and ingredients, but it was hard to keep up with expiration dates and the long process of scooping them all out. Now, I keep it very simple with 4 ingredients. As long as you know you’ll want a smoothie most days of the week, you shouldn’t have to worry about the Almond Malk and Almond Butter perishing.

Afternoon Snack

My afternoon snacks are critical when I’m having back-to-back meetings all day! I discovered BRAMI beans at Erewhon when I first moved to LA, and was so intrigued! I love that these are protein packed, non-perishable, come in fun flavors, and are very filling. They do take some getting used to, but I quickly acquired the taste. You can also throw them in salads! I also recently became obsessed with Chomps, and also love it as a high-protein afternoon snack! Tofu and ponzu is a childhood favorite snack of mine and it’s so easy to prep - just cube soft tofu and dip in Ponzu. Sometimes as an alternate to the lunch items below, I’ll spread some Nuttzo on a bagel and have a side of scrambled eggs.

Lunch/Dinner

There are so many variations that you can make with the list below. I like to do a breakfast burrito for lunch, and a Sweetgreen-style salad (with pasta mixed in) for dinner. Things can also be swapped with a tuna salad for lunch, and salmon burrito for dinner. Extra condiment sauce jars can be added for a pasta night. I like hot sauce on my breakfast burritos and salads. Have fun with the options! Most of these last a long time so there will be some upfront costs, but you do not need to worry about throwing things out after a week. I normally buy spinach as my lettuce of choice, because I can cook it at the end of the week if there is a lot left (and it shrivels into the tiniest amount! lol).

Lunch/Dinner Potential Recipes:

“Sweetgreen” Make Your Own Salad:

  • Organic Spinach

  • Cooked Organic Mushrooms

  • Cooked Organic Pasta or Brown Rice

  • Cooked Wild Salmon (Air Fryer) or Wild Tuna + Mayo

  • Sliced Hard Boiled Organic Egg

  • Organic Black Beans

  • Sunflower Seeds

  • Shaved Parmesan

  • Olive Oil + Balsamic or Hot Sauce

Breakfast Burrito:

  • 2 Organic Eggs

  • 1 Sliced Breakfast Sausage (Cooked with Egg Scramble) - Optional

  • Handful of Organic Spinach (Cooked with Egg Scramble)

  • 1-2 Chopped Organic Mushrooms (Cooked with Egg Scramble) - Optional

  • Organic Flour Tortilla

  • Shaved Parmesan

  • Hot Sauce

Salmon Burrito:

  • Cooked Organic Brown Rice

  • Cooked Organic Spinach

  • Organic Black Beans

  • Organic Flour Tortilla

  • Cooked Wild Salmon (Air Fryer)

  • Shaved Parmesan

Pasta:

  • Cooked Organic Pasta

  • Marinara Sauce

  • Cooked Meatballs

  • Shaved Parmesan

Update: Lately I’ve been even lazier, and have been doing the following rotation —

Scrambled Eggs with Veggies:

  • 3 organic eggs

  • Organic spinach and/or Erewhon pre-chopped mixed veggies

  • Hot sauce

Tamago and Rice:

  • 2-3 eggs whisked with soy sauce and sugar (some may add dashi and mirin but I do without)

  • White rice (Rice Cooker)

  • Soy sauce

  • Furikake

  • Seaweed

Salmon and Rice Bowl:

  • Cooked Wild Salmon (Air Fryer)

  • Furikake

  • Soy Sauce

  • Spicy Mayo

  • White or Brown rice (Rice Cooker)

  • Cooked spinach

  • These ingredients (minus the spinach) can also be used to make onigiri instead

Miso Cod and Rice Bowl:

  • Same as above but with Miso Cod from Costco instead

    • The Miso Cod is seriously amazing - watch out Nobu!

Pesto Pasta:

  • Cooked organic pasta

  • Pesto sauce

Cold Udon:

  • Cooked udon noodles (takes 3 mins to cook frozen udon - rinse with cool water after straining)

  • Dip in Somen sauce

Mabo Tofu:

  • Mabo Tofu sauce (2 packets)

  • Ground beef

  • Cubed medium firm tofu

  • White rice (Rice Cooker)

  • Chopped green onions (optional)

Salad - slightly updated:

  • Spinach

  • Cooked Wild Salmon or Wild Tuna + Mayo

  • Organic pasta or cooked brown rice

  • Organic hard boiled egg (sliced)

  • Erewhon pre-chopped mixed veggies

  • Kewpie roasted sesame dressing

Dessert

Wine is normally my dessert, but if I do indulge in a sweet treat, I always choose Craig’s Ice Cream or Uli’s Gelato! I also love to order Bacio di Latte for anyone in Los Angeles!

Sleepy Girl Drink

The origin of this was my hunt to find a clean, healthy alternative to Celsius that didn’t give me a literal eye twitch. I went down a deep hole researching and decided the winner was Heywell! They have a full range of drinks from energy, focus, to calm! The calm is my favorite sleepy girl drink!

Here are some TikTok’s I made of some of my Lazy Girl Dinners! Enjoy! XO

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I do not think One Pot’s are that lazy, but here’s one that I’ve attempted (more carousels on my page):

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My Le Creuset linked here in case you are as obsessed with it as I am (unfortunately the pink I have is sold out, but there are other colors available):

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If you enjoyed this blog post, I would greatly appreciate you taking a moment to browse my other blog posts (I write on lifestyle, beauty, travel, restaurants, working in tech, and cocktails + wine), subscribe, and/or make a donation. Donation proceeds go toward monthly Squarespace fees, PO box fees, website enhancements, ad campaigns, SEO tools, and time investment in addition to my full-time job. Thank you for your readership from the bottom of my heart! xx Nicole

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