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A 37-year-old Brooklyn resident spent $61.48 at Met Fresh on groceries for a week, according to a diary published by The Kitchn. The report describes the shopper’s no-cart routine, mostly vegetarian cooking and meals that also included food bought outside the grocery shop; it does not establish that $61.48 covers all weekly food costs.
A Brooklyn baker and bookseller spent $61.48 at Met Fresh on a grocery shop featured in The Kitchn’s Grocery Diaries, describing a quick, no-cart routine shaped by a long commute and irregular work hours. The account offers a snapshot of one week’s shopping, but does not show that the listed groceries covered all of the shopper’s food spending.
The shopper, Jordan Smith, 37, lives in Bed-Stuy with three roommates and works as a baker and bookseller. The Kitchn report lists the amount spent as $61.48 and names Met Fresh as the store. It does not provide a weekly food budget; the figure is the total for the items in that shop.
The receipt included produce and pantry staples: spinach, apples, mango, kiwi, cucumber, okra, celery, watermelon, cilantro, limes, tomato, ginger, scallions and onions, alongside tofu, coconut milk, popcorn, bread and smoked mussels. The listed prices range from 67 cents for a kiwi to $7.99 for bread and smoked mussels. The article says prices were accurate at the time of publication.
Smith described shopping without a cart, using a basket or carrying groceries in their arms to move through the store quickly. Mostly vegetarian, they said they start in the produce section and often buy beans and coconut milk as flexible ingredients. Their meals during the week also included food bought elsewhere, such as muffins, coffee, sandwiches, falafel wraps and prepared tofu teriyaki.
What the $61.48 Covers
The diary is useful as a household-level example of how one New Yorker shops and cooks, not as a measure of what groceries cost across the city. Smith’s week combines groceries with meals and drinks bought on the go, so the total does not represent a complete weekly food budget. Readers comparing costs should distinguish the receipt total from spending at restaurants, delis, cafes or other stores.
The account also shows how work patterns shape food choices. Smith told The Kitchn that a long commute and evening baking work can leave little time to plan or cook. When possible, they prepare a protein, carbohydrate and vegetable separately to remix over several days; on busy nights, dinner may be leftovers or a quick snack. That routine helps explain the role of convenience foods and prepared meals alongside the groceries.
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A Bed-Stuy Shopping Routine
Smith said nearby corner and small grocery stores have limited fresh-produce selection and prices they consider less favorable. They sometimes travel downtown to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods for a more consistent selection and better prices, according to the report. The $61.48 shop, however, was at Met Fresh; the story does not identify the specific branch or provide a price comparison with other stores.
Smith said peak-hour grocery stores in New York can feel crowded and overwhelming, and that getting in and out quickly is a priority amid part-time and freelance work. Their approach is to let a good-quality vegetable guide a meal, then add pantry goods. For planned meals, they prepare ingredients separately and combine them with sauces and condiments over the week.
““My strategy these days is to get in and out as quickly as possible.””
— Jordan Smith, as quoted in The Kitchn
What the Grocery Total Leaves Out
The report does not establish total weekly food spending. Smith’s day-by-day account includes food and drinks purchased outside the Met Fresh shop, but gives no full cost breakdown for those purchases. It is also unclear whether the listed groceries were intended to last exactly seven days, whether any items were already at home, or whether some were shared with roommates.
The story provides no wider sample or comparison with other Brooklyn households, stores or weeks. It should not be read as evidence that $61.48 is a typical New York grocery bill or a complete weekly budget. The source also does not specify the Met Fresh location or when each item was purchased beyond saying prices were accurate at publication.
No Follow-Up Spending Data
The Kitchn article presents the diary as a personal account and does not announce a follow-up survey or additional spending data. The next useful comparison would be a full accounting of groceries and meals bought elsewhere over the same week, alongside the number of people those groceries served. Without that information, $61.48 remains the cost of the listed shop, not a confirmed figure for all of Smith’s weekly food costs.
Key Questions
How much did Jordan Smith spend at Met Fresh?
The Kitchn report lists the total as $61.48 for the groceries named in the diary.
Does $61.48 cover all of Smith’s food for the week?
Not based on the information provided. The diary also describes meals, coffee and snacks bought elsewhere, and does not give a total for those purchases.
What does “no-cart shopper” mean in this report?
Smith said they prefer carrying items in their arms or using a shopping basket rather than a cart, to get through the store quickly.
What groceries did Smith buy?
The list includes produce such as spinach, apples, okra and celery, plus tofu, coconut milk, bread, popcorn and smoked mussels. The full reported total was $61.48.
Is this a typical New York grocery budget?
The story is one person’s grocery diary, not a citywide survey. It does not establish a typical household cost or compare spending across stores and households.
Source: thekitchn.com
