Dear Aunty: Nobody Taught Me To Grocery Shop — How Do I Break The Fast Food Loop?
Dear Aunty
I was raised with daily visits to fast food locations. In these times, I cannot afford that lifestyle and honestly I don't want it. I want to do better, eat better, and be more sustainable with my income. I was never taught how to grocery shop and I always feel so overwhelmed when I try. Food goes bad and I fall back on take out. How do I get out of this loop?
— Signed, Learning To Feed Myself
Aunty's Response
Sweetheart, let's start with the most powerful thing you said in your entire letter — and I don't think you even realized how powerful it was when you wrote it. You said you can no longer afford this lifestyle, and honestly, you don't want it anymore. Do you understand what that is? That is truth. That is your truth speaking louder than your habit. And that truth is the beginning of every single thing that is about to change for you.
You are not being required to eat things you don't want to eat anymore. You are not being required to live in a pattern that no longer serves your body, your budget, or your future. That chapter is closing — not because life forced it, but because you are choosing something better. And that choice deserves to be honored with a real plan.
So let's build one together.
The very first thing I want you to do is create a grocery list once a week. Just once a week. One of the biggest reasons food goes to waste is because we buy for an imaginary version of our week instead of the real one. A weekly grocery list keeps you grounded in what you actually need, what you will actually eat, and what will actually get used before it spoils. Now, for the things you want to stock up on — your shelf stable items, your proteins, your frozen goods — those you can buy in larger quantities and store properly in freezer bags and airtight containers. But your fresh, everyday items? Week to week. Only what you need. That discipline alone will save you more money than you realize.
The second thing I want you to embrace is meal prepping. I know it can sound overwhelming if you have never done it, but sweetheart, meal prep is one of the most liberating things you can do for yourself. Once a week, sit down and write out a simple meal plan — the dishes you want to make, the flavors you love, the meals that will actually excite you to eat at home. Start simple. A beautiful house salad with romaine, hearty vegetables, kale, corn, beans, and a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store can become the most satisfying Santa Fe chicken salad you have ever had. And it costs a fraction of what you would spend at a drive-through.
Here is something else I need you to hear — protein does not have to be expensive. Beans and eggs are two of the most powerful, affordable, and filling protein sources available to you. Do not overlook them. They are budget-friendly, versatile, and they will keep you full and nourished in ways that fast food never truly did.
Now, I also want you to get personal with your eating habits. Not everyone wakes up hungry for breakfast. Not everyone wants a heavy dinner. Some of us rise at noon, eat heartily in the afternoon, and eat lightly in the evening. That is perfectly fine. The goal is not to follow someone else's food schedule — it is to build a rhythm that works for your actual life, your actual body, and your actual day. When your meal plan reflects who you really are and how you really live, you will stop fighting it and start enjoying it.
You are not behind on this, sweetheart. You are just beginning. And beginning, when done with intention, always leads somewhere beautiful.
Start with the list. Build the plan. Prep the meals. And watch how quickly your kitchen becomes one of the most empowering places in your life.
You deserve to be nourished — fully, affordably, and joyfully.
— Aunty Charmaine
This content is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, psychological, legal, or financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified professional for matters related to your health and wellbeing.
Soul Tribe Media | Soultribe.media | Sept 2026
Collective Soul Tribe Lesson
Soultribe, this week we are talking about something that does not get enough conversation in healing spaces — the table.
What we put on our tables is not just a food conversation. It is an economic conversation. It is a cultural conversation. It is a lineage conversation. So many of us grew up in households where fast food was not a choice — it was a survival strategy. Where time was short, money was shorter, and the drive-through was the only option that made sense after a twelve hour shift. We do not shame that. We honor it for what it was — a family doing the best they could with what they had.
But now we have more. And with more comes the responsibility to choose differently.
Reclaiming your kitchen is an act of sovereignty. Deciding what goes into your body is an act of power. Teaching yourself what no one taught you is one of the most radical things a person can do. And doing it as a community — sharing recipes, sharing grocery hauls, sharing the wins of a meal prepped Sunday — that is how we heal together.
What you feed yourself matters, Soultribe. You are worth the effort of a home cooked meal. You always have been.
"I have recognized true worth and blessings, both of which cannot be measured, as I am priceless."
Practice: Speak this proverb every morning before your feet hit the floor. Say it three times with intention. Let it remind you before the day begins that everything you are about to think, say, and do is a seed. Choose accordingly.
Speak this in the morning when you rise and at night before you rest. Say it with intention, not just words. Let it shift your mindset and anchor your faith in your own journey.
Affirmation
"I was created for such a time as this, my wealth flows to me gracefully and joyfully, all good things are open to me. So blessed be. (Repeat daily 8x — 8 is the numerology of money)"
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