Depression Restock Shopping List

The calculator builds a “minimum viable stock” using core categories: a base starch, a protein, a shelf-friendly veggie/fruit option, a quick breakfast/meal option, and a flavor/meal-bridge item. Then it scores candidate foods by how many simple meals they support, how easy they are with your cooking access, and how well they stay safe without fresh ingredients. Finally, it scales quantities by household size and trims lower-priority items until the total fits your budget.

If you choose microwave only, the tool favors microwave-safe meals, canned/ready-to-eat items, and quick carbs because stovetop/oven steps add friction. If freezer space is none, it removes freezer-dependent items and shifts toward shelf-stable options even if that slightly reduces variety. Dietary constraints also reshape the protein and “vegetable/fruit” picks to keep the list practical.

If your budget is too low to cover the minimum viable stock, the calculator switches to a highest-priority subset (the items most likely to create 2–3 simple meals). If the result only covers 1–2 meals, it labels the outcome as “Thin stock” and that’s a signal to expand when you can. If you pick constraints that eliminate key categories, expect the list to pivot toward the nearest equivalent rather than trying to maintain the original meal variety.

This calculator is designed for immediate, low-effort eating—not perfect nutrition or complete meal planning. It doesn’t know local prices, brand preferences, sales, or your specific allergies beyond the selected dietary constraint. Use it as a starting point, and add any fresh perishables only if you can reliably use them before they spoil.