One of my favorite places to save a dollar on food is the bulk bin section of my grocery store. Not all stores offer bulk goods, but it’s a a great feature when they do. I always feel like a kid in a candy store when browsing the bulk goods. So many colors, textures, and flavors; I want to try them all!
Why do I love the bulk bins? Because they allow me to buy the exact quantity of food that I need, they reduce packaging waste (especially if you use reusable bags, like these), and allow me to try out new foods without committing to a large quantity. And, most importantly, you can often get a lower price per pound than the pre-packaged items on the shelf.
That being said, it’s always smart to compare the prices found in the bulk bins to packaged goods. Depending on the item, you might find a generic packaged version for a lower price than bulk, which are sometimes reserved for organic or specialty varieties. Many larger grocery stores are now offering bulk goods, but I find that natural and ethnic food stores seem to have a better variety and lower prices.
While I don’t buy everything from the bulk bins, here are five of my favorite things to stock up on when I get the chance:
Nuts and seeds are one thing that I buy almost exclusively from bulk bins. I love the large variety of nuts offered in bulk, including raw, roasted & salted, and seasoned (hello black pepper cashews!), and the price is almost always lower than the bagged nuts you’ll find in the baking aisle. With nuts especially, I like to buy in the quantity that I know I need because they will go stale and get rancid if they’re left hanging out in your pantry too long. Rancid nuts = NO. (insert joke here)
Oats used to be one of the cheapest items in the cereal aisle, but ever since their heart healthy attributes made them the most popular kid in the class, the price has sky rocketed. A large tub of name brand rolled oats at my local grocery store runs almost six dollars! And generic is only slightly less. No ma’am. Oats should not cost that much. So, I stock up on my oats at the bulk bins. Not only are they less expensive, but I’m not left with that big bulky cardboard tub afterward. If I had kids, I’m sure that empty tub would come in handy for art projects, but I don’t, so it’s just more packaging.
THIS. This might be my favorite item in the bulk food section. Really high quality spices at really good prices. This is a great way to get that one miscellaneous spice that you need for a recipe without having to buy a whole bottle. Get just a tablespoon if you want! It’s allowed! It’s also a great way to experiment with new spices without committing to a $5+ container of it. And remember, herbs and spices don’t weigh a lot, so don’t be frightened by the high price per pound. Those whole cumin seeds in the photo above were $21.99/lb., but that bag was only 0.05 lbs., so the total price was a whopping $0.68. Not bad. Also, fresh spices = big flavor, so buy in small quantities. (I’m really excited to try that Jerk Seasoning, BTW.)
Dried fruit is another item that is usually very pricy, so I prefer to buy the small amount that I need rather than buying a large package and being forced to find a use for the leftovers. Once again, you’ll usually find more variety in the bulk bins, with options like sulfured vs. non-sulfured, or sweetened vs. unsweetened. Not to mention all the fun dried fruit, like papaya, mango, and pineapple.
I don’t have a big sweet tooth, but sometimes I want just a little treat. I might want one cookie, not a box of cookies. I might want a half handful of chocolate covered almonds, not a whole bag of chocolate covered almonds. The bulk bins allow me to do just that. I’ve been known to buy 5-6 mini chocolate covered pretzels from the bulk bins and leave it at that. Three or four malted milk balls? Sure. Although, I will say that one time I bought such a small quantity of something that the scale at the register couldn’t detect it, but I guess I had to learn the limits some how.
Storing Bulk Food
The only caveat to buying food from the bulk bins is that you need a container to transfer them into later. Sure, you could keep them in the plastic bags used to transport them home from the store, but they’re not air tight so your food will go stale faster. Plus, having 20 different plastic bags in your pantry can become a mess. So, here are some ideas for storage containers.
I have two of these Better Homes & Gardens Flip Tite container sets that I use for my flour, sugar, grains, and other large quantity dry goods. I love them and they’re quite inexpensive. Most home goods stores will have some sort of container that is similar, whether plastic or glass.
For miscellaneous small items, I use the same Ziploc reusable plastic containers that I keep most of my refrigerated and frozen food in. Ziploc bags are another option and the freezer bags have a label area, which is great for noting date of purchase to keep things fresh.
If you don’t like plastic, mason jars are a great option. Or, if you need larger storage, there are a variety of large glass jars and canisters made specifically for food storage. Make sure to get the type with a gasket lid to keep air and moisture out of your food. The great thing about glass storage is that they can last a lifetime and are usually very pretty when displayed in the kitchen. You may even be able to find quality glass storage containers at thrift shops.
A great way to store bulk spices is to simply save your old spice container and refill it with the newly purchased bulk spices. Or, get some really cool brand new glass spice bottles. You can wash and reuse them so they’re a good investment.
What about you?
What are your favorite items to buy from the bulk food bins? How do you like to store your dry goods? Share your tips, tricks, and super good finds with the rest of us in the comments below. We can all learn from each other! :)
I like to buy dried beans, brown rice, quinoa from the bulk bin along with oats, and nuts. I also buy flours that I usually don’t need much of when I’m ready to make a recipe, I buy just the amount I need. It’s cheaper and than I don’t have lots on hand going bad, who knew flour could go bad.
We also buy treats from bulk bins candy and such that we want to try out. Just a small scoop till we know we like it.
Never tried the spices but will from now on.
I love the bulk bins at Sprouts! I usually buy some grains like barley and quinoa that I don’t cook very often (not enough to justify a big container of) or even a new grain that I’m not sure if I’ll like yet. I also buy nuts and dried fruit in the bulk bins, especially if I’m getting stuff for a salad. And my favorite dark chocolate-covered espresso beans. :D
I have also been known to hit up the salad bar at Whole Foods when I just need a small amount of a vegetable. Why buy a whole bag of baby spinach if I just need a cup?
I don’t like in a big country (US/CA/UK) so this doesn’t exist here. I wish it did though! My dad lives in country and when I’m there I love it.
With Sprouts stores having finally moved into our area, I’ve also found the bulk bins to be something of a godsend — especially for the occasional fancy or holiday meal. I wanted to make potatoes with shallot butter for Christmas, but the recipe required whole yellow mustard seeds (which I didn’t have a use for in ANY other recipe); I didn’t want to commit precious shelf space to a whole new spice jar, either. Enter bulk spices. The only problem I had was that their check-out scale had trouble picking up the tiny amount I had bagged. -:P So watch out for that but, at the same time, I wouldn’t let it deter you. It defeats part of the purpose of the bulk spice section. -:)
For containers, I highly recommend the Reditainer Extreme Freeze Deli Food Containers with Lids (which you can find on Amazon.com). I use them for everything from storing/freezing leftover food (especially soup) to storing granola, dried cranberries, nuts, and any other bulk foods. I bought a set of 16 oz. and 32 oz., and I feel pretty set for life. I’ve only had to recycle one or two when they’ve stained from foods containing, oh … red wine or tomatoes, maybe.
Last tip: If your bulk isle has them in stock, a mixture of dried cranberries, unsalted/roasted pepitas, and blanched/slivered almonds? Oh, man! So satisfying and tasty. You can even throw in a little chocolate treat, too, to make it a full-on trail mix. All three make great salad toppings, too.
AM, should you find yourself with needing mustard seeds again there are other places they come in useful, especially if you like Indian food. I have 2 recipes taught to me by Indian acquaintances. One is heat oil (I use peanut, she uses ghee), add mustard seed and stir, they will sizzle and pop, add diced left over cooked potatoes, stir, sprinkle with cayene if you like spicy or lemon-pepper and some salt. Makes a nice side dish. The other recipe is from another woman and she make curried eggs…same, cook the mustard seed till pops ,add spices like cumin, coriander, curry powder, cayenne, stir, then add tomato sauce and make a nice thickness adding water if needed and then add halved or quartered hard cooked eggs. serve over rice.
My sister and I recently moved into our new apartment this weekend, and honestly, these are some really good tips. The biggest pet peeve I have is wasting food, especially if I have to use the same ingredient again in a future recipe. Since I’m determined to use the limited cabinet space in my new apartment, I’ll use these tips to my biggest advantage. :-)
I like to reuse glass jars from foods that I’ve already bought. Those gallon jars of pickles from Costco are great for things like flour and sugar (and keeping large amounts of emergency food stores if you’re into that). I also just learned today that Classico pasta sauce jars fit perfectly with mason jar lids, and they have measurement markings built in, too!
Chocolate covered espresso beans, banana chips, peppercorns, dried fruit, and nuts are my most frequent hauls. I love the OXO Pop containers for my flour, sugar, and coffee.
Store nuts in the freezer. They don’t go rancid and they take no time at all to thaw.
A warning: I had a terrible experience buying bulk coffee beans from a bin. That stuff must have been six years old — I brewed it up and it had NO FLAVOR. And I bought a whole pound. :(
This is why I am a little wary of the bulk bins — sometimes things in there can be stale, and you just don’t know. I do buy bulk rice, cornmeal, dried fruits like raisins and dates.
We just recently got a Whole Foods here and I hadn’t even thought of buying spices in the bulk section! I know what I’m doing soon!
Love, love the bulk bins @ my local HEB. I get most of my spices there, dried fruit and nuts. It’s fun to try out different types of grains without spending $$ for more than you need for a recipe.
Nuts freeze well. I keep pecans and almonds in the freezer and use them as needed. I even snack on them frozen. I haven’t had an issue with them going rancid this way. You could probably buy in bulk and freeze them in a ziploc if you have a reason to keep them on hand.
That’s a good idea! I’ll have to try that!! :-)
Yes, I usually keep nuts in the freezer!
I used to think storing grains and nuts in glass containers was really twee, and then I tried it and realized how much space I saved in my pantry… I’m a dope!
I don’t know of any place in my area that I can buy in bulk. I am a bit jealous.
No Whole Foods? No Sprouts Market? Even our Safeways now have a bulk aisle.
We have Publix, Walmart and WinnDixie. I’ve been to the local ethnic shops and they do not sell anything in bulk, everything is packaged.
Actually, ask around. The best place to buy in bulk in my small town is the local Mennonite store in the next town. I would never have known they sold bulk until a neighbor told me.
Thank you so much for articles like this… I’ve been experimenting with purchasing in bulk, and you have some good tips listed here. I like that this method saves you money, pantry space, and nut rancidity!