It’s greener.
It’s cheaper.
It’s just as good, if not better.
In fact, we can’t think of any reason you shouldn’t start taking better advantage of the bulk bin aisle in your supermarket.
Bulk bin food is cheaper because it takes less money to market it. There’s no flashy packaging, no slick ad campaigns. And while some brand loyalties are just non-negotiable, when you buy big name products, too much of your hard-earned money goes to pay ad agency fees and network CEO salaries.
And we all know how totally over that era is.
Buying bulk items generates little to no extra trash (there’s no excess packaging to deal with), and the savings available in the bulk aisle are significant (sometimes even shockingly so). There’s just no reason to ignore the bulk bin section of the grocery store anymore.
So go ahead, bulk up.
Bulk tips
To ensure fresh product, find a supermarket with small bins and high turnover. We purchased bulk products for this at Sprouts, Sunflower, Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, King Soopers and Safeway.
Buy only what you need. Just because it’s called “bulk” doesn’t mean you have to buy 10 pounds of it. If your recipe calls for 2 cups of dried beans, scoop twice and call it a day.
Taste test. With premixed items, such as pancake mix or granola, buy just a small amount at first and test it out to make sure you like it.
Use recycled glass jars or oatmeal boxes for bulk items like flour or rice or sea salt.
