The Bulk Is Green Council, a bulk industry trade group, claimed their independent research showed buying foods in bulk can save customers an average of 89 percent. That whopping number sounds great in theory, but it is really true? Is buying from the bulk bin always the more affordable option? Well, as NPR discovered, it depends what you're buying.
After NPR crunched the numbers, they determined that buying in bulk is likely to provide a savings of around 56 percent compared to buying the same food in a package. (Not 89 percent, but still pretty good!) But the biggest discovery was that it's highly dependent on what you're purchasing:
While buying foods like coffee and spices in bulk can bring savings as high as 77 percent, some products, like nuts and seeds, were actually more expensive in the bulk aisle. Almonds were the worst offender at more than double the packaged price... So to get the most bulk for your buck, you'll need to do your own legwork. That means comparing per-pound or per-ounce prices, which are often listed on the shelf tags accompanying packaged items.
Clearly there are other reasons for buying bulk than just the price, though—less waste and high turnover rate come to mind. (Buy smaller amounts of spices, for example, and use them while they're still fresh.)
How much does price affect whether or not you'll buy something from the bulk bin?
Read More: What's the Scoop on Bulk Foods? and Oh Nuts! Buying Bulk Can Cost More, But Saves Packaging at NPR
Related: Conscientious Cook: Which Foods to Buy in Bulk
(Image: Blend Images/Shutterstock)
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I get so frustrated when I compare the prices and find that the packaged item is cheaper per ounce; it seems like a betrayal. The last time this happened, I had already scooped a bunch of quinoa into a bulk bag before I realized that the packaged quinoa was cheaper. I was so frustrated that I left the full bag of bulk quinoa sitting on the shelf next to the packaged version. Ugh.
Buyer beware is a constant in our economy, but where I live, I pretty much always come out ahead on what I'm buying in bulk. I can buy different flours for baking, and get just what I need for a recipe when it's something I don't use often, quinoa and other grains are WAY cheaper bulk around here. And pistachios are cheaper. :) It seems the more I'm buying bulk, the more I'm coming out ahead health and budget wise.
It depends what I'm buying and where, but I've noticed this enough that I've gotten in the habit of comparing bulk and packaged prices before I scoop.
I agree, it's important to price compare on items where I know I'll be using a lot anyway (or for items that don't go bad quickly). (One weird one in my grocery was sugar - the packaged is way cheaper than bulk!) But I know I am saving on items where I just want a little (I'm usually cooking for just myself or myself and my boyfriend). For example, last night I got just enough pine nuts to make a big salad - 80 cents. I didn't compare the per-ounce price; it may have been cheaper or more expensive. But I'm confident there was no package of pine nuts for 80 cents because they don't sell in that small of quantities. And, I eat pine nuts pretty infrequently, so they can go bad if I buy a large bag. Funny that I often use the 'bulk' purchasing option to buy smaller amounts! :)
Petworthy, don't do that, they just throw it out, MORE WASTE.
I never buy from the bulk grains/nuts/ coffee type bins cause they're always WAY more expensive. Unless I'm at Whole Foods or something and need a handful of sliced almonds or something for a recipe, I never bother.
Not even with just bulk buying, but with price comparing, I was amazed when at the store with a few friends or my husband how no one I knew knows that price tags on the aisles list how much per item/ per unit of weight things are so you can compare. Not food, but things like paper towels are the best for something like that cause the one on sale might still not be your best deal per sheet.
Just like you do in the aisles of your grocery store, you must shop smartly in the bulk bin section - shop sales, shop smartly and shop as closely to your need as is possible. I try to only stock up on my staples when they are on sale and shop small quantities (only what's needed) for other things. AND don't forget to weigh your items! Most of the sticker shock at the register comes when you are unaware of whether or not you have 1/4, 1/2 or full pound (or 3) of that quinoa in your cart.
Candy or snacks are great in bulk because you can buy just a bit instead of being tempted to eat the whole (packaged) bag. I also love to buy spices in bulk as it's exponentially cheaper. It is important though to shop smart when buying bulk items and think before you pour out a large amount of cashews or pine nuts into a bag because if you get to the till and decide it's too much they do have to throw them out. I work in a grocery store and have seen so much waste because the customer thought that the huge bag of Jelly Belly jellybeans they just poured was only going to be a few bucks and was actually 30 bucks (for example).
My primary reasons for shopping in the bulk bins is to reduce waste from packaging and to encourage myself to make things the things that I eat from scratch, instead of just opting for the easy, pre-packaged, processed option. I may keep an eye on the price from now on, but I doubt that it will change my shopping habits much.
I always compare the prices, but since storage is at a premium in my kitchen, I love the flexibility of buying only the exact amount I need. I will keep larger quantities of some staples on hand like flour and sugar, but I don't really have room for anything else, so the bulk bins are awesome.
My kingdom for a bulk bin section in my local grocery!
Buying spices in bulk is brilliant regardless of price - like someone said above, I'm pretty sure they don't sell $0.80 bags of pine nuts - what to do when you only need 1 tsp of turmeric? Bulk spices are the best - I was able to buy all of the spices I needed for one dish, a huge laundry list of spices, for less than $2 by just buying what I needed in bulk. Would have been over $50 if I'd bought little jars. It feels way better than throwing away unused spices/food.
I should probably compare the prices on things like flour and rice--we go through a lot of those, so I should find out if I can save a bit by buying them in bulk. Most of the things I buy in bulk now are actually things they don't have on the shelves, like raw cashews or blanched almonds.
I rarely buy bulk item that you scoop out the amount you need as I have see to many people and kids dip into the bin and contaminate the whole thing with their hands. Parents who allow their childern help themselves to candy and other food items and not bother to pay for it really make me angry. If I buy anything in bulk I get it from a store that uses the equipment where you put a bag under the spout and pull the lever to get the amount you want.
I really love the bulk fresh herbs at my grocery store--especially when I have to buy a variety of herbs. Buying them in those little plastic packages can add up when they're $3+ per pack!
I'm a little OCD but I ALWAYS compare the per-ounce or per-item price on stuff. That's how I figured out that my usual grocer charges more per roll of TP in the larger packages than the four-packs. It's a pretty common practice in my area at least.
I was totally fooled by this until I looked at my grocery bill and realized I had paid $12 for a small bag of dried mangoes. Omg.
Price is generally the highest concern in anything I buy. Quality is the only thing that I let trump it. Bulk almost always wins on both fronts. Wish it was more widely available in my area. I have to go to specialty stores for it, increasing the length of my errand-running (neither of these stores carry produce or meats, for example).
Besides Whole Foods, what stores have bulk bins? In the DC area they don't seem to have a very good selection. Any suggestions for other stores? Thanks!
When I was cooking for 1 I loved the bulk bin - I would just buy a little bit of this a little bit of that. It helped me be more creative too - since there is not as much financial commitment especially with spices.
@yetanotherlisa not sure if you have Sprouts in DC but they have bulk bins.
Wegmans also has bulk bins, but I've actually found that my local Amish (Mennonite) market has a bulk section, where I buy all my nuts to make "trail mix". The raisins are more expensive, but I pay for it because the quality is above par. The only downside is that it's only open Thursday-Saturday, and closed by 6pm.
What i wouldn't do for bulk spices... or bulk herbs?!?! *sigh* if only.
@yetanotherLisa there are several places that sell in bulk in DC:
My Organic Market
the Takoma co-op
the Amish markets in Laurel and Upper Marlboro
and the other co-op outside DC near Brentwood Glut Food
I looked into this a bit when I was last at the grocery store and found the walnuts and almonds to be MUCH cheaper in bulk than in the packages--just the opposite of what NPR found. I forgot to check flour and rice, but will do that next time. I did notice, though, that the larger bags of flour (25 lbs.) were actually a bit more expensive than the smaller ones, which made no sense at all. I'm going to have to start paying a little more attention to the price per unit on the things I buy.
Thank you for this post--very helpful!
I usually come out ahead on bulk food vs packaged goods. I never want the packaging anyway and the prices are usually significantly better (even for nuts and dried fruit.) I also appreciate the variety.
Price is a factor in my purchasing, but excess packaging, freshness and, most of all, quality is paramount.
The price is easy to determine, with stores now posting per-ounce prices.
Excess packaging is usually obvious, too.
Less clear are freshness and quality.
As packages are sealed, and, often, the product is not visible, you can only go by the expiration date. Bulk sales, at least, give a clue to freshness and quality.
As said above, it's also important to avoid bulk foods easily "contaminate-able".
If the bulk product is not cooked, before consuming, there's a very real risk...