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. More

Do you shop at your nearest grocery store? If the answer is 'no' then welcome to the club! In a survey of 24,000 shoppers, almost half of them had a major gripe about their local grocery store—bothersome enough to make them travel further from their home for better prices, service, or selection. The survey, conducted by Consumer Reports, caused the magazine to rank 54 leading grocery store chains, including the likes of Walmart, Pathmark, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's. Results below: More

Few of us are new to grocery shopping, but sometimes you don't have time to plan a menu for the week or even to make a coherent list. Often we find ourselves standing in the grocery store, minutes ticking down, yet still unsure of what to cook. This is why you should always have a default grocery list in reserve — it will save you in such emergencies! More

I love technology, but I also love simplicity. As a compulsive list-maker, I've found the best of both in OurGroceries, a streamlined and sync-able list-making app. Just a few quick taps and I can move on to more delicious tasks — like cooking up all those groceries I just bought. More

Along with my wallet, cell phone and keys, the one item I always carry with me is a Baggu bag. In a world full of reusable bag choices, it is the one bag I've found that most effectively replaces a standard plastic bag. Whether you are facing a plastic bag ban or want to be a little greener, these sturdy, roomy, good-looking bags are a great buy. More

Many areas in the US are banning or at least taxing single use plastic bags and the practice is growing. Most people support these bans in spirit but can find it difficult to always remember their cloth bags when leaving the house. Or some times a spontaneous errand means you just don't have them with you. Do you live in an area where bags have been banned — or just seriously discouraged? What is your strategy for reducing your plastic bag use? More

Ever wondered why fruits and vegetables are wrapped in cellophane? Why cereal comes in cardboard boxes? Why soda bottles are sold in litres, not quarts? As a member of the National Museum of American History's Food and Wine History Team, food historian Cory Bernat spends her time pondering such things in an effort to better understand the connection between supermarkets and food consumption habits in the United States. More

It happens to the best of us. You head to the store, pick up something new and special, and then a week or two later you find it shoved behind the leftover pot pie and orange juice. But this sad, devastating moment could be eliminated with a simple shoe box. More

Winter vegetables can be delightful — squash, bitter greens (see how well they play together in Sara Kate's pasta with loads of yummy winter vegetables, a welcome recipe for winter cooking). But we are curious: Where do you shop for your fruits and vegetables in the cold months? Do you live in California, where you can have oranges and avocados all winter long? Or do you conscientiously eat only rutabaga and ice spinach three months out of the year?

My spice cupboard is a hodgepodge of little unmatched jars, some of them classic supermarket brands, some of them old anchovy jars, well-washed and filled with spices from the bulk department. A very eclectic mishmash of colors, sizes and shapes. Does this sound like your spice cupboard, or do you have a different approach? More