I’m so used to mentioning buying in bulk, that I didn’t think about the fact that how to do it might be something some of you aren’t familiar with.

Most people look to co-op buying to buy in bulk, but I’ve never participated in a co-op.  Their prices are cheaper than health food stores, but they aren’t cheap.  At least all the ones I looked into were pricey.

Firstly, check your local ethnic stores – I get my rice in 20 lb bags at an Asian store.  I bought a case (24- 1 kilo bags) of buckwheat at the Russian store for much cheaper than I could get it in a health food store.  Things that are considered specialty items in health food stores are basic foods for their clienteles, and priced accordingly.  If you have an LDS storehouse near you, they have things like bulk wheat grains as well as other supplies.  I checked into them but they didn’t have what I needed when I needed it.  I used to buy directly from the bulk distributor that supplied the local health food stores, but then I found that Amish and Mennonite grocery stores carried the kind of things I wanted in bulk at prices that were pretty close to the huge distributor’s price.  It’s still quite a drive but it’s an hour closer, and when I go, I buy a lot.  So now that’s where I buy rolled/quick/steel cut oats, wheat, cornmeal, etc. 

I stock up on beans and other grains at the regular groceries when they have sales.  I don’t know why, but I’ve always found it cheaper to buy the 1 or 2 lb bags than any bulk sources I’ve been able to find.  I periodically look at prices for 50 lb bags, but they are just too expensive.  I prefer shopping like this anyway, because it allows me to buy a wide variety of beans, instead of a couple of huge bags.

I buy some veggies in bulk, too.  I once asked the manager of a local vegetable store if I could get a large bag (50 lb) of carrots, since it would be easier for me than bagging all of my own.  Not only did he say yes, but the price was half of what was listed.  I’ve done the same with some other veggies.

I buy chicken by the case from a local butcher.  A nice perk is that he delivers, so it’s very easy.  I call, he brings it, and all I have to do is stick it in the freezer.

I buy nuts and dried fruit from a store that sells mostly to resturants but sells their overruns at very cheap prices to the general public.  When I last went, I spent about $28, and got many, many pounds of peanuts and cashews (something like 70 lb, but I can’t remember the breakdown and don’t want to go look in the buckets to figure it out :o).  That’s a pretty typical trip for me.

Whenever something is being sold for a really good price, I buy a lot of it.  That’s usually at the standard grocery stores.  People regularly ask me if I’m making a party or comments like that when they look in my cart, because I always have an unusually large amount of something.  When I was at the nut store two weeks ago, the woman next to me said, “You’re either making a party or you work in a zoo.”  I told her neither, I just have a large family.  The argument could be made that having a large family is a cross between an ongoing party and living in a zoo, lol!

I constantly keep my eye open for new sources, and I periodically find them.  A couple of weeks ago I found the wholesale veggie distribution point for all the major and minor stores in the area – and they’ll sell direct to the public for a good price; you don’t even have to buy such large amounts.  I wouldn’t have found it if I hadn’t taken a few extra minutes to drive around (it was very intimidating looking, with dozens of loading docks and 18 wheelers loading up, no other regular buyers like me in sight) and ask if they would sell to me. 

It took time to find all the places I buy from now.  Google bulk distributors for your area, ask managers at local stores if they will sell to you in bulk (they will – when we were vegetarian I used to buy soy milk by the case from our big box supermarket – they ordered it just for me).  They almost always will, and often you’ll get a discount for doing so.  Don’t assume that if they’ll sell it bulk or discount, they’ll have it posted.  They don’t.  I regularly walk out of certain stores buying things at a price lower than everyone else buying the same stuff, because of the amounts and my willingness to just ask what the discount is when I buy x amount.

Have fun saving money and stocking your pantry!

Avivah