If you are considering bulk buying food or household items, you need this ultimate guide for the best healthy foods to buy in bulk, how to store your bulk purchases, and buying in bulk on a budget!
Buying in bulk is one of the fail-proof grocery tips that works consistently, time and time again. You get a lower price per unit of the item that you’re buying because you’re buying a larger amount at one time.
However, the biggest argument against buying in bulk is not being able to use it all up before it goes bad.
But what are the best healthy foods to start buying bulk? What items can I buy in bulk to save money that will last longer than a month or two?
How do I store my bulk purchases? And how do we budget to start buying food in bulk in the first place?
If you’ve asked any of these questions, you’re in the right place. Let’s dig into all things bulk buying!
WHAT IS CONSIDERED BUYING IN BULK?
A bulk purchase is anytime you buy enough of something to last at least a few months. I know there’s some ambiguity in that definition, and that’s because it varies from family to family.
- For a family of two who buys just one small jar of coconut oil every 2-3 months, buying four jars to last a year would be considered a bulk purchase.
- In a household of four that buys two 5lb bags of flour each month, buying 25 pounds of whole grain einkorn berries to last 2-3 months would be considered a bulk purchase.
- For a family of eight who buys six whole chickens a month, buying 30 whole chickens at one time to last five months would be considered a bulk purchase.
These are just made-up examples, of course, but you can see how buying in bulk can look different. There’s no right or wrong way to approach bulk buying, so just do what’s best for your family.
THE BEST HEALTHY FOOD TO BUY IN BULK
What are the best groceries for bulk buying? The next time you build your shopping list, consider making a bulk purchase. I recommend starting with one of the items listed below.
- Whole Grains. Think wheat, spelt, einkorn, etc. You’ll need a grain mill, but you’ll be amazed at how delicious freshly milled bulk flour is!
- Rice (brown or white). Dry rice is one of the cheapest items to buy in bulk, and it’s an easy addition to all sorts of meals!
- Beans and Lentils. Dried beans and lentils have a longer shelf life than canned varieties.
- Pasta. Pasta has a fairly long shelf life, and you can choose your favorite type to stock up on or grab a variety.
- Oats (all varieties). Whether you make Steel Cut Oats for breakfast or use old-fashioned oats in baking, you can buy this grain in bulk.
- Popcorn. A favorite easy snack, I always keep a mason jar of popcorn kernels in the pantry and refill it from my bulk storage.
- Meat. Store meat in sealed dinner-sized portions in the freezer, so it’s easy to thaw what you need for one meal. Consider using a subscription service like Butcher Box for quality meat delivery. Canned meat like tuna will have a long shelf life, too.
- Maple Syrup. Maple syrup will keep indefinitely if left unopened, so aim to buy a case of smaller glass jars, rather than one big jar.
- Honey. Unopened, honey will keep indefinitely. Once opened, its expected shelf life is about two years, so long as it is kept in a sealed container.
- Coconut Oil. Whether you use coconut oil for baking, frying, or even skincare, it’s a great shelf-stable option to keep around.
- Butter. Store butter in the freezer and thaw what you need in the fridge.
- Canned Fish. Similar to maple syrup, it would be easier and more practical to buy a case of smaller cans than one large can.
- Canned Tomatoes. Having cans of diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes on hand makes it easy to throw together a pot of Tomato Basil Soup or a big batch of Spaghetti Sauce.
- Vinegar. Another pantry staple with a variety of uses, in everything from salad dressing to homemade cleaning products to natural hair conditioner.
- Whole Peppercorns. Much cheaper than buying small containers of ground black pepper, and they last a long time!
- Ketchup and Mustard. Depending on how fast you go through condiments, your bulk purchase may be an extra bottle of each in the pantry, or a whole case!
- Frozen Vegetables. Like meat, store sealed in dinner-sized portions in the freezer.
- Dried Fruits. These make delicious snacks on their own, or add them to Trail Mix, Muffins, or Oatmeal. Make sure to store in airtight containers so that they don’t get hard or develop a weird texture.
- Nuts in a Shell. Don’t forget the nutcracker if you don’t have one!
- Sugar. No matter where you are in the process of quitting sugar, chances are you still use some sort of granulated sweetener. Some have longer shelf lives than others, so consider how much you’ll use before it expires.
- Salt. One of the staples for cooking and baking, stock up on a good salt with no microplastics. It’s a sneaky toxin that may be in your everyday salt, and thus your everyday food (um, gross). I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because their salt is FREE of microplastics, and it tastes delicious! (PLUS, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt – just pay shipping and handling!)
LONGER-TERM FOOD STORAGE WHEN BUYING IN BULK
As you make your bulk buying plans, you need to consider where you’ll keep the food that you’re purchasing.
- What type of containers should you use? Glass is always best since chemicals won’t leak into your food, and it’s your most frugal option if you already have it on hand.
- Always use airtight containers. Think lids with seals, not chip clips or rubber bands, or paper clips. Keeping moisture and air out is vital to keeping your food fresh and pest-free while in storage.
- Make sure to label everything! Some items look similar, so it’s good to clearly note what’s in each jar or container.
SMALL STORAGE
Mason jars or reclaimed glass jars (that once held spaghetti sauce or peanut butter) are perfect for storing smaller amounts of food. Even if you have to use several jars for the same item, they are still your most frugal option. Use this method for removing the label from a glass jar if needed.
MEDIUM STORAGE
- If you use one particular item fairly often in the kitchen, want to have plenty on hand, and don’t have space for tons of jars, you can invest in a few half-gallon glass jars.
- For items that you REALLY use a lot of, like whole grains if you mill flour every week, a gallon glass jar would be a worthwhile investment. A good example of this for my family would be oats.
LARGE STORAGE
- When you buy larger quantities of food, like 10+ pounds, you’ll want to invest in food-grade storage containers. These 5-gallon buckets and lids are BPA-free and have a really tight seal. So much so that a lid opener is recommended.
- Check restaurant supply stores for larger containers at better prices. If you have a restaurant supply store in your area, they’ll have larger food-safe storage containers at lower prices than you may find elsewhere.
Note: Just to give you an idea, a 5-gallon bucket will hold about 37 pounds of whole wheat berries.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON STORAGE CONTAINERS WHEN YOU BUY IN BULK
The cost of containers themselves can add up, so one way you can trim that is by purchasing food that comes in a suitable storage container.
- For glass jars, half-gallon and gallon jars of pickles are available at Walmart, and you can reuse those jars. To get the pickle taste out of the jar, fill it with a couple of drops of dish soap and hot water. Tighten the lid and turn it upside down. Let it sit on the counter for 2-3 days and wash it out.
- For 5+ gallon buckets, make an initial bulk purchase that includes the storage container and simply refill from there. If the price is better WITH the storage container, continue to buy that one and repurpose the old bucket for items that don’t ordinarily come with bulk-storage-friendly packaging.
MORE BULK BUYING TIPS
- Store your bulk buys in a way that makes sense. I wouldn’t store a bunch of 5-gallon buckets in the pantry. Instead, keep them in the basement or even in a closet. Keep a smaller container in the pantry for daily use and refill as needed.
- Write instructions on the jars. Write the basic preparation recipe on the glass jar before you throw the package away.
- Split a bulk order with a friend. If you want to get a better deal on a grocery item but aren’t sure you’ll be able to use it all in time, split the bulk order with a friend or family member who also uses the same item. You’ll both save time and money!
- Only buy in bulk if you know you like it. What’s worse than being disappointed by a new brand of something? Being disappointed by the product and having 9 more of them to eat! Wait to buy in bulk until you know for sure you like an item.
- Check the prices and only buy in bulk if the price is truly better. Don’t assume that buying bulk will always be the lower cost. Be sure to compare prices! I use my price book to cross-reference price points from my local grocery store and online stores like Amazon. Wholesale prices are usually better, but not always.
- Remember to rotate your bulk buys. If you buy more of an item before you’re completely out of what you have, make sure to rotate your bulk purchase, so that you use the older items first before digging into the newer items.
NON-FOOD BULK BUYS
The same bulk buying tips above apply to non-food items too. Some of my favorite household items to stock up on include:
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Trash bags
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Cleaning supplies
- Freezer bags
- Plastic wrap
- Aluminum foil
- Parchment paper
- Diapers and baby wipes (if you’re in the season where you need them)
HOW TO BUDGET FOR BUYING FOOD IN BULK
We’ve talked about which items to start with when buying food in bulk, and how to store them, but what about finding the money to make those bulk purchases in the first place? Here are 5 ways to budget for buying food in bulk.
5 WAYS TO BUDGET FOR BULK PURCHASES
- Pull the money directly out of your grocery budget.
- Borrow from your future grocery budget and pay yourself back each month.
- Pull money out of your grocery budget beforehand and set it aside so that you are slowly accumulating savings.
- Save up and set money aside from other sources.
- Pay for it up front from a different budget account.
1. PULL THE MONEY OUT OF YOUR GROCERY BUDGET WHEN YOU NEED IT.
The first method is to simply pull the money out of the grocery budget when you’re ready to make the purchase.
For example, if your monthly grocery budget is $500 and you want to spend $200 to buy a quarter of a cow, you’d pull it out of the $500 and then have just $300 left for the rest of the month.
- Pros: You don’t need to plan for it in advance.
- Cons: You’re losing a large chunk of your monthly budget.
This method does make for less money to be available for the rest of the month, but there are ways to get around this:
Make “rice and beans” meals for a week.
Let me start by saying this: “rice and bean meals” does not literally mean rice and beans every night (although my family LOVES our Rice and Beans Dinner!).
I’m talking about meals that are plain, simple, and cheap. Meals like simple spaghetti, grilled cheese on homemade bread that costs just 25¢ per loaf. Your goal is to spend just $1-2 for the entire meal. Over the course of a week, you’re spending roughly $15 on groceries rather than upwards of $100+.
Have a pantry challenge.
A pantry challenge is when you set aside a certain number of days when you DON’T go grocery shopping. This can be fun, and it will certainly save you a lot of money!
We did this once and ended up going 33 days without spending any money. Imagine having your ENTIRE grocery budget available for you, to spend on whatever you want!
Skip a fast food meal or two cups of coffee.
If your food budget includes treats like eating out or specialty coffee, skip those and use the money for buying in bulk instead!
2. BORROW FROM YOUR FUTURE GROCERY BUDGET AND PAY YOURSELF BACK EACH MONTH.
This second method of budgeting for a bulk purchase is to “borrow” from your grocery budget now and intentionally pay yourself back from the grocery budget for a certain number of months.
For example, if your monthly grocery budget is $500 and you want to spend $400 on a CSA for eight months, I would “borrow” $400 from my grocery budget now, pulling the money from somewhere else, and reduce my grocery budget by $50 for the next eight months to pay myself back.
You could adjust the terms of this, too, if you want, and reduce your budget by $100 each month to pay yourself back quicker.
- Pros: You don’t have to borrow from another pot of money long-term.
- Cons: This requires that you already have the money available to spend, and it means you have less money to spend for the rest of each month until you’ve paid yourself back.
It might not be a big deal to have less money to spend the rest of the month with this method, depending on what you’re buying in bulk. I used a CSA subscription as an example, which means I’m not having to buy much produce for the next several months, if any at all.
So having my budget lower may not even have an impact. It all depends on what you’re buying in bulk.
3. PULL THE MONEY OUT OF YOUR GROCERY BUDGET BEFOREHAND.
This method is similar to method #2, except you’re pulling the money out of your grocery budget BEFORE the purchase, instead of AFTER the purchase.
For example, let’s say you buy 24 chickens every six months. You know to plan for that bulk purchase twice a year, so each month, you set aside $40 from your grocery budget to go towards that purchase.
- Pros: You don’t have to borrow from another pot of money, and you don’t need to pay yourself back.
- Cons: It means having less money to spend each month.
Similar to method #2, it might not be a big deal to have less money to spend the rest of the month. After all, once you purchase those chickens, you don’t need to buy chicken each month!
However, this would require some sacrifices to make that very first purchase. You can use the “rice and beans” meals or the pantry challenge or the skip eating out ideas mentioned above, or you can perhaps lower the amount you’re taking from the budget and spend a longer time saving up front.
4. PULL THE MONEY OUT OF A DIFFERENT POT EACH MONTH.
This method doesn’t affect your grocery budget, because you’re pulling money from a different source entirely.
For example, let’s say you have a “fun money” account that you use when you want a fancy coffee or to go to a movie or when you want a new pair of shoes. If you don’t use the entire pot, or perhaps don’t use the pot of money at all, you can use this towards buying a bulk purchase.
- Pros: It doesn’t affect your grocery budget.
- Cons: This affects your household budget and may have a domino effect of consequences. Also, the amount you save is unpredictable.
I really like this method personally, because it maximizes the use of money you had already set aside to spend. It also “rewards” you for working hard and practicing restraint in terms of NOT spending all the money in that account.
However, if you’re only saving the scraps leftover from that account, it may take a long time to reach your savings goal.
You can be creative with this method, too. After my second child was born, I picked up a part-time job teaching college. My husband and I dedicated all of my paychecks towards savings. You could do something along the same lines!
Remember, it doesn’t have to be the WHOLE paycheck. It could be just one paycheck, or even just part of one. But rather, it’s the idea of “extra” money coming in that you don’t NEED to meet your monthly needs, and putting that aside instead of spending it on “wants.”
5. PULL THE MONEY OUT OF A DIFFERENT POT OF MONEY AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.
This last method is similar to method #4, but instead of pulling it out of a different pot of money each month, you pull it out of the household budget the month you make the purchase.
This may mean pulling it from what you would ordinarily put into the savings account, or what you would normally set aside towards a new car.
- Pros: It doesn’t affect your grocery budget, and there’s no requirement to pay yourself back.
- Cons: It reduces the balance in whatever pot of money you pulled from.
I have mixed feelings about this method, because I really don’t like the idea of NOT putting money into the accounts you’ve already deemed worth saving for. At the same time, I do like the idea of paying for the bulk purchase up front without having to worry about paying yourself back.
BUYING IN BULK FOOD FAQS
How does buying in bulk work?
When you buy in bulk, you’re paying a lower price per unit of whatever item you’re purchasing, because you’re buying more of the item at once. For example, instead of paying $0.89 for 1 pound of rice, you may be able to buy 10 pounds for $6.50, which would equal only $0.65 per pound.
What stores can you start buying in bulk food products?
There are many warehouse stores like Sam’s Club, but my favorite supplier for bulk buying items is Costco. You’ll need to figure out if Costco membership fees are worth the cost for you.
What should I not buy in bulk?
Some things that shouldn’t be bought in bulk at the grocery store are bread, fresh produce, cleaning products that will not be used within a year, and anything you won’t be able to freeze or eat before it goes bad. If you end up throwing it out, it’s a waste of money!
What are the pros and cons of buying in bulk?
The pros: save money with low prices, less packaging, and stock up on things you need. The cons: making sure the bulk price is a better deal, could result in wasting food and, therefore, wasting money.
MORE WAYS TO SAVE ON HEALTHY FOOD
- Creating a Price Book
- How Much Should I Spend on Groceries?
- 12 Simple Ways to Avoid Food Waste
- How to Eat the Whole30 on a Budget
- 25 Food Substitutions That Will Save You Money
- How to Afford Organic Food
I got a paint can opener at Lowe’s. Same but cheaper than buying the actual
bucket lid opener. Think I will be vacuum. sealing my nuts in jars. Hearing they stay fresh longer. also do the same with popcorn. Can also grind it for cornmeal. You can also can ghee. It’s shelf stable for a while. I will be dehydrating beans and rice and vacuum seal for quick meals or making refried beans if I can’t fins the in the future. I have reused and water bath canned homemade jelly. Yes they do seal great.Dehydrate chopped onions, bell peppers, cabbage and vacuum seal for winter when prices go up. Did sour cream in dehydrator. Worked great and vacuum sealed. Just trying to have things on hand in case of storms or winter weather. Too bad to get what I need. My mom was very frugal. Loved she taught me practical things. Comes in handy either someone sick, weather ,Layoffs.
We love the quality and value from Azure Co-op, if you have a pick-up site near you. I get chicken feed, bulk wheat and spelt berries, bulk bags of rolled oats, salt, spices, oil, honey, frozen fruit etc. And I love to bulk shop at Butcher Box and get 2 months of meat at a time. All that good quality meat in the chest freezer means we really should invest in a backup generator in case of a really bad power outage though…
The other item you should buy in bulk if you have a local Co op or spice and tea shop, is spices and tea. I do it for the opposite reason, they die after a year, and you should aim for fresh spices. Unless it’s something you use a lot of, Costco may not be your best buy, except maybe vanilla or expensive spices like saffron.
In our state WA, we can take in our own jars so we save that waste.
There is a locally owned health food store in our town. If you are willing to take a full bag (usually 40-50 pounds) of any bulk dried foods, they’ll order it for you at 10% over cost. Last time I bought steel cut oats it cost $42 for 40 pounds. AND the oats were grown less than 100 miles from home. Any store that sells in bulk might be willing to do this for you.
Another idea, if you have an Asian Market in your area you can get things there much cheaper than at a regular supermarket. We eat a lot of shrimp ( we like the jumbo raw shrimp) if you buy it at the regular market it’s around $8 a pound but at the Asian Market its only $4 in our area. So we can buy twice (bulk shopping) as much for the same price as the supermarket. There are several other things that we buy there that cost 1/2 of the regular supermarket.
Plus Sprouts….if you have one in your area you can get fab deals on bulk items like oats for $.99 cents a pound. So much cheaper than the supermarket. Coffee in bulk is the same way there. They have a ton of types of coffee also for a fraction of the cost of the supermarket.
We also have an Amish market that we shop at and they have things that you can buy in bulk. It is a little more than what Sprouts charges but we are big on “Shop Local”.
We have gotten creative with our shopping to keep the budget in check. Also to keep the pantry stocked up for those months that we know there is absolutely no wiggle room in the budget.
I buy organic wheat berries, oats, rice and other staples in bulk from Bread Beckers. I replace the lids with gamma seal ones for ease of opening. We have a decent pantry that holds them. If you have a Bread Becker coop drop near you they have great products and orders are delivered 3X a year. We also buy local produce when in season like corn, roast cut off cob and freeze for soups and such in the winter. We have limited shopping in our local area as far as stores so bulk buying has been great for us.
That’s a great tip Robin! Bread Beckers is actually local for me, so I’ll have to include them as I update my price book this year. Do you get the produce from the co-op too? Or just in bulk seasonally?
What is the best container to freeze meat?
Hi Temberly! I use plastic storage bags in my home for various storage items that don’t fit well in a container. I wash them and re-use them, so to store meat, I use a bag that’s already been used once for something else. I don’t reuse the bags that stored meat.
Living in the country, I’ve always kept a pantry and I love buying in bulk. Nuts (stored in freezer), flours, grains, sugar, chocolate chips, coconut oil, palm oil, EVOO, canned goods by the case, mega meat sales for bacon & fish. Recently I purchased a gallon can of tomato paste. I know! Whatever for??? Because in the winter I go through alot and I dislike having all those small cans to haul to the recycle bins. I scooped out tablespoons of the paste and flash froze it on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Now I have them stored in freezer bags & jars in the freezer and no more messy cans to wash and dispose of.
I love this Kay – thanks for sharing!
Great thanks, I’ll check my Costco for these items. I”m also really trying to reduce my packaging waste!
I’ve been wanting to get more into buying bulk thank you for this article. I’m not sure where I could find bulk canned tomatoes/vinegar/ketchup/mustard and I’m also not sure how I would store them for long term use??? We are a family of 4 so it take some time to work through large quantities. I live in a large metro area and have Whole Foods in the area.
Do you have a Costco or Sam’s Club Dawn? They sell bulk of most of these items. Once I’ve opened tomatoes, I either plan to use them up (so pizza + soup + spaghetti sauce on the menu in the same week) OR I’ll freeze what’s leftover. Most often, it’s a combination of the two. Vinegar-based items are usually fine in the fridge merely because of their high vinegar content!
Restaurant supply stores are good, too
An alternate idea for storing 5 gallon buckets….we don’t have a basement and our garage is Texas-summer hot. Closets are full of the stuff that should be in closets.
Our kitchen has a tiny table for our family of 5. Because there isn’t enough room for chairs around this table, I built benches (banquet style) for the two sides in the corner. The benches are 24 inches deep and sized lengthwise for the space. The seat portion lifts up (no hinge needed) and allows for storage of 5 gallon buckets underneath. We have flour, whole unground wheat, beans, sugar, oats, pasta and popcorn in the bins. I don’t need to have a separate container in the cabinets because it is so easy to get to. We prefer the Gamma Lids that twist off easily. (We got ours from Azure, but they are also available on Amazon.)
Wow! Love the resourcefulness here Kathleen! Kudos for making a system that works for you!!
This is awesome! Thanks for posting.