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Storage and Usage Tips When Buying in Bulk
Catching the sales and buying in bulk can save money as long as you don’t let items go to waste. What do you buy in bulk and how do you manage your inventory of bargains? Do you have special tips for storing and using your bulk items? |
I use a write and wipe board near my freezer (actually, mine is magnetic and it sticks to it!) and I keep an inventory of everything that goes in and comes out.
I use a vacuum sealer and repackage items like large bags of rice, beans, pasta. When meats are on sale I repackage in freezer bags. And there's always old fashioned canning for bushels of produce from the farmers market. Everything is labled and dated and rotated so that the oldest items are used first.
I USE PLASTIC SHOE BOXES FOR BULK DRY GOODS (GRANOLA BARS, SINGLE PKS OF GRITS, OATMEAL) & LABEL & DATE THEM. (STACKABLE) I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE A GARAGE ( I HAVE A SMALL KITCHEN), CRACKER BARREL WAS THROWING AWAY THEIR HEAVY DUTY METAL (5) SHELVES-- I SNAGGED ONE FOR THIS PURPOSE: BULK CAN GOODS, LAUNDRY SOAP (BOY, WHAT A SALE @ TARGET - (ENDS 10/31)TIDE -150 OZ @$19-THIS SALE GIVES YOU $5 OFF FOR 2 OF THESE. THE GOING PRICE HERE IS $22 BEFORE TAX. BULK BOTTLES OF JUICE, BOTTLE WATER, ETC...
I'm single so everything I buy has to be broken down so I don't throw food away anymore and money out the window.For meats, I wrap individual portions in saran wrap first, then heavy duty foil, then a freezer bag and I keep the label w/weight, date, etc and place visible thru freezer bag. The saran is easier to remove than foil when moistened w/a little water. No pieces of foil left behind to pick out. For lunchmeats (soak up w/paper towel first any excess moisture) I follow same procedure except the saran wrap is replaced w/wax paper between individual portions and then wrapped together (it absorbs the moisture and keeps fresher longer wherein the saran wrap traps the moisture and doesn't keep the flavor as long).
I date the canned goods and make sure we use them in order. We also date the frozen food. This system seems to work best for my family
The best way to not let food go bad is having a teenage boy in the house. We buy in bulk and never have things go bad. He and his friends eat it up! Gotta love those teenage boys... eat and eat and never get fat!
I buy tomato paste/sauce in gallon cans and seal it in bags to freeze. I spend $3.00 for about the same amount of $8.00 in small cans. Beans and rice go in canning jars on the pantry shelf. I never buy a package of 10-bean soup - just grab some from each jar.
- Julie said:
I use a write and wipe board near my freezer (actually, mine is magnetic and it sticks to it!) and I keep an inventory of everything that goes in and comes out.
- K said:
I USE PLASTIC SHOE BOXES FOR BULK DRY GOODS (GRANOLA BARS, SINGLE PKS OF GRITS, OATMEAL) & LABEL & DATE THEM. (STACKABLE) I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE A GARAGE ( I HAVE A SMALL KITCHEN), CRACKER BARREL WAS THROWING AWAY THEIR HEAVY DUTY METAL (5) SHELVES-- I SNAGGED ONE FOR THIS PURPOSE: BULK CAN GOODS, LAUNDRY SOAP (BOY, WHAT A SALE @ TARGET - (ENDS 10/31)TIDE -150 OZ @$19-THIS SALE GIVES YOU $5 OFF FOR 2 OF THESE. THE GOING PRICE HERE IS $22 BEFORE TAX. BULK BOTTLES OF JUICE, BOTTLE WATER, ETC...
I love to have a stash of groceries. I started couponing and love it. I went straight to Ikea and bought the glass jars and the slim plastic containers. The are full of cereal, granola bars etc. It's a great feeling to have extra food on hand .
Since it's just me and my son, I tend to share the bulk packages with someone. I have a small refrigerator/freezer, so I'll only buy fresh meats & produce if I know I can share or we will eat it fast. (Strawberries are no problem, but 10 lb of meat might be! :) I will often split produce with my grandmother, or share bulk paper goods with my aunt & uncle. Of course, I love to go to Costco when shopping for a party! It's easy to get most everything for much less than grocery stores and party stores.
I buy the large spices at Costco and divide them into small freezer containers and freeze. They stay fresh and the savings is terrific.
I started buying some of my grains like steel cut oats, quinoa, millet, and amaranth from Whole Foods in their dry goods section and I store the grains in old glass jars like salsa jars in the fridge. I don't really buy the stuff in bulk but just unpackaged which is cheaper and better for the environment. And even if I wanted to buy it packaged, I just don't see those types of grains in my regular grocery store.
- Galen said:
I use a vacuum sealer and repackage items like large bags of rice, beans, pasta. When meats are on sale I repackage in freezer bags. And theres always old fashioned canning for bushels of produce from the farmers market. Everything is labled and dated and rotated so that the oldest items are used first.
I use a vacuum sealer, too. The freezer bags didn't keep air out and the meat was freezer burned in less than a month. The sealer will pay for itself with the first usage, because you don't have to throw anything away any more. And, they just aren't that expensive if you get them from Target or WalMart. I am not a Costco member (am thinking of joining Sam's since that's the only one close to my small town), so I don't know whether you can get them there or not. Best Christmas gift my hubby ever gave me! (Well, that and my Cuisinart!)
Years ago I cleaned out my linen closet of all linens. Now I keep the spare sets of sheets in the bedrooms they belong in and bought a small chest for the towels in the bathroom. Soooo I've got a whole linen closet I use to store all those items I buy in bulk when they are on sale. My husband calls it my "store" but I have to tell you that most of the stuff in there I got for free with coupons and store sales. I rarely if ever run out of anything. Judy
I find that buying in bulk is not always the better deal ; for example 20 rolls of scott toilet paper maybe $15.99 at the bulk buying warehouses and at Shoprite it can be on sale for $9.99; you really have to know the prices of the products you use; I also write a grocery list for the whole entire month each month as a way of not running out of things and I keep my grocery receipts for the whole month. Anthother example honey nut cheerios 30 oz box or larger may go for $6.99; at Shoprite buy 3 10 oz boxes or larger for 3/$5.00 use manufacture coupons and get the boxes for free; or a small balance may be due. So you can see why I am not really sold of Coscos, Sams Club, BJs and etc. Thank you,G. Sanders, Philadelphia
I've recently began stockpiling certain items when they are on sale. I combine the sales with my coupons. I stockpile detergent, soap and pasta. My list is growing. At this point, I have not purchased soap or dish detergent for the last three months. In terms of cost, I think that I have saved more by not going o a Costco or Sams Club to buy in bulk. Whenever I get down to the final two items, I stockpile that item again.
Actually I keep airtight rubbermade containers for bulk items like flour, rice. cereal etc
- Genelle said:
I find that buying in bulk is not always the better deal ; for example 20 rolls of scott toilet paper maybe $15.99 at the bulk buying warehouses and at Shoprite it can be on sale for $9.99; you really have to know the prices of the products you use; I also write a grocery list for the whole entire month each month as a way of not running out of things and I keep my grocery receipts for the whole month. Anthother example honey nut cheerios 30 oz box or larger may go for $6.99; at Shoprite buy 3 10 oz boxes or larger for 3/$5.00 use manufacture coupons and get the boxes for free; or a small balance may be due. So you can see why I am not really sold of Coscos, Sams Club, BJs and etc. Thank you,G. Sanders, Philadelphia
Yeah- I look about a week or two- before I need the twa paper.... I have never had a problem....
- Linda said:
- Genelle said:
I find that buying in bulk is not always the better deal ; for example 20 rolls of scott toilet paper maybe $15.99 at the bulk buying warehouses and at Shoprite it can be on sale for $9.99; you really have to know the prices of the products you use; I also write a grocery list for the whole entire month each month as a way of not running out of things and I keep my grocery receipts for the whole month. Anthother example honey nut cheerios 30 oz box or larger may go for $6.99; at Shoprite buy 3 10 oz boxes or larger for 3/$5.00 use manufacture coupons and get the boxes for free; or a small balance may be due. So you can see why I am not really sold of Coscos, Sams Club, BJs and etc. Thank you,G. Sanders, Philadelphia
Yeah- I look about a week or two- before I need the twa paper.... I have never had a problem....
- Genelle said:
and when you meed fresh produce, like potatoe's, onion,s ( tie them seperate one-each, with a knot in a panty hose- the last alot longer- make sure the potaoe's have no green bud's on them...
Your BEST saving's is to buy a "Family pack" of any kind of meat/poultery-when you get home- divie it up in freeezer bag's/meal-suck out the air/bag- it will last in your freezer for quite awhile...
When I am presented with several brands and sizes for a product, I do the following: 1) check for any sales price, 2) check for any coupons I have, 3) based on sales price and coupons, calculate which brand and size has the lower per unit price. Sometimes, the printed per unit price is correct and sometimes it's not. My husband turned an extra coat closet into a pantry by putting up some Rubbermaid metal shelves.P.S. My Kroger takes coupon that are one or two days past their expiration date. It never hurts to try and the sales clerks never check the date :)
About a year ago I shopped to stock up on groceries and sundries. I spent several hundred dollars to do this but it was always something I wanted to do. The sundries are stored in cedar cabinets in my basement. To keep track of everything I created a simple excel program that is set up according to my grocery store isles. I have the name of item or food product and the quantity I have. As I use things, I change the quantity on my list. I have several lists's with no quantities that I use for grocery shopping. I simply go according to the excel list and replace what was used.
Since my husband is a chef, he keeps inventory on the food and I take inventory on everything else in the house. Our stockpile of food lasts us about a couple of months. We use the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Kit (V3840). It works wonders!
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