buying in bulk
With economy the way it is Costco has been packed every time I go. The employees were sharing with me that they have never had so many people there ALL the time, usually only during the holidays, but more and more people are starting to buy in bulk to save a buck.
Do you buy in bulk? If so, what? Lets share to give each other some ideas on how to get smart with our shopping during this crazy time and as the holidays approach.
Do you buy in bulk? If so, what? Lets share to give each other some ideas on how to get smart with our shopping during this crazy time and as the holidays approach.
Tags: bulk, buying, deal, economy, in, saving
Views: 6
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tamara on -
We buy in bulk when ever we can. we live away from town and with 6 of us it is a necessity.
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Permalink Reply by Willowbottom on -
Consistently, this is what I buy in bulk (other than the usual dry goods, which is probably pretty standard for all):
- Rice (brown and white, generally keeping 10-15 lbs on hand)
- Beans (5-8 lbs)
- Pasta (5-8 lbs)
- Soy and/or rice milk (they don't need to be refrigerated so they go into the garage and are great fill-ins when we run out of cow milk)
- Flour (25 lb bag; put what I need into the kitchen container, store the rest in the chest freezer in the garage)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Olive and vegetable oil
- Herbs and spices
- Cheese (this is the only non-perishable we buy in bulk; we split the bags of shredded cheese and freeze it in halves or quarters)
I do not buy snack foods in bulk because I try to avoid family consumption of these items anyway. I don't tend to buy canned foods in bulk because of the different reports I hear about chemicals in the manufacturing process that may leech into the food over a period of time if not used -- plus I happily can my own when I have the produce to do so and most of the CostCo stuff has ingredients I don't care for (added sugar, salt, preservatives).
In general, although we have a small family of only four (and they're little ones), I bake/cook using full recipes and then freeze or jar/can the remainder so that we only use what we need and we have plenty for later. It also makes for good gifts and for "quickie" meals when we're beat after long days at work and need to just throw something into the microwave or oven.
As far as quick and cheap meals are concerned -- my faves are anything using pasta or rice.
Pasta - boil some up quickly, add a little olive oil and some of those CostCo herbs, and you have dinner!
Rice - cook as many cups as you want. Use what you must and then put into freezer storage bags the remainder (we put it into 1 or 2 cup portions). To thaw, just drop into a bowl of faucet-hot water or toss into the microwave for 30-second increments until you can get it out, then transfer to dish to warm the rest of the way. Add in beans, corn, cheese, salsa (some chicken strips!) for a delicious Mexican style bowl.
Potatoes - boil and mash. Put into freezer bags whatever is unused. To thaw, do so at room temperature or in a bowl of faucet-hot water.
Veggies - Take fresh veggies (any kind), put in a bowl with 1" or so of water and cover with a paper towel or lid. Cook in microwave for 3-5 minutes to "steam" to desired level of tenderness.
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Permalink Reply by HeidiWF on -
May I add a reply that we don't buy in bulk? There are only four of us with not much storage space, so it doesn't make sense. We do buy diapers by the box, and twelve packs of paper towels and toilet paper from our local stores. I find that when I get around too many "bargains" I over-shop, therefore eliminating the money-saving aspect :) Also, we order food from Fresh Direct so we can spend less time shopping and more quality time with little ones.
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Permalink Reply by maryanne on -
I do almost all my shopping at Costco. I only have two young toddlers,. so sometimes the fruits and veggies are sold in such large quantities that I buy at my local grocery store instead. I love the frozen produce, though!
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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on -
I did buy in bulk at the local Sam's Club when my son was still totally in diapers. We bought the bulk diapers and formula. We actually bought the generic formula because my son didn't have any special diet and the dr. said it was the same exact thing as the brand name. We don't so much now. Since discovering Aldi I buy their produce on sale now...cut it up and freeze it myself. We're cutting back on the paper towel usage by keeping dish towels hanging on the stove.
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Permalink Reply by oshun55 on -
I LOVE Costco. I joined 5 years ago in Los Angeles, and it was always crowded. Not that I live in Atlanta, I notice it's just as busy despite other wholesale clubs such as Sams and BJs. Personally I prefer Costco to all of the others. Nothing beats stocking up on pantry and household staples for a sense of homey security.
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Permalink Reply by oshun55 on
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Here, here. Bags of rice, although I do wish they had the organic brown rice in the big bags. The double bags of Quaker Oats granola is a steal at 8 bucks. Stock up on turkey bacon, just throw the packages in the freezer, salmon burgers. They have a great organic mix of frozen veggies, which I usually don't but (prefer fresh) but this saves so much time when cooking.
Willowbottom said:Consistently, this is what I buy in bulk (other than the usual dry goods, which is probably pretty standard for all):
- Rice (brown and white, generally keeping 10-15 lbs on hand)
- Beans (5-8 lbs)
- Pasta (5-8 lbs)
- Soy and/or rice milk (they don't need to be refrigerated so they go into the garage and are great fill-ins when we run out of cow milk)
- Flour (25 lb bag; put what I need into the kitchen container, store the rest in the chest freezer in the garage)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Olive and vegetable oil
- Herbs and spices
- Cheese (this is the only non-perishable we buy in bulk; we split the bags of shredded cheese and freeze it in halves or quarters)
I do not buy snack foods in bulk because I try to avoid family consumption of these items anyway. I don't tend to buy canned foods in bulk because of the different reports I hear about chemicals in the manufacturing process that may leech into the food over a period of time if not used -- plus I happily can my own when I have the produce to do so and most of the CostCo stuff has ingredients I don't care for (added sugar, salt, preservatives).
In general, although we have a small family of only four (and they're little ones), I bake/cook using full recipes and then freeze or jar/can the remainder so that we only use what we need and we have plenty for later. It also makes for good gifts and for "quickie" meals when we're beat after long days at work and need to just throw something into the microwave or oven.
As far as quick and cheap meals are concerned -- my faves are anything using pasta or rice.
Pasta - boil some up quickly, add a little olive oil and some of those CostCo herbs, and you have dinner!
Rice - cook as many cups as you want. Use what you must and then put into freezer storage bags the remainder (we put it into 1 or 2 cup portions). To thaw, just drop into a bowl of faucet-hot water or toss into the microwave for 30-second increments until you can get it out, then transfer to dish to warm the rest of the way. Add in beans, corn, cheese, salsa (some chicken strips!) for a delicious Mexican style bowl.
Potatoes - boil and mash. Put into freezer bags whatever is unused. To thaw, do so at room temperature or in a bowl of faucet-hot water.
Veggies - Take fresh veggies (any kind), put in a bowl with 1" or so of water and cover with a paper towel or lid. Cook in microwave for 3-5 minutes to "steam" to desired level of tenderness.
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Permalink Reply by Holly on -
I am a Costco-aholic! ;) My friends tease me about how much I shop there! I especially buy my non-perishable in bulk, regardless if it's from Costco or the regular store (yes, sometimes TP is cheaper on sale at Target or other stores. I also buy my meat in bulk because, well, isn't that why we have freezers? And since I am already at the store, I pick up whatever perishable it makes since to buy in bulk (i.e. milk, eggs, fruits, veggies). That way I save gas and time by not having to go to another store.
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Permalink Reply by Jamie on -
I always buy paper goods in Bulk- as well as some canned goods. I also get Wash Detergent and other household cleaning supplies there as well. The spray and wash is the best there!!
Sometimes it is better to get at the grocery store. But for the most part, Capri Sun's and Wipes as well as Snacks are just easier to buy at Costco or Sams.
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