Benefits of Bulk Buying

Blog post written by Madeline Jurek, IUPUI Dietetic Intern

Pushing a full cart headed towards the grocery checkout line can be intimidating. We continue to see grocery prices rising due to inflation. One way to save money while grocery shopping is buying in bulk. Buying a large quantity of a food item at once rather than only purchasing one or two items when needed can save big bucks in the long run. Bulk buys can be beneficial for both large and small households. As with anything there are pros and cons to this art of grocery shopping. Fortunately, with a little planning, bulk buying can save you bulk money!  ​

Where to Start

The first thing that comes to mind when talking about buying in bulk is probably wholesale stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, and the like. The disadvantage to these stores is that you need to pay a membership fee to shop there. Stores like Walmart and Kroger offer some food items in bulk at great prices too. Paying attention to the “per unit/ounce” area on the price tag will show the money you’re saving when buying in bulk. ​

Image from www.mainesnap-ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Unit-Price-poster_revised-3.19.19_Page_1.png

​Other stores like Fresh Thyme have a bulk pantry section where you can self-serve the amount of a product you would like to purchase. Buying items like nuts, seeds, or oats, from this section is often cheaper than buying prepackaged items. Buying in bulk this way also helps out the environment by reducing the amount of plastic packaging waste. ​

Image from www.freshthyme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/bulk_3.jpg

Items to Buy in Bulk

Some popular items to purchase in bulk include:

• Onions
• Oats
• Beans
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Rice
• Frozen berries
• Nuts

These items are great choices to buy in bulk because they stay safe to eat for long periods of time. However, the most important part about this shopping strategy is planning! Only purchase items in bulk that you know you will use. If you or your household doesn’t love to eat rice, then do not add it to your bulk buy shopping list. One of the hidden dangers of buying foods in large quantities is food waste due to not eating the food before it goes bad. This will defeat the purpose of saving money because you will lose money in the food you’re tossing in the garbage can.  ​

​Other Benefits of Bulk Buying

• Less trips to the grocery store equals less money in gas 
• The environment will thank you! This shopping strategy reduces single use plastic and creates less pollution from gas miles  
• Meal prepping your vegetable or fruit bulk buys for the week can save you time cooking later, and time is money! ​​

Image from www.noracooks.com/nourish-bowl-vegan-meal-prep/

Bulk Ingredient Recipe Ideas

• Overnight Oats - Oats are a great source of complex fiber, meaning they are slow digesting. Because of this, they don’t spike your blood sugar and can keep you fuller for longer. Meal prepping overnight oats for breakfast for the week can save you time in the morning and ensure that you don’t skip breakfast! This very customizable recipe includes many bulk buy items including oats, frozen berries, peanut butter, and nuts.  ​
• Beef & Vegetable Stew - Carrots are known for being the vegetable for your eyes, and that is due to their high levels of vitamin A. Just a half cup of carrots provides 73% of your daily goal for vitamin A. Onions are a “nutrient dense” vegetable, meaning they are very high in vitamins and minerals but very low in calories. They pack a flavorful punch and can take a recipe to the next level. A variety of potatoes can be bought in bulk making it easy to add variety to your meals. Potatoes sometimes have a bad reputation, but they are high in potassium and fiber which can help reduce your chance of developing heart disease. This beef and vegetable stew recipe includes all three of these veggies and it is easy to make a big batch for your busy week ahead! 
• Rice and Beans - Rice and beans are two items that are already inexpensive, but even more so when bought in bulk. The combination of rice and beans is considered a “complete protein.” This means the two ingredients have all 9 of the essential amino acids needed in the human diet. This rice and bean recipe can be eaten by itself, or used as a base for salads, tacos, or burritos.  

​Things to Remember

Now that you’re well versed in buying in bulk, don’t forget to always start with planning. Be sure before you buy a bulk item that you’re prepared to use it all before it goes bad. Keep a couple of staple recipes in mind while shopping for your bulk buys. Ensure you have all other necessary ingredients for the recipes before starting to cook. If you need some new ideas, use the "Search by Ingredient" tool here on the NutritionHub website to find recipes that use your bulk ingredients! 
​  ​

Sources:

• https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/benefits-carrots
  
• ​​​https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-potatoes  
• https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/articles/when-buying-in-bulk-is-really-worth-it