Fighting Food Inflation - Buying In Bulk

Left - 1kg plastic bag of oats from chain grocer. 
Right - 20 kg paper bag of oats from food buying group.

Trying to save money on rapidly inflating food prices? Buying in bulk may be the way to go, if you are able.

I like to buy big amounts of foods in sizes that are not available in any of the stores in our small town. 

Buying the smaller sizes they stock means having to purchase multiple units, or visit the stores more often, and I don't want to do either of these.

Usually smaller sizes cost more, too (but not always).

For example, we used to buy non-organic old fashioned rolled oats from the chain grocer. They were only available in 1 kg plastic bags. 

I didn't like the packaging, and the oats cost .40/100 gm.

When we joined a local food buying club we were able to purchase basic foods in larger amounts. 

This collective action shows the benefits of cooperating with neighbours to leverage your purchasing power.

Most wholesalers have minimum order limits that make it difficult for individuals to take advantage of lower prices. Grouping together overcomes this problem.

Now we buy our oats (which are locally grown and organic) in 20 kilogram bags. They are the biggest bags of oats I have ever seen, and I love them.

These oats come in a giant heavy paper bag. So much better than having to buy 20 small plastic bags of oats in the store and having to recycle all of them. 

And as we are finding out, "recycling" often means "landfilling" when it comes to plastic waste.

Buying in bulk has also been good for our pocketbook. 

The big beautiful bag means we are now paying only .33/100 gm for our wholesale organic oats.

Less cost, better packaging, and handier than stockpiling small bags or having to make repeat visits to the grocery store. 

The organic whole grain wheat flour we buy through our food buying group is equally as awesome. It comes in giant 25 kg paper bags, and the contents are sourced and milled locally. 

It costs us .29/100 gm vs .40/100 gm for fake non-organic "whole wheat flour" from the store which can only be bought in 5kg bags.

Who knows where the store flour is grown, or milled, or what is actually in it? They don't say.

Buying in bulk does not always cost less, so we always compare prices first, but it usually is a cost saving. 

If you can, try joining a local food buying club or coop as they can often facilitate bulk foods for less.

With rapidly inflating food prices, every bit helps. And if, at the same time, the collective action can provide local, healthier foods, so much the better.