The idea of simply pressing a few buttons and buying all your food in bulk at once online sure is appealing, isn’t it? What if it also saved you quite a bit of money as well?
We are going to be taking a look at what goes into buyingbulk food online and discussing whether or not it is actually worth it, andmost importantly if it will save you money or not.
First, let’s talk about the positive aspects of buying bulkfood online.
When is Buying Bulk Food Online a Good Idea?
We definitely think that there are circumstances that makebuying your bulk food online worth your time and money. Here are some items andsituations that definitely warrant bulk buying.
If you are buying items in bulk and the price per unit (orounce) is low enough to make the bulk purchase worth it, then you are trulysaving money. Simply going by the price of the item isn’t enough, and won’tgive you an accurate idea of what you are actually saving. If you go by theunit/ounce pricing, you can calculate if a jumbo jar of food/soap/liquid isworth it much more easily.
Another instance that makes buying bulk food online moreaffordable and plausible is splitting the costs and products with family orfriends. If you are concerned about the costs of buying all of the food atonce, having others share the burden is a great way to get what you want andpay less for it. This also ensures that you won’t be storing too much bulk foodin your home.
Stick to items you and your family use every day, as well asnon-perishable food that won’t go to waste if it isn’t consumed in a timelymanner. This will reduce waste and keep the money you spent worth every penny.This is an especially useful idea if you don’t always have a consistent income– if you don’t know that you will make enough each month for the items youneed, it’s better to stock up.
When Is Buying Bulk Food Online a Bad Idea?
Now that we have taken a look at some of the better aspectsof buying bulk food online, let’s also discuss situations where it may not be asconvenient or may not save you money.
One thing to keep in mind is that it is incredibly easy toget carried away, and this is especially true if you are buying your bulk foodonline. Using the internet is incredibly convenient, easy, and can be done atany time. Be careful that you don’t go overboard when bulk shopping online asyour wallet (and your pantry shelves) may suffer for it.
If you make the mistake of not focusing on the price perunit or ounce, you actually could end up paying more than you would for thesmaller size. While adding and multiplication may not be very exciting for you,you will be happy you did the math for your online bulk food shopping in thelong run.
Another issue you may run into is that the bulk food isn’teaten in time. If you are conscious of waste, consider only buying items thatyou know you will need and use regularly, and that won’t go bad before youdecide to eat them. While the bulk selection of vegetables, fruits, and evennuts and coffee may sound appealing, they won’t be able to sit in your kitchenforever.
Space can also be a problem when buying the majority of yourfood and products in bulk. While it may be nice to have enough canned tuna tolast you a year, where are you going to put it? Make sure that you have spacein your home for the products you are buying. Otherwise, you may find yourselfspending more than you planned on.
Last but not least, it could have an effect on your dailycalorie intake as well. Keeping all of the extra food in the house may causesome additional snacking, which leads to weight gain. Be mindful of what youare bringing into the house and the unhealthy foods that you have access to ifyou are worried about it being an issue.
Top 5 Items That Should Be Bought in Bulk
So now that you know the pros and cons of buying bulk foodonline, let’s talk about the best foods and products to choosefor bulk shopping. You may be surprised at some of the prudent options on thelist.
1. Vitamins
If you regularly take a multivitamin, you know how expensivethey can be. These can be bought in bulk online for a much lower price perunit, and will not go bad if kept in moderate conditions.
While you may only save a few cents each time you do this,it really adds up over time. This is especially true if you are also buyingvitamins for your kids/spouse/etc.
2. Drinks
Soft drinks, bottled water, and especially alcohol can costyou quite a bit if you are only buying a pack or two on a weekly shopping trip.Buying these items in bulk will save you quite a bit each year, especially ifthese are items you are drinking very regularly.
Buying alcohol online isn’t possible in every state, so youmay have to go to your local Sam’s Clubor Costco for this depending on whereyou live.
3. Canned Food
Whether it is vegetables, fruits, meats, or other canneditems, these will last you as long as you need them to. This could even extendto wet cat or dog food if you have pets, which will save you a pretty penny ifyou decide to buy them in bulk.
Canned food tends to be fairly inexpensive anyway, so buyingthe items in bulk should be reasonably affordable, as long as you have thespace to store everything.
If you are planning on storing canned food for quite awhile, however, keep these tips in mind.
Canned meat and seafood purchased in cans should still beeaten within three years of you buying them. So make sure the amount you buycan be consumed in that time frame.
Make sure you store your cans in a cool, dry area – you willwant to make sure it’s below 80 degrees but also above freezing. When puttingthe cans away, please make sure the oldest products are in the front so thatthey are used up first.
4. Dry Goods
Dry goods include foods like cereals, oats, whole grains,dry rice, spices, dried beans, and other foods that do not need to berefrigerated until they are cooked. Dry pet food, paper products, and othernon-perishable food would fall into this category as well.
Again, you will want to make sure you have a cool, dry placeto store these items, and that there is enough space in your home to holdeverything.
A lot of these dry goods are extremely inexpensive on theirown anyway and will last you years if need be.
5. Meats
Last but not least, meat is a great food to buy in bulkonline.
Meat can be fairly expensive, depending on what you arepurchasing. This makes buying it in bulk amounts an even better idea if youhave the space for it in a freezer.
Make sure you are buying the products from a quality source, and you shouldn’thave any issues ordering them online.
Should You Buy Bulk Food Online?
So overall, should you consider buying bulk food online tobe a good idea for you and your family? We think you definitely can, as long asyou are smart about it. If you ensure that you are buying quality products thatwon’t perish and will have room in your pantry/fridge/freezer, you shouldn’tcome across any issues.
You may not notice the savings right away, but over time,you will see that buying bulk food online can definitely be a huge help to yourbudget.
What are your favorite foods to buy in bulk?