Does Buying Bulk Food Online Actually Save You Money?

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 buying bulk food online and discussing whether or not it is actually worth it, and most importantly if it will save you money or not.

First, let’s talk about the positive aspects of buying bulk food online.

When is Buying Bulk Food Online a Good Idea? 

We definitely think that there are circumstances that make buying your bulk food online worth your time and money. Here are some items and situations that definitely warrant bulk buying.

If you are buying items in bulk and the price per unit (or ounce) is low enough to make the bulk purchase worth it, then you are truly saving money. Simply going by the price of the item isn’t enough, and won’t give you an accurate idea of what you are actually saving. If you go by the unit/ounce pricing, you can calculate if a jumbo jar of food/soap/liquid is worth it much more easily.

Another instance that makes buying bulk food online more affordable and plausible is splitting the costs and products with family or friends. If you are concerned about the costs of buying all of the food at once, having others share the burden is a great way to get what you want and pay less for it. This also ensures that you won’t be storing too much bulk food
in your home.

Stick to items you and your family use every day, as well as non-perishable food that won’t go to waste if it isn’t consumed in a timely manner. 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 you need, 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 aspects of buying bulk food online, let’s also discuss situations where it may not be as convenient or may not save you money.

One thing to keep in mind is that it is incredibly easy to get carried away, and this is especially true if you are buying your bulk food online. Using the internet is incredibly convenient, easy, and can be done at any time. Be careful that you don’t go overboard when bulk shopping online as your wallet (and your pantry shelves) may suffer for it.

If you make the mistake of not focusing on the price per unit or ounce, you actually could end up paying more than you would for the smaller 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 the long run.

Another issue you may run into is that the bulk food isn’t eaten in time. If you are conscious of waste, consider only buying items that you know you will need and use regularly, and that won’t go bad before you decide to eat them. While the bulk selection of vegetables, fruits, and even nuts and coffee may sound appealing, they won’t be able to sit in your kitchen
forever.

Space can also be a problem when buying the majority of your food and products in bulk. While it may be nice to have enough canned tuna to last you a year, where are you going to put it? Make sure that you have space in your home for the products you are buying. Otherwise, you may find yourself spending more than you planned on.

Last but not least, it could have an effect on your daily calorie intake as well. Keeping all of the extra food in the house may cause some additional snacking, which leads to weight gain. Be mindful of what you are bringing into the house and the unhealthy foods that you have access to if you 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 food online, let’s talk about the best foods and products to choose for bulk shopping. You may be surprised at some of the prudent options on the list.

1. Vitamins

If you regularly take a multivitamin, you know how expensive they can be. These can be bought in bulk online for a much lower price per unit, 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 buying vitamins for your kids/spouse/etc.

2. Drinks

Soft drinks, bottled water, and especially alcohol can cost you 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 if these are items you are drinking very regularly.

Buying alcohol online isn’t possible in every state, so you may have to go to your local Sam’s Club or Costco for this depending on where you live.

3. Canned Food

Whether it is vegetables, fruits, meats, or other canned items, these will last you as long as you need them to. This could even extend to wet cat or dog food if you have pets, which will save you a pretty penny if you decide to buy them in bulk.

Canned food tends to be fairly inexpensive anyway, so buying the items in bulk should be reasonably affordable, as long as you have the space to store everything.

If you are planning on storing canned food for quite a while, however, keep these tips in mind.

Canned meat and seafood purchased in cans should still be eaten within three years of you buying them. So make sure the amount you buy can be consumed in that time frame.

Make sure you store your cans in a cool, dry area – you will want to make sure it’s below 80 degrees but also above freezing. When putting the cans away, please make sure the oldest products are in the front so that they 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 be refrigerated until they are cooked. Dry pet food, paper products, and other non-perishable food would fall into this category as well.

Again, you will want to make sure you have a cool, dry place to store these items, and that there is enough space in your home to hold everything.

A lot of these dry goods are extremely inexpensive on their own anyway and will last you years if need be.

5. Meats

Last but not least, meat is a great food to buy in bulk online.

Meat can be fairly expensive, depending on what you are purchasing. This makes buying it in bulk amounts an even better idea if you have the space for it in a freezer.

Make sure you are buying the products from a quality source, and you shouldn’t have any issues ordering them online.

Should You Buy Bulk Food Online?

So overall, should you consider buying bulk food online to be a good idea for you and your family? We think you definitely can, as long as you are smart about it. If you ensure that you are buying quality products that won’t perish and will have room in your pantry/fridge/freezer, you shouldn’t come 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 your budget.

What are your favorite foods to buy in bulk?