One of my favorite aisles to walk down in any Whole Foods Market is the bulk section. Towering clear bins brimming with grains, dried beans, dried fruits, nuts, spices and more - all waiting to be weighed out and taken home - in exactly the quantity you want and need. Plus, everything in the bulk section comes with minimal packaging and can be stored without the aide of refrigeration. It's arguably the greenest, healthiest and most economical place to shop in the store. So if you've never taken a spin down the bulk aisle, I encourage you to give it a try!Remember, each week, we choose tips to be featured in our weekly The Whole Deal™ blog post. Every chosen tip gets a $25 gift card, so submit you tips and recipes here opens in a new tab.And without further ado, our tips of the week, featuring some great tips on shopping in this great section.From Claire:
“Beans are a great way to stretch a meal and add protein to your diet. The best way to save on beans? Ditch the can! I used to buy all my beans in cans until I realized I could spend the same amount on dried beans and end up with 3-4 times more food! If you plan ahead and put them in a slow cooker over night, you’ll have all the beans you need for your recipes the next day. Whole Foods has a really awesome selection of dried beans and peas in the bulk bins that are even cheaper than the prepackaged dried beans!”
From Ed:
“When the money is running a little short, its time to make sure the perimeter of the store is on the radar. Many of the packaged foods we like can be made by hand and save a considerable amount of money. Instead of buying a fancy granola cereal, go to the bulk foods section and buy oatmeal, various nuts and seeds. Get some sugar cane or honey or fresh fruit (will need to dehydrate if you want to keep the cereal for any time). Then with a little creativity add the ingredients together. Congratulations: cereal. Then head to the dairy section and get yourself some organic milk. Eat and enjoy.”
From Marissa:
“I love the bulk section of the store. As a recent college graduate not making much money, this section is the place to shop. You can buy HUGE bags of quinoa or barley, even polenta, for a fraction of the price. I also love the 365 brand. Everything from their shampoo and body wash to their frozen fruits (which are AMAZING once that particular fruit has gone out of season, just buy and stock in your freezer!!) are sooo cheap that you’d be silly NOT to buy it.”
