Save time and money… Tips for buying in bulk
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save time, money, and lower food wastage. And like all worthwhile things in life, a bit of planning and preparation will help you ensure that buying in bulk is a success. To help you get started we’ve created a list of our top 10 tips and tricks.
1. Ensure you have adequate storage for your purchases
Look at your storage capacity and play to your strengths. If you have a chest freezer it’s much easier to take advantage of buying whole items, such as whole roast chickens, sides of meat, and larger items. If you have a small freezer, try to rearrange things to free up space for bulk purchases.
2. Only buy what you know you’ll use
Look at your grocery list and asses which items you could buy in bulk, and what has a long shelf life or won’t spoil. Items like canned goods, toilet paper, toothpaste, and household cleaning items can offer great savings if you buy them in bulk when they are on special.
3. Reuse & recycle
Storing pantry items? Reusing old coffee jars to store rice, pasta, oats, etc. is a great way to give glass jars a second life and because coffee jars need to be airtight, they will help keep dry-store items fresh and dust and insect free.
4. Freeze from fresh
If space permits, buy fresh, seasonal items in bulk and freeze or preserve them for the months ahead. This is a great way to enjoy your favourite local fruits and vegetables all year round.
5. Did you know that you can freeze butter?
Butter can be frozen for up to 4 months if stored correctly. If it has developed freezer burn, becomes discoloured, or develops an offensive odour then it’s time to bin it!
6. Bulk buy multipurpose cleaning products
So many products on the market can be used for multiple purposes. For example, dishwashing liquid can be used in several ways and for different applications. Use it to clean stains from clothing and carpet by diluting it with a bit of water or use it to help you clean the filters in your air conditioner. You can also use it to clean a lino or tiled floor. Look for ways to repurpose products and you will save money by buying bulk.
7. Make like a squirrel and store your nuts!
If you are anything like us the advice of freezing nuts would have come as a big surprise. Freezing nuts does not affect the taste because they have such a low water content, it’s a great way to keep nuts fresh and they can last for up to 12 months in the freezer.
8. Did you know that some varieties of uncooked rice can keep indefinitely?
There are some varieties of rice that when kept in the right environment and free of contaminants can keep forever. White, wild, arborio and jasmine rice can keep indefinitely in an airtight container making them one of the perfect pantry staples to buy in bulk.
9. Oats
Buy them in bulk and store them at room temperate in an airtight container and they’ll keep for years.
10. Freeze the cheese
Yes, you can freeze cheese. Hard cheeses such as cheddar are the most suitable for freezing, and while you can freeze entire blocks of cheese, you may find it more beneficial to grate cheese before freezing. To stop grated cheese from sticking together grate it and then coat it in cornflour. We recommend freezing cheese for up to three months and defrosting it in the refrigerator. Frozen cheese is best used for cooking or melting.
