Lovin the Earth- Bulk Bin recipes/ideas
I am obsessed with buying everything I can from the bulk section at my local co-op....Not only is this usually cheaper and organic, but it cuts down on excess packaging and forces me to make foods from scratch, (which taste better....like beans!) I spend tons of time in the bulk area, then come home and sort all of my foods into recycled glass jars. I even buy our dish soap, laundry soap and lotion in bulk, (all the bulk shampoos and conditioners I've found have parabens....yucky) I get super excited when I can make a whole, or almost whole recipe out of foods I have in bulk.
SO, what does everyone buy in bulk, AND what are some recipes that maximize bulk bin finds?
I buy...
Rice, nutritional yeast, lots of quinoa, wild rice, millet, lots of red lentils, brown lentils, adzuki beans, black beans, white beans, lots of flours, (pastry, bread baking, buckwheat, I have some rye but haven't used it yet...) cane sugar, brown sugar,cornstarch, maple syrup or agave, coconut oil, olive and canola oil, pasta noodles, baking powder/soda,chocolate chips, every spice known to man, sprouting brocolli and alfafa seeds......thats all off the top of my head....I make tons of soup with these things, obviously pasta, bread, I will try to post more specific recipes
All kinds of pulses.
Nuts
Herbs and spices
Popcorn
Here it is normal to buy your spices in bulk, you don't have to buy a huge quantity but they measure it out of the bin into a little bag for you. The minimum is 50 grammes, I think. Or like 2-3 cinnamon sticks.
They sell hard candies in bulk too.
All kinds of pulses.
Nuts
Herbs and spices
Popcorn
Here it is normal to buy your spices in bulk, you don't have to buy a huge quantity but they measure it out of the bin into a little bag for you. The minimum is 50 grammes, I think. Or like 2-3 cinnamon sticks.
They sell hard candies in bulk too.
I've never seen a minimum amount on spices, (sometimes when I get bay leaves it will be less than a dollar.) Getting spices in bulk is sooooo much cheaper than buying the jars!!! The jars are usually between $4-5 dollars out here, whereas bulk spices are usually around $1-2 dollars for a bag. Good call Yabbit!, I forgot about nuts, I get cahsews, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds! Thats an important addition because I use cashews in lots of things, from veggie cheeses to creamy sauces.
Wow. You can buy soaps, lotions, syrups, oils in bulk without the packaging? I wish that was available here. I try to resuse all my food containers, but that would be so much better. I don't know what I'm responding to this. Lol. Just wishful thinking a guess. I'm grateful that the local HFS has expanded beyond the pill shop it used to be when I started shopping there, but I wish they'd hurry up and expand some more.
I know some places frown upon this, but I always take my own jars for bulk items. I just ask the cashier or produce to weigh the car for tare. That way, I don't have to use the plastic bags.
I know some places frown upon this, but I always take my own jars for bulk items. I just ask the cashier or produce to weigh the car for tare. That way, I don't have to use the plastic bags.
same.
I know some places frown upon this, but I always take my own jars for bulk items. I just ask the cashier or produce to weigh the car for tare. That way, I don't have to use the plastic bags.
I do this with some items, my co-ops have scales so I weigh them before I put anything in it and write that on the label. I use the bags for flours and then just leave the flour in them, in the fridge. I also save the other plastic bags as well and bring them back to refill....I was thinking about other items I get, apple cider vinegar is something I use a lot and buy in bulk as well. oh and vanilla, and almond butter, and......wheat germ and sesame seeds...okay think thats it
In our local "herboristerías" you can get lots of things in bulk, now that I think of it. Not just what I said but also dog and cat food (dry of course), bird seed, potato wheel things to fry, and junk food like candies and a Spanish mixture of parched corn, sunflower seeds, peanuts and other stuff which they call "rebujina" (mixture). Kind of like trail mix without the dried fruit.
I've yet to find a store with bulk bins in Berlin :( It's really annoying, too, because everything comes in the smallest packages here. I've been here for a month and a half and I've been through like 6 bags of flour already. At least they have really cheap organic produce here.
I used to buy nutritional yeast, flour, sugar, oats, beans, rice, herbs and spices, and Dr. Bronner's in bulk. The cost of Dr. Bronner's in bulk was so much cheaper than buying it in the bottle, it was incredible.