8 of the Best Foods to Buy In Bulk

Buying foods in bulk can be a great way to save a bit of money on your grocery bill. However, it’s not wise to purchase all of your foods in bulk.

Some foods spoil so quickly that it’s nearly impossible to use bulk quantities of them before they go bad. Other foods cost the same whether purchased in small or large quantities, so there’s no benefit to buying them in bulk. After evaluating shelf lives and the prices at local stores, I’ve found that these eight foods are among the best to purchase in bulk.

Foods that make great bulk buys

Butter

Whether you’re topping toast or using it in a recipe, most folks use butter every day. Moreover, many recipes for baked goods use an entire stick or two! Butter generally remains good for 6-9 months when stored in the fridge and it can be frozen for up to 12 months (for salted butter) or 6 months (for unsalted butter).

Price comparison: A 1 lb. package of butter costs $0.20 per ounce and a 2-pack of 1 lb. packages costs $0.19 per ounce. A 4-pack of 1 lb. packages costs $0.17 per ounce. Buying the 4-pack means you are paying $2.75 per pound instead of paying $3.24 for a single pound!

Cheese

Your grocery budget will really take a hit if you purchase a lot of cheese because it is so pricey. Purchasing it in bulk can help cut down on this. Whether you prefer to buy bags of shredded cheese or blocks of cheese that you shred yourself, you can save a lot by purchasing these in bulk and freezing them in smaller portions. Cheese will typically remain good for less than a month in the fridge, but semi-hard cheeses remain good in the freezer for 6-8 months. This means you’ll have plenty of time to use the cheese before it goes bad.

Price comparison: A 1 lb. bag of shredded cheese costs $2.64, but a 5 lb. bag of shredded cheese costs $2.46 per pound. If you buy the bulk package, you save $0.18 on each pound of cheese you buy.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal makes a tasty, nutritious breakfast, but it’s also great for using in cookies and a variety of savory dishes, including meatloaves. Oatmeal is pretty affordable even when you don’t purchase it in bulk, but it’s a good idea to save a little extra by purchasing it in bulk if you use it regularly. It has a pretty long shelf live (old fashioned oats are good for 2-3 years when stored in a cool, dry pantry), so a big bag or canister won’t go bad until you’ve had time to use it!

Price comparison: When purchased in an 18 oz. canister, oats cost $0.14 per ounce. When purchased in a 42 oz. canister, they cost $0.08 per ounce. When purchased in a 10 lb. bag, they cost just $0.05 per ounce. What a difference between the 18 oz. canister and the 10 lb. bag! Even if you don’t need the 10 lb. bag of oats, you can still save quite a bit by purchasing the 42 oz. canister instead of the 18 oz. canister.

Cold breakfast cereals

Many families consume large amounts of breakfast cereals. If this is true for you, then you’ll want to purchase these in bulk. Though they don’t have particularly long shelf lives (usually only 6-8 months), they are often consumed so quickly that even large boxes or multiple boxes that are packaged together get consumed within weeks.

Price comparison: A single box (21 oz.) of Cheerios costs $3.64. A 2-pack of 21 oz. boxes costs $5.78, which is $2.89 per box. Buying the bulk package (if you really consider two boxes of cereal to be “bulk”) will save you $0.75 per box.

White rice

White rice has an extremely long shelf life. It is typically good for 4-5 years past the date marked on the package. Brown rice, in contrast, is only good for 6-8 months beyond the date on the package (this is because brown rice contains nutrient-rich oils that go rancid). Rice is versatile and easy to prepare, so you can find numerous ways to use it in your cooking. You’ll appreciate having a large supply readily available.

Price comparison: A 1 lb. bag of long grain rice costs $0.82, a 5 lb. bag costs $0.46 per pound, and a 20 lb. bag costs $0.40 per pound. You can save up to $0.42 per pound by buying in bulk.

Vanilla extract

Though you only use vanilla extract in small quantities, it’s still a good idea to purchase it in bulk. This is because it remains good indefinitely. If stored in a cool, dark place, true vanilla extract (vanilla beans and pods cured in alcohol) never spoils. A bulk bottle can serve you well for months or even years!

Price comparison: A 1 oz. bottle of pure vanilla extract costs $4.32 and an 8 oz. bottle costs $20.98, which is $2.62 per ounce. Though it seems alarming to spend $20 on vanilla extract at one time, the bulk bottle saves you a whopping $1.70 per ounce!

Maple syrup

It’s delicious and makes a great sweetener for a variety of baked goods and savory dishes, but maple syrup is sure expensive! Buying it in bulk reduces this expense. You have a long time to use maple syrup before it goes bad. When stored in a cool, dark place, unopened maple syrup in glass bottles remains good indefinitely. Maple syrup stored in plastic bottles remains good for 18-24 months. Once opened, though, maple syrup needs to be refrigerated and it remains good for several months.

Price comparison: A 12.5 oz. bottle of maple syrup costs $0.56 per ounce, while a 32 oz. bottle costs $0.31 per ounce. Buying the larger bottle will save you $0.25 per ounce.

Canned goods

Canned goods such as chopped tomatoes, broths, and tuna are super convenient to have on hand. These are great bulk buys because most folks use them frequently and they have long shelf lives. Though it varies depending on the type of food, most canned goods are good for 2 to 5 years after their date of manufacture. Acidic foods (such as tomatoes) have shorter shelf lives than foods with low acidity (such as green beans or pears).

Price comparison: A 14.5 oz. can of Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes costs $0.98. An 8-pack of 14.5 oz. cans of Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes costs $5.96, which is $0.75 per can. Buying the 8-pack will save you $0.23 per can!

Notes

As you likely know, it’s critical that you not buy foods in bulk unless they are foods that your family consumes frequently. It doesn’t matter how affordable the foods are in bulk quantities, it’s not a good deal if you won’t eat them!

For additional information on the shelf lives of various foods visit Eat By Date and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

I’ve provided price comparisons here, but it is always a good idea to do your own because prices vary based on which stores you shop at and where you live. Except where I noted specific brands, I used generic products for the price comparisons.

It’s also important to consider storage space. If you don’t have a lot of storage space, then you’ll have to pick and choose which items (if any) you can purchase in bulk. You can always get creative with storage space (such as using the space under beds) but at some point lack of storage space may force you to limit your bulk buys.

What do you think are the best foods to buy in bulk?

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