5 Practical Tips for Storing Bulk Goods

Bulk shopping is pretty awesome, but only if you have enough room to store all the stuff you buy. And even if you have enough space, if you've overestimated your family's love of tomato sauce, items can go bad. And rotten food means wasted money.

Bulk Shopping Pros:

You save time.

You save cash on everyday items.

Bulk Shopping Cons:

You can have more stuff than storage space.

To prevent bulk shopping from becoming a big ‘ole headache, follow these tips:

1. Store Items Away from Heat and Water Sources

Steer clear of water pipes and vents when you're choosing the right spot to store bulk items. A leak or too much hot air could ruin your food and its packaging. Instead, opt for dry, well-ventilated spots like a pantry or storage room.

2. Save Glass and Plastic Containers

Here's some free advice: If a container has a sealed lid, hold onto it. Then, when you buy dried goods like quinoa and lentils, store them in the repurposed containers. Not only will you protect your food from pests, you can save pantry space by storing the jars on your countertops.

3. Store Stuff Outside the Kitchen

What's the difference between wild rice stored in your pantry and wild rice stored in your laundry room? Absolutely nothing. Note: While it's perfectly fine to store food and laundry detergent in the same room, label the containers and keep them separated to avoid a tragic rice-in-laundry machine event.

4. Keep Track of Losses

When it comes to bulk shopping, you're not always going to get it right the first time. To make sure you're really using what you buy, keep track of your losses. If you've found expired garbanzo beans twice in a row, maybe you don't need to be buying so many garbanzo beans! After a couple of trips you'll know exactly what can be left out of the cart.

5. Store Some Meat in the Fridge

Do you plan meals in advance? After a bulk shopping trip, store any meat you'll be cooking over the first few days in the fridge. Store the rest of the meat in the freezer. This will free up freezer space and ensure that you stick to your meal plans, because otherwise your meat could go bad. To make sure your meat is stored properly, check out FoodSafety.gov's handy safety chart.