Buying From A Bulk Co-op | Grocery Co-op

Buying food from a bulk food co-op can seem like an overwhelming thing to do at first. It’s much easier than most people think.

We purchase a significant portion of our groceries each month through Azure Standard, my favorite bulk co-op. It’s the best way I’ve found to get great prices on organic and nongmo groceries in my house! We do purchase as much locally as possible but that is mostly meat, eggs, produce and milk. Nearly all of our pantry ingredients come from Azure Standard. Occasionally, in season, I’ll buy bulk produce but it’s usually our pantry ingredients. I realize not everyone uses or has access to Azure Standard but it’s my favorite and I use it all the time so that’s what I’m sticking with today.

WHY I BUY FROM A BULK CO-OP

Being able to save money and still get quality, organic and nongmo food is on the top of my list of reasons why I buy from a bulk food co-op! If you’ve ever been to Sams Club or Costco on a Saturday afternoon, you’ll quickly notice that some people LOVE to buy things in bulk. You find people loading flatbeds with sodas, toilet paper, paper towels and cheese puffs. They do this because usually bulk purchases are less expensive. The same thing goes for a co-op.

I’m going to use flour for an example. For our bread items, I use einkorn flour. I use it to feed my sourdough starter as well. Needless to say, we go through a lot of flour. I could order it from Jovial Foods in a 2 or 10lb bag but when I order it from Azure Standard, I can save between 10 and 15%. I realize 10-15% might not be a whole lot but it adds up quickly.

IT’S SO CONVENIENT!

Another reason I shop from Azure Standard is convenience. I can add to my cart throughout the month when I notice we’re running low on something (or they’re having a good sale!) and once I check out, my cart is saved. Even if I forget to go in and finalize my order at the end of the ordering period, it’s saved and I don’t have to worry about missing out. The best part is instead of going to a store and fighting the crowds, I go meet the truck. Each month you get an email telling you about what time the truck will be at the pickup location. I go there and get my groceries. No crowds, no lines, no grumpy cashiers. It’s such an awesome thing!

Photo: AzureStandard.com

SMALL FARMS & INTEGRITY

The last reason I use a bulk co-op like Azure Standard is the ability to shop from smaller farms. Most co-ops get their products from smaller producers that might specialize in just one or two types of products. I know that I’m supporting a small business even if it’s not in my backyard. Buying from the little guys helps keep family-owned business going all over this country. They have integrity. I know that even their products that aren’t certified organic are high quality. For instance, they sell frozen strawberries that aren’t organic. They’re still a no spray product. I don’t have any issues buying their non organic strawberries because I know my family isn’t consuming toxins from the spray.

Have you tried a bulk co-op? What about Azure Standard? If you have, I’d love to know what you buy! I’m always finding new things for my family to try from other people.

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