Shopping in Bulk: My Favorite Stores!

Hey earth muffins! Since starting my sustainable journey in May, I have been dabbling in bulk shopping in an effort to reduce the plastic packaging of certain foods. As I am still in college (in a dorm with a dining hall), I haven’t been doing much bulk shopping recently… But I will be doing a lot of it after graduation and when I have my own apartment! 🎉 I found quite a few quality bulk stores during my internship last summer, so I wanted to create a post dedicated to the best bulk stores (those I have visited and those that I can only dream about haha). 💚

If you are interested in learning how to shop in the bulk section (it is super easy!) make sure to check out that post (Shopping in the Bulk Bin Section 101) also!

1. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market – This was the only store that had a lot of bulk options in the city I was in for my internship, so I shopped here often! 😀 I also loved this store because they sold mainly organic foods, so I knew that the food that I was buying was better for the planet. While this store has a large bulk section (including a lot of candy, spices, and liquids like honey and oil), I found that it was missing pastas and snack foods. Certain bulk options would also be on sale often, which allowed me to save money on the already good prices!

2. Whole Foods – While Whole Foods has a reputation for being a bit pricey, they have a HUGE bulk section. As you save by purchasing only the food that you need when you buy in bulk, I can justify spending a bit more for the options that they have. They also have things like tea which is super awesome ☕

3. Local Co-op and Organic/Natural stores – Most local organic/natural stores have a bulk section. While there may not be as many options, it helps support the local businesses of your town! Plus, they will be more likely to allow you to bring your own containers, jars, and bags to fill (as some chain stores are not as accommodating).

4. Bulk Barn – This is a Canadian company, and I am honestly so jealous that I don’t have access to one! This store is ONLY bulk bins, and it carries absolutely everything and anything you could ever need. It even has soap berries that I mentioned in my How to Zero Waste Your Laundry Room post 😊

5. Winco – This store has both a bulk foods and a bulk liquid center, which is awesome! It is mainly in the West Coast, so definitely check it out if you live in that region of the US!

6. State and Local stores – If you want to see if there are any other bulk stores specific to your region, I suggest checking out this lovely zero waste “Where to Shop” guide on litterless.com. You can click on your state and each city has a list of the bulk food stores with links to their websites – so nifty!

Where do you like to shop?

Share this post!