A Beginners Guide to Buying and Storing Bulk Foods

The rising cost of groceries is shocking. Grocery trips for 1-2 weeks worth of food used to cost my family about $75, and now they are typically at least $150 for very similar items. These rising costs have made me stop and think about how I feed my family–including investing in storing bulk foods.

In the past, I hate to admit it, but we often threw out a good portion of our produce and bread. I didn’t know how to shop for the right amounts, and I often made excuses about cooking and chose to eat out frequently even when I had food at home.

My family tries to live frugally and stay within our budget, but the area that we consistently over-spend on is food.

Additionally, the more that I learn about the impact that additives and dyes have on our bodies, the more I want to nourish my family with whole, healthy foods. However, these foods often have a hefty price tag at the grocery store, so I am planning to grow what I can and bulk buy as much as possible.

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Table of Contents

Reasons to Invest in Storing Bulk Foods

Before spending money on bulk food, you need to think about your motivation behind why you are doing it.

Is it to prepare in case of an emergency? Save money by buying in bulk? Reduce the amount of trips you take to the grocery store? Encourage you to cook more from-scratch meals at home?

Whatever your reason, it is best to buy foods that you actually like and will want to eat. Otherwise, you will be wasting money on food that will probably never get eaten.

Long Term Bulk Food Storage vs. Working Pantry

There is some discrepancy on what long term storage really means.

Some refer to long term storage as foods that can be stored for 20-30 years to use in case of a major emergency. Others refer to it as food that needs to be stored for longer than three months.

For the purposes of this blog post, I’ll be referring to long-term food storage as food that will be stored in bulk and used over the course of one year.

A working pantry, on the other hand, refers to an easily-accessible place where you store food that you cook with on a regular basis. This area is typically in a kitchen and is often in the form of a cabinet, open shelving, or an attached room. A working pantry houses dry and canned goods that you cook with regularly and intend to use soon.

We live in a 1920s farmhouse with a very small kitchen. We took out our microwave, and now we use that opening to store our working-pantry bulk foods. I store the food in these one gallon glass jars with these gold lids.

Because I go through these foods quickly, I don’t use oxygen absorbers in them (you’ll learn about this more below). I simply refill them with my bulk-food storage when I run out.

Where to buy bulk food storage goods?

Although there is more of an upfront cost, the most economical way to build up your long-term food storage supply is by buying in bulk. Some places to purchase in bulk include local health food stores, Aldi, local farms, Costco, or online.

I am planning on purchasing most of my bulk items online from a family-owned online company called Azure Standard.

What is Azure Standard?

Azure Standard was started by David Stelzer, a farmer from Oregon. David and his grandfather struggled with health issues that drastically improved when switching to a whole-foods diet.

After seeing their health progress and learning about the negative impacts of pesticides and GMOs, David’s family switched to organic farming methods.

Although there is much more to the story, David started distributing and delivering his organic grains and Azure Standard was born. You can learn more about Azure Standard’s history on their website.

According to AzureStandard.com, “Azure Standard is a family owned and independent company dedicated to providing carefully chosen, affordable organic, natural and non-GMO groceries, health, household and garden products.”

Azure offers both regular-sized portions and bulk portions of food for most of the items they sell. They operate out of a warehouse in Oregon, and ship food across the U.S. via UPS, USPS, and Drop Points. Drop Points are the most affordable delivery option and are an extension of the distribution method that Azure was founded on.

You pick up your food at a designated location weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on the way your local drop operates. You can view the map on their website to see if there is a drop location near you!

Storing Bulk Foods: What Food Should I Get?

Some of the best foods to store long term are grains like wheat, white rice, flour, oats, and pasta and dried beans. Canned goods, oils, and sweeteners like honey, sugar, and maple syrup can also be stored although for not as long. A high quality salt is also a good thing to have on hand!

Wheat berries will store much longer than flour; however, you have to have a mill to grind the wheat into flour.

Mills are an initial investment, but if you plant to bake frequently at home–they will pay for themselves over time. This is the mill I will be using for grinding wheat berries into flour at home. I also recently got this flour mill, which is a more affordable option!

Necessary Supplies for Storing Bulk Foods

I researched a lot about long-term storage and how to keep it from spoiling. Because buying in bulk has more of an upfront cost, I want to ensure that I can keep the food fresh for a long time!

It is best to store the food in food-grade containers in a clean, dark, and dry location. A root cellar, basement, closet, or potentially an outbuilding are all good options.

Food-grade Buckets

Food-grade buckets make it more difficult for pests like mice or weevils to get into your food. Make sure that the container is food grade to ensure that it is safe for food storage! I purchased three 5-gallon buckets from Azure. You could also purchase 2-gallon containers for items that you don’t order in as big of a package.

Gamma Lids

From the research I did, I learned that gamma lids have a smart seal that makes it easier to access and properly store your food. They are more expensive than the snap-on lids, but they are worth it in the long run!

Mylar Bags

Mylar bags help protect your food and make it last longer. Many of them need to be heat sealed, which I read can be done with a hair-straightener. I purchased mine from Amazon, but Azure has some re-sealable ones that I hope to try in the future!

Oxygen Absorbers

Oxygen absorbers help long-term stored foods retain freshness despite being opened rarely. They must be used with food-grade mylar bags.

Shelf

Although not completely necessary, having a shelf not only provides more storage space, it also helps keep the food buckets off of the ground in case of a water leak or other emergency. We bought a shelf similar to THIS ONE secondhand.

After opening the long-term stored foods, you will need to reseal the mylar bags.

On her blog, The Prairie Homestead, Jill Winger recommends, “To help prevent pest problems in the bulk food pantry, you can add bay leaves to your buckets or place cloves, rosemary, or garlic next to your grains on the shelf. (Don’t add cloves or rosemary directly to the bucket, it could change the taste).” She also recommends checking for signs of mice regularly to prevent losing your bulk foods.

My First Azure Standard Order for Storing Bulk Foods

I decided to skip ordering flour or wheat in bulk because I do not have a grain mill, and I am afraid the flour will not last as long as I want it to.

My family uses a lot of oats for oatmeal, baking, and smoothies. We eat beans in tacos and soups. Additionally, we eat rice multiple times a week in stir fries, veggie bowls, and soups. We love popcorn for a quick and healthy snack! And we add pink salt to our water because we have a water osmosis system that requires us to add minerals back in our water.

My Bulk Food Storage Order from Azure Standard:

Want to know my top 8 foods to buy in bulk? Get my FREE bulk food guide here!

Working Pantry and Long Term Storage Plan

We live in a 1920s farmhouse with a root cellar underneath our home. My plan is to use our cellar to store canned goods, cured garden produce, and our bulk, long-term food storage.

I will keep smaller amounts of food in our small working pantry in the kitchen. As the items run out, I will refill using what I have stored in bulk.

I use mason jars and other glass containers for my working pantry. These are easy to refill and see how much food you have available.

Azure Standard Wish List + Future Plans for Storing Bulk Foods

In the future, I plan to purchase dairy products, sugar, canned goods, nut butters, house products, frozen veggies, and snacks from Azure Standard. We typically shop at Aldi, but some of the options are limited. Azure offers affordable fresh produce and products in addition to dry and frozen goods.

I will probably order bulk goods 1-2 times a year and then stock up on perishable foods on a monthly basis from Azure Standard.

Save 15% off your first order with code NEW15!

Whether you are wanting to build up a long-term food storage supply, buy in bulk, or find affordable, organic, and non-GMO food sources, I highly recommend shopping at Azure Standard!