Waste Free Shopping With Bulk Food
It is 2020, and many of us have resolved to improve lifestyle habits which improve our health, and our environment. Shopping a bulk food store can help you eat healthier, and offers a fun and inexpensive solution for reducing waste. It also saves time when you can avoid the chore of recycling excessive packaging, simply by using containers from home.
Shopping a bulk store, allows you to purchase only what is needed, reducing your food waste and often your grocery bill. Bulk shopping is not meant to imply buying in large quantities. Food product at Pennyweight Market, is available unpackaged, in bins or jars, and you are welcome to take home as much or as little as you like.
If you are strong willed enough to avoid the candy and chocolate isles (good luck!) then bulk food shopping may encourage healthier, whole food eating. Processed foods are naturally avoided when shopping for ingredients only. Once again, this is also a fabulous money saver.
Using your own containers is great for the environment, and is generally less expensive, yet it may feel overwhelming in the beginning. Don’t let this discourage you. Changing habits simply requires a bit of advance thought and organisation. If you have never used your own containers to shop a bulk store before there is no need to be intimidated by the process. The following steps describe just how simple it is.
Step 1. Prepare & Organise Prepare some containers and have them packed in a bag ready to go. Better yet, have them ready by the door, or in your vehicle. It is very easy to forget to them, since this is a new habit. Tripping over a bag of containers as you leave the house, makes them easy to remember. Not that we advocate tripping as a general rule.
Step 2. Tare Your Container At the store, if you are not sure how to start just ask! We are always happy to help. If you want to jump in and try yourself, the first step is to set your empty container on a scale and press “T” for tare. This removes your containers weight, before adding the additional weight of your food item. Once your containers weight is tared, you may proceed with filling.with candy...or maybe beans.
Step 3: Weigh and Record Once you have filled your jar with candy...aka beans, record this new weight on a slip of paper, or on your phone. Next to this number indicate the bin code. All bins or jars should have a number, to identify product. The total price of your purchase is calculated at the till using this recorded weight and number.
That’s all there is to it! A cashier will use your recorded weights, and bin numbers to calculate everything at the till. Keep your receipt to compare bulk prices with packaged goods, and you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to make positive changes and save money at the same time. Not to mention how cute a pantry looks filled with mason jars of dried beans.