To Bulk or not to Bulk

That is always the question with me.

When considering bulk items, like flour, sugar, and pinto beans, one must consider many other factors as well...

Price per pound (or ounce, or gallon, or whatever). Most stores will have a unit price in tiny print by the original price, so it's easier to figure that sort of thing out. You might also have to consider if you have coupons.

Storage. The biggest issue I have with buying in bulk is storage. Flour will go bad if not stored properly. Also, if you have a bug problem in your area (like I do) then you will have to invest in airtight containers. Finding the space to put it can be an issue as well... I would not recommend buying large quantities of bulk items if you live in a tiny apartment, unless you are super-organized (which I'm not). A freezer is a must as well, if you want to buy large quantities of meat or vegetables.

Family. One of the other issues I have is family. The rule was new stuff in the back, old stuff in the front of the pantry. Yeah... that lasted 2 days at my house, especially since 2 out of my 3 kids are old enough to have jobs and buy their own food. Now I find all kinds of stuff in the pantry, just strewn about with someone's name scribbled in perma-marker over the label.

Finally, the last consideration is How hard are you willing to work? Storing bulk items takes dedication (ok... not a lot, but still...) organization, and willingness to keep up with it all... My pantry is a montage of canned goods, baking needs, and 3 huge containers... One for flour, one for sugar, and one for the 11 pounds of Reed's Ginger Chews (my one weakness). I like to keep things simple. I'm not running a restaraunt (despite what my kids tell me). I don't need to store mass quantities of food. Just enough to last through the next big hurricane that comes along. (we were without power for 2 weeks when Ike hit us... Yay for gas appliances!)

Next time: Pizza! Yummy, easy, and cheap!