5 Bulk Food Storage Mistakes That Are Costing You Real Money

Using the bulk bin section at the grocery store can be a good way to spend your monthly food budget wisely. For example, you can shop one time for multiple dishes and purchase by weight, which is often less expensive than pre-packaged items of the same foods. In most cases, bulk foods are more affordable than those fancy packaged trail mixes and ready-to-eat snack packs that are smaller in size and heavy on your wallet.

You can also use bulk shopping to keep your pantry well stocked with a supply of nuts, seeds, beans and legumes, and grains so they're always on hand to use in your own recipes. Plus, you can use bulk bin items for weekly meal prep, since they are perfect for big batch recipes you can reheat in minutes.

Yet, despite your plans for purchasing in bulk and using every last ounce strategically, there's one thing you could be doing that sabotages all of your budget prowess: You might be storing your bulk items wrong. This could lead to spoilage and waste.

That would be a shame, right? Here are a few common bulk item storage mistakes, as well as fixes so you can store your bulk bin items well and really put them to good use.

1. Leaving Containers Open

This mistake seems obvious, but it's not. "Many people assume they can just leave pasta and rice containers open, whether from a regular box or from your bulk bag, but moisture and bacteria can affect the quality of your noodles," says Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. Plus, it could topple over, and then you'll lose your food, too!

This can make you sick, and it'll increase and speed spoilage of your items. "It can be as simple as tying or clipping the top of a thick bag of rice, taping over the corner of a pasta box, or transferring your bulk items to a sealed storage container after opening," she says, as a great, easy fix.

2. Not Transferring Food to a Sealed Container Right Away

If you just completed a big grocery trip, you may feel exhausted and not at all in the mood to transfer items like flour or spices from a bag to a storage container. "But, I know from experience these bags can leak or, if you're using plastic, rip, and then you not only have to clean up flour, but also have wasted money buying bulk rather than saving money," Jones says.

So, you're better off doing it ASAP, no matter how drained you are, so it's off your plate and you can keep you bulk bin items safe.

3. Not Rotating Your Bulk Stock

It may seem logical to just purchase more of what you're low on and add it to the top of the container, but if this is how you normally shop, you could wind up with beans, flour, and oats that are years old at the bottom of your container. Whoops!

"If possible, try the first-in first-out philosophy used in food service and either finish the container you have before purchasing more, or simply dump out the old contents into a bowl, pour the new bulk food into your container, and then pour the older product on top again," Jones says. This keeps your food fresh, and it'll taste more delicious and less stale.

4. Not Washing Your Containers

Whether you store your bulk foods in glass, metal, ceramic, or heavy duty plastic containers, they aren't anti-bacterial and anti-viral. "It's important that when you're refilling or rotating through your stock that you wash your containers and give them ample time to fully dry," Jones says.

It's important to do this more often if your storage center is a place where temperature fluctuates. This issue might be more prevalent in locations with an unpredictable climate or sunlight that can heat up the temperature of the room, as light and heat can impact bacterial growth, she explains.

5. Storing Nuts and Seeds at Room Temperature

"Nuts, especially those highest in fat, such as walnuts and pecans, will oxidize more quickly than other foods and the same goes for seeds once they've been ground, such as flax and chia," Jones says.

Once you bring them home, it may be best to transfer these bulk bin food items to a mason jar or even a freezer bag and store them in the refrigerator or freezer for a lengthened preservation. This will prolong shelf life and make sure their flavor and quality stay in tact.