I get it. Shopping package-free/in bulk is intimidating, just like anything you haven’t done before. It’s like the first time you brought your own cup to the coffee shop and asked if it was “okay” if they put your drink in it. You probably felt awkward. But now it’s a completely normal and expected thing to do. Employees are typically trained to give praise when someone brings their own cup. Why? Because it’s saving the company money by not having to buy as many disposable cups.

It’s the same thing with bulk shopping. It’s strange because you’ve never done it before, but after you shop package-free once, you’ll be excited to go back and do it again. Personally, I get giddy when I use up a food or product that I normally buy in disposable packaging and get to go to the bulk store to get the equivalent product with no packaging. I’ll outline below how to shop package-free, and what to expect:

First Steps:

Find a bulk store, or shop with a bulk section nearby. Use this handy Bulk Locator resource.

Save your containers. Instead of recycling or throwing away your spice jars, glass jars, or any container, save them. A benefit to buying in bulk is that items are typically cheaper since the cost of packaging and marketing is not included. Keep that money saving aspect by saving containers and not buying new containers. If you want to start your bulk shopping NOW, please buy secondhand containers to be kinder to the earth. Check your local antique, consignment, or thrift shops.

Tip: I find that I like using a basket if I’m buying a lot in bottles. The basket keeps all the bottles upright and they don’t bang around like in a bag.

When Shopping at a

Dedicated Bulk Shop

Your local bulk shop may have a scale near the front door or near the cash register. Tell the employee that it’s your first time shopping there and ask what their procedure for weighing containers is. Sometimes the employee does it, and writes the weight of your container on it. And sometimes the customer is trusted to weigh their own containers. If you don’t have any containers the shop should provide free paper bags and also sell glass jars. Some stores have a stock of donated secondhand jars that customers can take for free (see video below).
Some bulk shops that are short on space have the employees doing the filling for you. You’ll hand over your jars and say “I’d like you to fill that jar with basmati rice.” or “Please put half a pound of flour in this bag.”. While other bulk stores let you roam around and fill your containers yourself. If you do this, typically you’ll write the bin number on your container so the employee can ring it up and know which item you filled your container with.
When you are rung up, the cashier tares their scale with the weight of your container that was written on the container in step 1. That way you are never charged for the weight of your container, only what it contains. Haven’t heard the word “tare” since high school chemistry? It just means the scale is zeroed out to include the weight of your container.

Take a step into my local bulk shop in Narragansett, RI, USA called South Coast Organics & Bulk Foods. In this video you’ll follow Danielle on a quick trip in to buy some tea. The employee Maddie, gives her a free donated jar and even puts 2 teas in the same jar for a custom blend:

Tip: Make your own custom spice blend for very little money at a bulk shop. You’ll save lots of $$ by not having to buy entire containers of spices only to use a tiny portion of them.

When Shopping at Store

with a Bulk Section:

Typically you’ll have your containers weighed at the customer service area or at a cash register. For a quick answer, head to customer service and say you brought your own containers to use in the bulk section. They’ll tell you the procedure.
Fill your containers and be sure to either remember or write down the bin numbers you filled your containers with.
Head to a checkout line! Point out the written in tare weights of your containers to the cashier. And if you didn’t write the bin numbers on your containers, tell them what they are.

Once you shop package-free once, you become addicted. It’s fun and you save money!