Fall is finally here and winter is just around the corner! Now depending on where you live, you can experience snow storms and weather that makes you just not want to leave your home. It’s also flu season, so the less outside contact the better too. We live in Southern California so we don’t really get a true fall or winter but I still like to stock up our pantry. Another great thing about stocking up, by buying products in bulk I am helping reduce our waste and lessening our impact on the environment. Yay!
Where to bulk shop
Again, this is depending on where you live but some places we have on the west coast include: Sam’s Club, Costco, Winco and sometimes Smart & Final. I personally found that most of these stores lack organic products and variety, however, if buying organic isn’t a necessity for you then they have great options! But they do have some organic products, just not as much as I would like 🙂
I started doing my bulk shopping with Azure Standard. They are a fantastic company that specializing in organic and healthy foods, supporting family and independent owned businesses and implementing clean & sustainable practices. There is absolutely no fee to join and they operate in about 48 states currently. You have the option of picking up your order from a drop location (if there is one near your home) or delivery (which requires a delivery fee). We luckily have a drop location 10 minutes from our home so it works out perfectly! When you use the drop feature you have cut off dates for your order and they have drops pre-scheduled. It’s super easy to use, they have great prices for high-quality organic goods and I just can’t say enough good things about them. I’m hooked!
Azure standards had a variety of products ranging from dried pantry goods, fresh produce to frozen products. They also have a selection of household items, nutritional supplements, and health & beauty products. Not everything is bulk as there are also products you would find in a typical health food store like whole foods. They also will run great sales/promotions and have an “Azure Cash” program where you earn cash back towards your next purchase! Interested in giving them a try? Visit: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=11c3bfd874 to get started!
I also buy most of my seasonings in bulk (the seasonings I use the most). You save so much money purchasing this way. I love to purchase seasonings from Frontier Co-Op which is available at Swanson Vitamins online. Here is a link for 20% off your order: https://www.talkable.com/x/R5tym4. You can also find more seasonings available on Vitacost. Azure Standard also has bulk seasonings as well.
Items We Purchased from Azure Standard
Flours
- Organic Whole White Wheat Bread Flour – $1.21/pound, 10 pounds : Great for making bread, pizza crusts or any recipe that calls for whole wheat flour.
- Organic Unbleached Pastry Flour- $1/pound, 10 pounds: I love to bake and this flour is great for making muffins, cookies, cake, pie crusts and is a great option for pancakes and waffles too.
I also have all purpose flour and cassava flour on hand.
Nuts & Seeds
- Organic Whole White Chia Seeds- $4.79/pound, 1 pound – Excellent source of fiber and omega-3. Also great source of antioxidants, calcium, manganese, zinc, iron and phosphorus and potassium. Blend in smoothies, make chia pudding, sprinkle on your cereal or use it in your baked goods. A super food we highly recommend!
- Organic Sesame Seeds– $3.98/pound , 1 pound – High in protein, iron, calcium and other minerals. Ground into butter to make tahini or use in baked goods or as a garnish on a salad.
- Raw Macadamia Nuts – $15.18/pound, 1 pound- Definitely on the pricey side when it comes to nuts but they are one of Mike’s favorites! Good source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and high amounts of vitamin B1. Add to baked goods or in a salad or stir-fry.
We already had walnuts, pistachios, cashews and pecans on hand and did not need to order any (but they have many of these available!). I recommend always having a selection of nuts on hand. Make your own trail mix, add them to salads, baked goods and a variety of dishes or simply eat them alone as a snack. They are a great source of vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients and healthy fat. * Store them in the fridge in an air-tight container to extend shelf life.
Dried Fruits
- Organic Dried Cranberries – $8.29/pound, 1 pound – These are probably some of the best dried cranberries I have had… they are infused with apple juice and are so juicy and delicious! I love to add them to trail mix, my salads, oatmeal or just to have them as a snack.
- Organic Raisins – $4.68/pound, 1 pound – Another great option to add to oatmeal and trail mix. I also love to make oatmeal raisin cookies 🙂
Grains, Beans & Legumes
- Organic White Small Navy Beans – $2.42/pound, 39 oz. – Great for soups and stews!
- Organic Pinto Beans – $2.07/pound, 5 pounds
- Light Red Kidney Beans – $1.34/pound, 5 pounds – Good source of protein and iron. Love to use these in chili and soup.
- Black Eyed Peas – $2/pound, 5 pounds – Excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, and iron. They have a really rich savory flavor. I love to cook them with garlic and onion and serve with white rice.
- Organic Green Lentils– $2.50/pound, 36 oz. – Great source of iron, potassium, and dietary fiber. Great to eat on their own as a side dish, in soups and stews and can be made into delicious patties.
- Organic Medium Grain Brown Rice– $1.97/pound, 5 pounds
- Organic Bulgur – $1.97/pound, 5 pounds – Good source of iron, protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, phosphorus and manganese. Make delicious Tabbouleh, mix into meatballs or meatloaf or serve on it’s own as a side dish.
- Organic White Quinoa – $3.47/pound, 33 oz. – A super nutritious food that contains all nine essential amino acids, is high in protein and also rich in B-vitamins, iron, potassium, fiber and other antioxidants.
- Organic Rolled Oats – $1.99/pound, 5 pounds
Other items we already had in our pantry : Cream of Wheat, Grits, Medium Grain White Rice, Wild Rice, Black Beans.
Now I know cooking dried beans can take forever and sometimes isn’t the most convenient. Well, if you have a pressure cooker you can cook them in no time. I have a Brevile Fast Slow Cooker and, depending on the type, I can cook beans in less than 30 minutes. You could make large batches of beans and can them yourself or freeze them. This way you save money and have delicious fresh, homemade beans.
Pasta
- Organic Penne Pasta – $2.83/pound, 4.5 pounds – Great source of protein, iron and potassium.
- Organic Medium Shells – $2.83/pound, 4.5 pounds
They also a large variety of pasta types including gluten free!
Miscellaneous
- Organic Worcestershire Sauce – $5.83
- Organic Stone Ground Mustard – $2.98
- Organic Blackstrap Molasses – $7.71 – For my holiday baking!
Other Items We Keep Stocked
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, Onion powder, Paprika, Different types of Salts, Pepper, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Chili Flakes & Powder, Ginger, All Spice, Cinnamon ( we use whole cinnamon sticks and grind them up), Nutmeg, Parsley, Cilantro.
- For Baking: Active Yeast, Vanilla Extract, Unsweetened Cocoa Power, Chocolate Chips, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Honey, Baking Powder, Baking Soda
- Organic Coconut Cream
- Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- Nutritional Yeast
- Vinegars: Red Wine, Balsamic, Rice, Apple Cider, White Wine
- Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil ( one of my absolute favorites), Canola Oil
- Organic Ghee
- Condiments: Dijon Mustard, Stone Ground Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Sir Kensington Mayo ( the best!)
- Canned Tuna and Clams
- Capers
- Greek & Black Olives
- Maple Syrup
- Sugar Free Jams
- Peanut Butter and Cashew Butter ( If cashews are on sale, I will make my own cashew butter)
- Jars of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes
- Low sodium broths
- Coffee
- Tea: Chamomile, Spearmint, Moroccan Mint, Rooibos, Apple Cider, Lavender Chamomile
These are all items that I know how to cook and will cook often. When choosing what to stock in your pantry, be sure to pick items that you are more familiar with or if you aren’t, willing to learn more about so no food goes to waste.
Many of the items I have in my pantry can last for a few years (when stored properly). I choose hearty grains and pasta, condiments and seasonings that will compliment those grains and help make delicious sauces and soups, nutritious snacks and everything I need to make my own bread, baked goods and desserts when we are craving something sweet.
These are my favorite jars to store my food in:
Bormioli Rocco Glass Fido Jars: These jars come in a variety of sizes and are made in Italy using high quality glass. It has a stainless steel clamp and gasket seal, ensuring your food stays fresh.
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