Don't Skip This Whole Foods Section If You're Looking For Affordable Specialty Ingredients

These days, Whole Foods Market stores are teeming with snazzy perks and extras. The grocery store doubles as a hub for Amazon returns in many locations, offers a legendary hot bar, and even serves up made-to-order sushi at many locations. But the now-giant chain was born to provide health-conscious groceries to the masses. And as upscale as modern Whole Foods have become, one aisle in particular still provides that rustic, granola-y charm, by the scoopful. That's the bulk section — that unsuspecting, often criminally overlooked aisle that's still a feature in most Whole Foods stores. 

On this aisle, you'll find no colorful eye-catching labels or trendy new brands, just old reliable pantry staples — flours, nuts, seeds, grains, chocolates, cereals, spices – displayed unbranded, in clear bins, often for a whole lot less than the same item sold in a package. While prices vary depending on the item in question and the store location, shoppers can generally save quite a bit on groceries when shopping for bulk vs. packaged items. 

Whole Foods has earned a reputation (deservedly so) for being unaffordable, but even here, shopping the bulk bins can provide some serious savings. These savings can really add up, especially when layered with special members-only deals like discounts for Prime Members and item-specific sales that you'll want to keep an eye out for. And because you can scoop exactly how much you need, bulk shopping is an effective way to cut down on waste — of both money and food.

Of course, don't assume everything is inherently a better deal in bulk. Always crunch the numbers by looking at the unit price for, say, a pound of raw oats, and compare this to what they're going for on the cereal aisle. While not every item is a surefire score, in many cases, you'll pay a little bit to a lotta bit less than you would for the same item elsewhere in the store. 

If you're new to bulk shopping, the process can seem intimidating, but stores will have signs guiding you through the steps. Load up one of the provided bags with the quantity of the dry good you want. Pro tip: use the provided scales so you're not shocked by prices at checkout, particularly on pricier items like raw nuts. Close up your bag and mark it with the "PLU number" listed on the bin — which tells your cashier or self-checkout system how to charge you. 

Another perk of bulk buying? You're in control, and can parse out exactly what you need — just a few chocolate nuggets perhaps, or a small scoop of that gluten-free flour you're curious about, but don't want to commit to. And since goods are sold unpackaged, you're cutting down on extra packaging waste. You might also find specialty bulk bin goodies you can't find elsewhere. I've struggled to find this cheesy, vegan staple on shelves, but was able to scoop it up — at a great deal — in bulk.