The Fan-Favorite Sprouts Perk We Wish All Grocery Stores Had

Ask anyone who shops at Sprouts Farmers Market what they love most about the grocery store, and a lot of them are probably going to give you the same answer. Not the produce section, not the deals on natural meat, not even the supplement wall. It's the bulk bins. And while Sprouts operates mostly in the southern and western U.S., its bulk section has built a loyal following among shoppers.

One customer on Reddit described bringing their reusable bags and feeling like a "kid at a candy store." That's not an exaggeration either. The Sprouts bulk section is packed with bins of coffee beans, rice, nuts, dried fruit, granola, candy, baking staples, and spices. The kind of stuff you'd normally buy in a bag with a lot of plastic and air in it. Here, you just scoop out what you need, jot down the PLU code, and pay by weight at checkout. Sprout says you can save up to 30% per ounce compared to packaged versions of the same items.

Sprouts actually encourages you to bring your own containers. If you bring a reusable bag, silicone storage pouch, or container, stop at the register first to have it weighed so it can be accounted for at checkout (this is called the tare weight). Then you're free to fill up. A tablespoon of a spice for a recipe that serves two? Done. A small handful of something you've never tried before and aren't sure about? Great. No committing to a full bag, no packaging to throw away, and less food waste thanks to the store's rescued organics — food that might've otherwise gone to waste.

It depends a lot on where you live and which specific store you're walking into. Whole Foods Market has a bulk section at most locations, containing grains, beans, pasta, spices, nuts... the usual. And they keep the bar high when it comes to quality, banning hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners in anything sold in bulk. The catch is that not every Whole Foods will let you bring your own containers. So it's worth calling ahead before you show up with an empty mason jar. The selection can also vary widely by location, which is a little frustrating.

Local co-ops are honestly where bulk bins really thrive. Independent natural food co-ops have been doing this for decades, selling things ranging from baking staples to bulk grains and produce. And, a lot of them gladly welcome customers to bring their own containers with the tare recorded beforehand. Some go even further, offering container reuse and sanitation programs. It's about as close to a fully circular system as you'll find at a "grocery store."

But, for the most part, the conventional chains have mostly abandoned bulk sections – if they ever had them at all. The usual explanation is food safety concerns around containers customers bring from home, which is fair enough. But it does mean that if you want to commit to bringing and filling your own containers, your only real options are Sprouts, some Whole Foods, or your local co-op (if you're lucky enough to have one nearby).