Food costs keep squeezing household budgets across the country, with grocery bills still causing the biggest sticker shock. To help people cope, we've tested different money-saving approaches: rescuing discounted food through apps like Flashfood, pitting name brands against generic alternatives and investigating whether discount grocers like Trader Joe's live up to their budget-friendly reputations.
Another proven approach is bulk buying. Loading up on household essentials at warehouse clubs like Costco can slash your grocery spending considerably. When I ran the numbers, the potential annual savings came to roughly $1,000 for the typical shopper who commits to buying in bulk.
But bulk shopping isn't as simple as signing up for Costco or Sam's. You'll need to think about storage space, shelf life and whether you'll actually use what you buy.
As Mary Ann Kelley, the meal planning expert behind AddSaltandServe, puts it: "Shoppers can ask themselves three questions:
Will my savings be significant compared to the lowest price at all stores? Will I use the items before they expire or lose quality? Do I have room to store the items I buy in bulk?"
A great deal isn't a deal if you end up throwing half of it away.
Read more: Here's What an Expert Told Me About Food Expiration Dates
Accepting that bulk shopping is generally a financially savvy move, and given the considerations posed above, I asked a few shopping and meal prepping experts what the best foods are to buy in bulk. Here they are:
1. Canned or dried beans
Beans are packed with protein and they're the perfect candidates to buy in bulk. Chris Monroe/CNET
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