One of the best things you can do for your wallet (as well as your diet, actually) is to start making use of bulk foods. Even at Whole Foods, sometimes referred to not-so-affectionately as “Whole Paycheck”, the bulk section is an infinitely more frugal way to shop. The savings are incredible – not to mention the fact that along with not paying for packages and marketing, you’re also taking one such package out of a landfill. Frugal AND green!

But it’s not only your budget and your carbon footprint that will benefit – using dried beans instead of canned, for example, improves the quality of your cooking dramatically. Try it, you’ll see! And it’s not just beans, it’s pasta, grains, flours, other baking supplies, nuts, nut butters, dried fruits, granolas, cereals, teas, herbs, even soup and meal mixes, the list goes on and on.

If you’ve never investigated this before – check it out! I’m always looking for ways to improve my pantry efficiency, and the bulk department can be an excellent foundation for this.