Benefits of buying from the bulk aisle

Benefits of buying from the bulk aisle

By Rebecca Yaeger-Bischoff

For The Hillsider

Rebecca Yaeger-Bischoff

When I was a kid I remember going with my grandma to Amazing Grains, our local food co-op in Grand Forks N.D. (not to be confused with Amazing Grace, the cafe and bakery in Duluth), and seeing big bins of baking ingredients like flour, oats, and nuts. At first I thought it was strange because I’d never seen anything other than candies in bulk bins at the grocery store. I watched as my grandma, an avid bread baker, scooped flour and oatmeal into containers she’d brought from home. Once we were done we brought the containers up to the checkout counter for an employee to weigh them and calculate the cost.

Rebecca's grandma in Amazing Grains, a co-op grocery store which sells food in bulk.

Little did I know that a few years after this trip with my grandma, buying food from the bulk aisle would become a regular part of my shopping trips. Not only am I saving money, but I’m also reducing the amount of waste I bring home. Many grocery stores now have a bulk aisle, making it easy to get started buying grain, cereal, nuts, dried fruit, and other food in bulk.  

Three Reasons to Buy from the Bulk Aisle:

Save Money - Bulk foods tend to be cheaper because you’re not paying for the extra packaging and marketing costs from all the flashy labels or cartoon characters. You can buy as much or as little as you want. I especially like this advantage when buying spices. I don’t have to buy a whole spice jar if I only need a couple of teaspoons.  

Three reasons to shop bulk: cheaper, reduce waste and reduce your carbon footprint

Reduce Waste - Buying foods in bulk reduces the amount of packaging that ends up in the trash can, recycling bin, or as litter. While packaging helps keep food fresh and protect it from damage during transportation, much of it is unnecessary and mostly used to sell products. A good example if this is breakfast cereal. It often comes in plastic packaging inside a cardboard box. The box is used to make the cereal more visitable and attractive to customers, but doesn’t keep the cereal any fresher. When you buy food in bulk, you're not bring home any unnecessary packaging that you have to throw out. You can reduce waste even more by bringing your own reusable container. I like to repurpose glass jars and spice containers. Some stores will even give you a discount for bringing your own containers. Just remember to weigh them before you fill them up!   

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint - It takes a lot of energy (mostly from fossil fuels) and resources (water, trees, aluminum, plastic) to package food. Energy use gives off greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that are major contributors to climate change. A carbon footprint is a measurement of the amount of greenhouse gases produced by a person, activity, or product. Less packaging means less energy used for resource extraction and making the packaging, which lowers the carbon footprint of the food. Transportation of the food is also more efficient because without all that packaging taking up space, there’s more room for food on the delivery truck.

Tagline here: Rebecca Yaeger-Bischoff lives in Lincoln Park, has a degree in environmental science, is a 5 Gyres Ambassador, leads Zumba classes and is interested in health and wellness. Full disclosure: She is also the daughter of The Hillsider editor Naomi Yaeger-Bischoff.

Nonviolent communication workshops presented

SUNDAY, APRIL 9
Karpeles Museum, 902 E. 1st St
1:00pm-3:00pm
Building Trust, Guarding Truth
Interactive presentation and discussion
Dazed, confused, and discouraged by threats of fake news and “alternative facts” in the media today? Political lies and manipulation of truth in the public arena are a breach of public trust and heighten suspicion and division among citizens. In this interactive workshop, learn how to identify credible information sources and unmask fake news and disinformation. Discussion will include methods to leverage social media tools effectively and responsibly.

Presented by Kit Pittman and Kayleen Jones, reference librarians at UMD’s Kathryn Martin Library.



SATURDAY, APRIL 22
Duluth Superior Friends Meeting, 1802 East 1st Street, Duluth
1:00pm-4:30pm
Nonviolent Communication – Why and How
Video screening; Discussion and exercises
How do you to talk with people whose attitudes and behaviors you oppose? And why is that important? Learn how nonviolent communication can help you engage in disagreement without demonizing or sacrificing your values. Small-group practice sessions will also enhance nonviolent communication skills to interact more effectively with friends, family, and allies.

Presented by Ann Harrington of Ann Harrington Training and Consulting



These workshops are part of the Nonviolence Wins! Series of public programs, including film screenings, trainings and discussions on nonviolent strategies and actions, reconciliation and social unity. Sponsored by the Duluth Superior Friends Meeting (Quakers), the series is intended to contribute positively to the Twin Ports community dialogue around issues arising from the current political climate.

All programs are free and open to the public.


 Visit www.northernyearlymeeting.org/article/dsfm-nv for complete descriptions and updates or call 218 724-2659 for information.