Buying food in large quantities, also known as bulk shopping, is an excellent way to fill your pantry and fridge. Certain items are cheaper when purchased in bulk, making it a great way to save money, too.
While some foods make ideal choices for bulk shopping due to their long shelf lives or freezability, more perishable foods should be bought in smaller quantities to avoid spoilage.
Read on for some of the best healthy foods worth bulk-buying.
Dried beans and lentils are one of the most shelf-stable foods. They can be stored at room temperature for an extended period without spoiling.
Although storing beans and lentils may lead to the degradation of certain nutrients over time, they can last around a year, even after opening.
Beans and lentils are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, making them a healthy choice for bulk shopping. What’s more, they can be added to a wide variety of dishes, such as soups, curries, stews, and salads.
Though delicious and nutritious, fresh berries can be expensive and highly perishable. However, frozen berries are similar in nutritional value to fresh berries and can be purchased in bulk at lower prices.
Harvesting and then quickly freezing berries prolongs shelf life and maintains the nutritional content of fresh berries. Frozen fruit can last indefinitely in the freezer, but for the best quality, keep for a maximum of 10 to 18 months in the freezer.
Adding berries to your diet can benefit your health in many ways, including lowering your risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, and mental decline.
Like fresh berries and other types of fruit, fresh vegetables tend to spoil quickly, even when properly stored.
For this reason, stocking up on frozen vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and butternut squash is a good idea, as most can be stored in the freezer for up to 18 months.
Vegetables are packed with nutrients, which is why diets that include both fresh and frozen vegetables have been linked to numerous health benefits.
Because fresh meat and poultry spoil quickly when stored in the refrigerator, freezing them is an excellent way to avoid food waste.
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Freezing protein sources immediately after purchase can extend their usability, so you don’t have to run to the store every time you need meat or poultry for a recipe.
If you have defrosted meat or poultry in the fridge, you can cook it and then refreeze it afterward. You can also refreeze it if you decide not to cook it. However, if it has thawed outside the fridge, you’ll need to make sure to cook it before refreezing.
Once cooked, you can only refreeze meat and poultry once.
Dried fruit is highly nutritious and contains an impressive amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What’s more, it’s a healthy pantry item that has a much longer shelf life than fresh fruit.
According to the USDA, dried fruits, such as mangos, cranberries, and apricots, can be stored for up to 6 months. After opening, storing them in the refrigerator will allow them to last another 6 months. Or you can then freeze them for up to 1 month.
Keep in mind that dried fruit is higher in calories and sugar than fresh fruit and should be eaten in small amounts. Choose unsweetened dried fruit whenever possible to limit your intake of added sugar.
Nuts in the shell last much longer than shelled nuts, making them a great choice for long-term storage.
For example, almonds in the shell can last up to 6 months when stored at room temperature, while shelled almonds only last 4 months under the same storage conditions.
Purchase nuts like almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and pecans in the shell and crack them with a nutcracker as needed.
An additional benefit of nuts in the shell is that they require more time and effort to prepare than shelled nuts, which may slow down the eating process and lead to a reduction in calorie intake.
Whole dry popcorn kernels can be purchased in bulk and stored at room temperature for up to 2 years.
Unlike packaged instant popcorn, which contains unhealthy ingredients such as harmful additives and unhealthy fats, whole popcorn is entirely natural.
Not to mention, preparing your own popcorn is fun and allows you to control the ingredients you consume. It’s also high in fiber, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and polyphenol antioxidants, making it a healthy snack when consumed in moderation.
Unlike fresh pasta, which needs to be cooked within a few days, dried pasta can be stored for up to 2 years. After opening, it can last up to 1 year in the pantry.
Whole wheat pasta makes a better choice than refined white pasta since it is lower in calories and higher in certain nutrients, including fiber, manganese, and magnesium.
For those who can’t tolerate the gluten found in wheat-based pasta, brown rice pasta, and pasta made from gluten-free grains are healthy alternatives with similar shelf lives.
Different types of pasta can be found in the bulk section of grocery stores and are typically offered at discounted rates.
Getting in enough greens can be a challenge for some people. Moreover, fresh greens should be used within a few days before they begin to degrade.
Greens powders are nutritional supplements made from dried, pulverized greens, such as kale, spinach, and wheatgrass.
Not only are green powders highly nutritious, but most brands will also stay fresh in the refrigerator or freezer after opening for up to 2 years.
Buying greens powder in bulk sizes ensures a long-lasting supply of this healthy product to add to smoothies, yogurt, and other recipes.
High quality protein powders can be costly. However, most companies offer larger containers of various protein powders at cheaper price points.
Since most people who use protein powder do so on a regular basis, buying large amounts at a lower cost is a smart way to save money.
Some of the most popular protein powders, including whey and pea protein, typically expire around 18 to 24 months after purchase.
Many healthy foods can be purchased in bulk at discounted prices.
These foods can be stored in the pantry, freezer, or refrigerator for several months, making bulk purchases a smart choice.
Stock up on nutritious, non-perishable bulk items to ensure that you always have ingredients available to make healthy, delicious meals and snacks.