Want. Want more than Boo.
And so, I've tried to re-create, with the help of Ikea jars, and several 'bulk' stores in our neighborhood.
This is what our pantry looks like now.
It's getting there. If you're shocked at the lack of food, I'll say that we didn't really have food in the first place, so this is actually an upgrade in inventory. We now have chocolate chips (which I've been using as a snack, which is genius), English breakfast tea, cranberries, popcorn, rice, and oatmeal. We used to have chocolate covered pretzels but those vanished, somehow. All of it was purchased in bulk at local businesses.
We now have little muslin bags (thanks Amazon) that we take shopping with us, they look like this.
We take them to the store, and and fill them up with bulk items, and take them home and put them in the jars. Magic; no waste, whole foods. I know it sounds wild and tedious, but it's actually been really fun. First, we always go together and it is a nice walk around our neighborhood, which is historic and adorable. We're discovering new local business, because anytime I see anything that looks like it might be in bulk, I dash inside!
So far we've found three places in our neighborhood that we like for bulk food.
175 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 855-6068 · perelandranatural.com
There's a bulk room in this store, ah!
A whole line up of different granolas, nuts nuts nuts I don't like nuts, beans which I should consider, countless variaties of rice, and some interesting things like popcorn, and maple syrup on tap. Also in store, Dr. Bronner's magic vegetable soap which smells uhamazing and is totally organic and we use it for washing our hands and dishes.
187 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 624-4550 · sahadis.com
Sahadi's was Mecca. I guess in other parts of the world, this is what shopping for food looks like, but for me, who was used to Fresh Direct, this was muslin bag heaven!
That's Sahadi's. Oh Brooklyn, you are adorable.
They have over 200 bulk items, including things that interested me, like flour, chocolate chips, oatmeal (quick oats) and...
Candy! Aaron was delighted.
Two For the Pot
200 Clinton St, Brooklyn, NY
200 Clinton St, Brooklyn, NY
I need to take some picture of this place; it is too adorable for words, like time traveling to a tea store in colonial Williamsburg. First, everything is in glass jars, so it is basically like walking into a large Bea Johnson pantry (already excited), and it smells amazing because they only sell tea and spices and catnip, all only in bulk. We got $5 worth of the English breakfast tea, which is what is sold at the River Cafe (where we got married!) so obviously we needed that. I've been boiling water in our tea kettle, and using a tea steeper to make myself tea on weekend mornings. Old school zero waste!
Ok so let me finish up the list of why we're liking this. First, neighborhood exploration, second, cute standing date to go food shopping together, third, food is cheaper without packaging, and fourth, food without packaging forces us to eat healthier. It isn't all whole grains and veggies, because chocolate covered pretzels come in bulk, but overall, it feels fresh and lean.
Oh and before I leave you, check out fridge progress.
Water bottles, farm fresh milk in a glass bottle, thanks to a milk exchange with a local cafe, a cheese and leftover veggies jar, and bags of fruits and veggies in the drawer. Again, not a lot of food (we just don't eat here that often!) but when we do, we have some freshness to sustain us.
What do you think of the zero waste bulk shopping? Crazy? Anything you would ever try? If anyone has any bulk suggestions, please let us know!
