How to Buy Bulk Food With Glass Jars

On behalf of the lovelies who have e-mailed me with this similar question – here is how I buy bulk food with glass jars where I live.

The one exception being: Bulk Barn.
Please sign this petition started by Kathryn so we can kickstart Bulk Barn into letting consumers bring their own jars.

Pssst. Bulk Barn – I have some helpful tips for you and you know, it could save your company money in the long term. 

Anyway. The two places in Ottawa that I go to that let you bring your own jars are Kardish and Rainbow Foods. And I choose them just because they are close to me and I like them and what they offer. I don’t know what you have around you. But hey – check out this BULK APP that needs support created by Bea Johnson, the inspiration behind almost every zero waster. This app will help you locate a bulk store nearest to you. Assuming there are even bulk stores in your country. #savethebulkapp

Ok enough plugging. Jeez.

So here is what you (I) do:

STEP 1:
I bring my containers to the cashier first and ask them to ‘tare’ it or weigh it.

STEP 2:

They will then write down the weight of the jar on a sticker and put it on your jar.

Sometimes they let me write it down on the bottom with a permanent sharpie.

Step 3:

Then I go to the bulk sections and fill it up. With whatever I want. Lately my snack of choice is dried. salted fava beans. My son and I call them bean chips.

Step 4:

I make sure to keep track of the bin # (the code that tells the cashier what the bulk item is) – which I do in a text to myself or scrap paper.

Step 5:

Then I bring the jar(s) to the cash.

Step 6: 

The cashier then subtracts the weight of the jar from the weight of the bulk goods

You will see it show up on your receipt as a discount or a negative if they did it correctly. Be patient with the new cashiers as they may need your guidance. And if you aren’t sure they put it in correctly, just double check your receipt.

Step 7:
Pay.

And that’s it.

You can do this exact same thing with cloth bags too. You can do it for tiny jars that are for spices. You can do it with any size jar. Any shape. You can even use your plastic containers if you want. You can get all kinds of flour, sugar, beans, snacks, chocolate – pretty much anything except… oh yeah… bulk pasta. The one place that sold pasta in bulk was the West End Well and they closed.

So now I just make my own or use a veggie replacement like spaghetti squash or zucchini cut into thin noodle-like zoodles..

The end.