Bulk Food Find!

I've really been enjoying making my own homemade bread lately, and decided it is time to step it up and use really great flour for this staple food for our family.  I've bought locally grown and ground whole grain spring wheat flour and it is FABULOUS, but the price is quite high if you want to use it frequently (weekly or daily) like I do.  So, my birthday was a couple weeks ago and I decided to ask for contributions toward a grain mill. 

To go along with the grain mill, I've also been on the hunt for an inexpensive source of whole wheat that I can use to grind into whole wheat flour.  Someone suggested this place for buying bulk hard white wheat and other bulk goods.  I checked out the locations and as it turns out, I live 10 minutes from the only location in my state! 

My friend and I made an appointment and went last night.  It was awesome!  I spent a total of $36.10 and here's what I got:

          ::  25 lb bag hard white wheat
          ::  25 lb bag quick oats
          ::  25 lb bag black beans
          ::  1 can (2.4 lbs) dehydrated refried beans
          ::  1 can (5.8 lbs) hard red wheat (it is supposed to have a different flavor than the hard white wheat so I wanted to try it)

I broke down the purchases of the larger bags to see just how good of deal this was.

Hard White Wheat:
          :: One pound of flour = 4 cups
          :: 25 lb bag of hard white wheat = 100 cups flour
          :: Cost of 25 lb bag = $5.90
          :: Cost per cup of freshly ground whole wheat flour = less than 6 cents

The bread recipe I've been using lately calls for 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour.
          :: Cost of 5 lb bag unbleached white flour = $2
          :: 5 lb bag white flour = 20 cups
          :: Cost of 1 cup white flour = 10 cents

Cost of the flour in one loaf of delicious homemade bread: about $0.22

Oatmeal:
According to my store-bought oatmeal package, 1/2 cup dry oatmeal is one serving.  This is a nice-size bowl of oatmeal - more than the packets if this is what you are comparing to.  When I make oatmeal, I use 1/2 cup dry and 1 cup water and get 1 cup+ once it is cooked.   My one pound container provides 11 servings.
          ::  One lb oatmeal = 11 servings
          ::  Servings per 25 lb bag = 275
          ::  Cost of 25 lb bag = $7.50
          ::  Cost per serving = less than 3 cents... and healthier than most boxed cereal anyway

Or you could think of it by the package:
          ::  25 lb bag  = 400 oz
          ::  1 large canister of Quaker Oats = 40 oz
          ::  25 lb bag = 10 large canisters of Quaker Oats
          ::  Cost of 25 lb bag = $7.50
          ::  Cost if you could buy it by the canister:  $0.75 each

Black Beans:
According to the bag of black beans already in my cupboard, one serving is 1/4 cup dry, so 12 servings per pound.  I'm not sure I could squeak out 3 cups from my 1 pound bag of beans, but since it's in writing on the bag, I'll just use these numbers as a ballpark figure.
          ::  25 lb bag at 12 servings per pound = 300 servings
          ::  Cost of 25 lb bag = $16.35
          ::  Cost per serving  = 5 and a half cents

Wow, it seemed like the black beans broke the bank at $16.35, but when you break it down by serving, it is still a really great deal for this super-healthy protein source.  In this case, it sure pays to buy in bulk when you can find it.  If this is too much food for your family, you could always try splitting a bulk purchase with a friend.  Bulk foods have much less packaging then traditional food, so money is not wasted on paper and plastic that will go in the garbage!  However, not all bulk buying is created equal.  Be sure to bring your calculator and do the math to make sure you are getting a good deal.

I ordered my grain mill last night.  I'm sure I will be sharing the details of my love affair with my new grain mill in the weeks to come. 

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Check out this blog for more Frugal Friday ideas.