Last week, I wrote about having to buy a half-pound bag of bean sprouts when I just needed a handful. This week, in making an encore entree out of cold sesame noodles, I went to the Asian grocer nearby and bought just the right amount.
Not only did I preclude any extra sprouts, which I never end up using in their short lifespan, it was about 1/5 the price. When was the last time you got anything for 35 cents?!
No wasted food, no wasted money, no guilt.
But I’m not writing to give myself a pat on the back–I did, after all, toss about half of the old bag of sprouts. Instead, I just wanted to point out that you don’t have to buy in bulk from the “bulk” aisle. I like to think of it as the “custom” aisle. With a little planning, you can buy just the amount needed and avoid having to measure at home.
In addition, I learned that there’s another reason to shop at a specialty grocer (in addition the old timey charm most people don’t have the time to value): logic. Save money and avoid waste in exchange for an added shopping stop.
This whole affair reminded me of how many supermarkets have eliminated customers’ choice. One grocery store I go to lacks a butcher or a seafood counter. If I want shrimp, I can get a frozen, one-pound bag. What if you only want a half-pound? Tough.
Are there packaged food items you usually buy that a portion of which often ends up in the trash? Maybe there’s a “custom” way of purchasing one or more of those items.
Stumble it! | Posted in Household, Supermarket, History and Culture |
The packaged food item that ends up in the trash? Bean sprouts. Every single time! And I went all the way down to Chinatown, seeking the solution you describe, and the lady selling them on the street made me buy a whole pound! Better luck next time…
My best solution for this? I’ve stopped making recipes with bean sprouts, until I find a seller like yours. There are plenty of other yummy veggies.
This is so true and half the reason why I try to shop at farmers markets. There are some weeks when all my neighborhood supermarket offers for produce are prepackaged 5 lb. bags of mealy apples and rows of plastic containers with three giant heads each of sub-par romaine lettuce shoved carelessly inside. For the single lady who barely makes it home for dinnertime on weeknights and only entertains the occasional dinner guest, this is way too much food! However, by frequenting my farmers market I find that I can choose whatever fruits/vegetables I like in the proper amounts. (Bonus: It just tastes better!)
Awesome blog — keep up the great work!
For me, the frozen shrimp work out fabulously…I defrost as many as I need, and the rest stay in the freezer. I run into problems more often when the food item in question is perishable(like bean sprouts!!).
I adore Trader Joe’s for just about everything except this…that their produce comes prepackaged. I often want to buy just a few of something(like mushrooms), and this is impossible there. At my other grocery store, I can buy 2-3 mushrooms, and then I’m way less likely to waste any.
Megan, that’s too bad about the greengrocer enforcing minimum poundage on the bean sprouts. Tell them to read this post!!
Good point on the farmer’s market, Jen. There’s just so much to like about farmer’s markets. And gosh those supermarket bags of apples are so not tempting.
Hear, hear, R.F.W. I’m in total agreement on the Trader Joe’s produce problem.
I had no idea you’d posted about that, Jonathan! lol I’m kinda new to your site…must do some more digging.
I do sometimes buy large packages of produce at Costco, but I try really hard to plan my menus around those items. I just bought a gianormous bag of sweet red peppers, and so we’re having all of my red pepper recipes in the next two weeks. =P
Have you considered sprouting your own bean sprouts from dried mung beans. It requires a little more effort but its quite satisfying to sprout your own in the end.
I would never have considered sprouting my own. Thanks for the idea.
Unfortunately for my home sprouting chances, I realized a few weeks ago that I don’t even like bean sprouts.
Any other ideas along similar lines?