Bulk up on good things: beyond barley and bulger

Take a look inside your pantry or cupboards — what do you see? If you're like many part-time cooks, you might find a jumble of flour, sugar and rice boxes — along with dozens of questionable bottles of past-their-prime cooking oils and herbs.

What to do? Buying items in bulk is great way to clear out the kitchen clutter. When you buy bulk, you can pick up as much or as little as you need — saving money and cutting down on excess packaging. Buying bulk is also a great way to sample new things and keep your purchases like perishable spices fresh.

Our bulk departments carry a healthy assortment of mostly organic items that go way beyond the traditional notion of barley and bulger staples. In the mood for breakfast? We stock a tasty all-natural pancake mix, plus 30 varieties of granola in eye-opening flavors like vanilla macaroon, cinnamon nut, and raspberries and cream.

You'll find more than 18 varieties of rice including basmati, arborio and jasmine. For baking, take your pick from 10 varieties of flour, organic nuts such as almonds, cashews and walnuts, and baking chocolate, including dark and semi-sweet chips. You can even grind your own fresh peanut or almond butter.

Our liquid bulk options include tamari, organic maple syrup and olive and canola oils. Snacks feature 10 varieties of fruit and nut-packed trail mix, organic cocoa almonds, chocolate raisins and peanut butter-dipped pretzels. We also offer great options for easy meals, including a variety of organic pastas, couscous, and tasty veggie burger, falafel and soup mixes.

So, whether you're stocking up or just trying a sample, you'll love the convenience of bulk — lots of choices with less packaging and ultimately, less clutter in your kitchen.