Dips and Spreads
Do you like to keep your pantry chock-full of snacks for binge-watching your favorite shows? Then you might be tempted to buy that massive tub of artichoke dip at your local warehouse club. True, you get more for the money.
Yet, will you have eaten that entire 40oz container of hummus by the time you’re done watching your favorite show in just two days?
Unless you’re buying food for a big party or you have a large family, you should only purchase smaller quantities of cheese dip, refrigerated hummus, and salsa. That’s because these perishable items go bad after a certain amount of time once opened.
For instance, the packaging on Sabra brand hummus containers includes a disclaimer stating it should be consumed within a week after opening.
You’ll probably spend more on a unit-price basis at your local grocery store, but you’re more likely to actually finish the small container.
But if you’re set on scoring a deal, pay attention to the weekly sales at places like Trader Joe’s, Target, or Walmart, which regularly offer discounts on dips and spreads.
42 Responses
Good luck finding a powder-based cleaning product anywhere. Most every product used to be powder years ago. Now everything is liquid in plastic bottles.
Comet and Barkeepers Friend are still available everywhere.
There are still alot of powder base cleaners around. Tide and Gain come in powder, Ajax and Comet cleanser still come in powder base. Not sure where you’re looking but they’re out there
Yes, and those discounted dips and spreads are likely close to their expiration date. Buyer beware!
where? Costco??? you made me look at the two containers of dips from New Year’s that were acquired at Costco. No where near expiration.
the turnover at Costco is so great that I highly doubt it….
I check the use by date on every food & supplements I buy, no matter where I get it from. I really only use my Sam’s club for cleaning supplies, toilet paper, Kleenex, toys & etc. Only because we are empty nesters now.
I beg to for your idea and proof of your suggestion! Do you work for them?
I am a family of one, & do shop sams for meats detergent water bread tp & paper towels etc. It never occurred to me to just shop smaller. I am going to try yr suggestions.
We are a country of excess. We’re programmed from infancy to think that bigger and more is better.
When we get into the huge box stores, our eyes glazed over and we don’t care how big it is. We can rationalize our way into buying “it all”.
I agree with what not to purchase at warehouse stores, but when it comes to meat and poultry the best investment is FOODSAVER sealing system NO FREZZER BURN
LEARNED A LOT…..THANKS.
using a vacuum sealer on large purchases and divide into package for family size
Unfortunately, this advice is too late. I just purchased a package of chicken breasts at Sam’s Club. Promptly came home, washed and seasoned them, and placed them in my freezer. Thank you for the advice going forward.
A MAJOR factor in freezing food is the difference between a typical refrigerator/freezer in your kitchen (which is generally self-defrosting) and a deep freeze, which is not. Freezer burn is almost exclusively caused by the slight thaw/re-freeze cycle resulting from a frost-free freezer.
Thank you for the info. I didn’t know. But alas, my deep freezers are also frost free. Defrosting is not in my job description. LOL
nothing at this time
I like and will support local stores over Big Box all the time .
you do that! if you have the space to store, why not. no one wants to run out of TP. I buy once and I’m good for a long time!!
Agree!! Walmart went into small town America and literally wiped mom and pop from the earth!! I will never step foot in their stores.
An Okie from Muskogee’s rules for retirement:
1. Never let emotion interfere with your finances.
But when a Costco is not near by, and a Walmart is nearby!
I like shopping at Costco specially for frozen vegetables as well as meats of in bulk. I like to take them home and put them in smaller bags and put them back into the large bag it comes in. That way I can just pull out what I need. Never sits in my freezer getting freezer burn. It’s a lot more convenient than having to run to town every time I need something.
I disagree about the meat. It is significantly cheaper and if you have a good freezer and divide it up and freeze it properly, it saves quite a bit.
In buying meats in quantity, if you break it up into smaller amounts and use a food saver vacuum sealer then store it in the freezer, does that solve the issue?
I had been using the meat in Sam’s Club and buy of meat and I separated them and put like maybe a pound in freezer bags, So tell me why is it not a good idea even chicken too.
Did I miss something? Did someone say not to buy chicken in bulk? I have for years done the same thing with my chicken and put it in smaller containers vacuum sealer
Buying in larger quantities for a smaller family often requires repackaging for freezer or storage. The added expense of packaging materials adds to the cost of the items.
Your toothpaste comparison is not a valid one. You’re comparing the Colgate Total SF Advanced Whitening against the Colgate Cavity Protection toothpaste. That comparison is like buying a car saying that buying a Toyota is much cheaper than buying a Cadillac. Well – BOTH are cars! DUH!
Great suggestions. Thanks. ..
Those “Natures Made ” pills are made in CHINA…Read the back of the bottle…Don’t buy from our biggest enemy !!!
The meat at Safeway and Albertsons goes on a “buy one get one free” and the stores double the price per pound of the meat on sale so, in effect, you’re still buying it at regular price. I stopped shopping at those stores because of their stupid games, and I’m glad I don’t work for one of them any more as well.
Don’t forget to price it by the pound and compare it to house labels. They often sit next to each other, for quick comparison.
I think this must be written my Warehouse competitors. They miss the fact that particularly at Costco, the meat quality is excellent. They must take us for idiots that don’t realize we need to repackage large purchases for the freezer — I often put together several ready to cook frozen meals.
MEATS:
1.) We buy most of our meat from a local farm, and stored in a chest freezer, a year’s worth, side of beef, side of pig, and 30 grass-fed, organic-fed chickens, beef, and pork.
2.) Even if we didn’t you can save by nuying in bilk, then using a vaccuum sealer to break it down into smaller portions!
That is very true
Not only has the price of Cottage cheese gone up but you really need to watch the date.
All I can say is thank you for saving this household money
Great job
Living a LOOOOONG way from town, some of these reasons are valid, others are not !
We buy our Meat from Sams Club, and a few other things, dog food, paper-goods, Produce in the off season.
But then again, 50 miles for a stick of butter or bag of cereal is a bit far, besides we get paid once a month, and so Stock up when we do shop, we do NOT, do designer clothes.
some of your arguments do make sense, like expiration dates.
Costco is very disappointing to me. My wife got hearing aids there and has bought nothing else. So even if she did save a little on hearing aids….btw she found lower prices later elsewhere….we haven’t saved enough to pay for the membership. It IS very popular as the parking lot is always jammed. But I think a lot of that is their special on a meal or two. And try to get one of those with a seat to sit in. People go and park their butts and stay like it’s a coffee shop in a rural area. They haven’t hurt me so I shouldn’t be so critical, but to advertise as a discount store and not have many discounts, it’s all deceptive as can be. One does need to learn the color coding of prices to see if things are on sale. I haven’t found anything enough on sale to justify my walking thru their door. My membership will be canceled. My wife will probably keep hers.
I never found those club stores to be much of a bargain considering what they want you to pay for a yearly membership You have save that on shopping to begin with The prices at local grocers can be just as good price wise Some sell in large quantities at better prices Staple goods can be very reasonable at local stores especially if you use coupons and they all don’t raise prices on buy one get one free Buy one get one is usually a good deal but you need to know your prices When all is said and done big box stores are not that much of a bargain except maybe in the bakery goods
I live alone and buy Dawn dish soap at Costco in their largest container and put in smaller containers. Never seen a change in quality using Dawn over the years.