Saw a tiny grocery store in Tucson with zero packaged snacks

Walked into this place called Food Conspiracy Co-op last week. Everything was bulk bins or local produce. No chips or soda aisles at all. Made me realize how much I spend on impulse buys at regular stores. Anyone else find it easier to stick to your budget when there's less junk in your face?

3 comments

3 Comments

diana5121mo agoTop Commenter

Started buying just a few bulk staples at my local co-op and my grocery bill dropped by almost 30 percent. Way less temptation when you have to scoop your own snacks out of a bin.

markh851mo ago

Man, the co-op near me is exactly like that and it's a game changer. @the_claire I get the convenience thing but honestly after the first week of scooping my own oats and almonds it just becomes routine. I started buying single ingredient stuff like chickpeas and rice in bulk and now I make a big pot of chili or stir fry and snack on that for days. My impulse buys went from bags of tortilla chips and candy bars to maybe a local apple or a jar of fancy mustard. My wallet definitely noticed the difference in a good way.

the_claire1mo ago

Right, but @diana512 that only works if you actually cook. I’d rather have the convenience of grabbing a bag of chips than spend 20 minutes scooping lentils into a jar.