The Waste-Free Baking Cupboard: Flour and Sugar

In my last post, I mentioned that I had finally picked up a couple of types of chocolate for baking projects. These were items I was frequently buying in small, plastic-wrapped quantities, so it was great to finally have a supply of them tucked away.

I thought I would continue the theme with a series on how to build a waste-free baking cupboard. Today's topic is just the basics: flour and granulated sugar.

I buy my flour and sugar and Community Natural Foods because they are the easiest place I have found to buy bulk straight into my own containers. I keep their bin numbers and the tare weight of my containers written on the bins, so it is always quick and easy to pop in and get a re-fill.

I do have a few tips when it comes to buying bulk into your own containers.

• Make sure you get the tare written down before you fill them up. You don't want to pay for the weight of your bin.
• Bring a container with a wide enough mouth that you can fill it without the bulk scoop touching your container. This is more sanitary for everyone, and helps avoid spillage.
• Make sure you are selecting the right product before you put it in your container. Once you put it in, it is your responsibility to buy it. I once bought an entire bin of gluten-free flour because I did not double-check the product first. It was expensive!!
• Keep the tare and bin number easily readable to make it easy for the cashier to find.

See you next time as we keep talking about building a waste-free baking cupboard.

Do you buy baking supplies in bulk? Leave a comment!