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12 Worst Things to Buy in Bulk
Think twice before stocking up on these items
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Key takeways
- Buying in bulk can save money, but many items spoil or degrade before use.
- Fresh foods and certain pantry staples often lead to waste if purchased in large quantities.
- Medications, skin care and cleaners lose potency and may expire.
Purchasing items in bulk can be a great way to save money, especially when products go on sale. It’s the very business model behind warehouse clubs like BJ’s, Costco and Sam’s Club, which rake in billions annually.
But more isn’t always better. While buying in large quantities makes sense for certain household items, some don’t lend well to bulk buying. Fresh produce, for example, can spoil quickly, leading to costly waste. Storage can be a pain for that 12-pack of paper towel rolls. And some products may be less effective or obsolete by the time you get around to using them.
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Here are a dozen items to avoid buying in bulk.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
That giant pack of baby carrots on sale? Think twice before throwing it into your cart. “Buying produce in bulk often leads to waste,” says Amy Tzur, a professional organizer in Chicago. In her experience, many households overestimate how quickly they’ll consume fresh fruits and veggies. Bulk produce, she says, can also take up space in your refrigerator — and when your fridge is overcrowded, food can get buried and forgotten.
“Unless you’re meal-prepping immediately or feeding a large family, bulk produce usually costs more in waste than it saves in dollars,” says Tzur. Berries and lettuce spoil especially fast, says Amanda Deering, professor of produce food safety at Purdue University.
Before stocking up on produce, make sure you have a plan for it (think: “it’s time to bake a strawberry rhubarb pie, so I’ll grab that giant pack of strawberries”), or be prepared to freeze or dehydrate it to extend its lifespan.
Over-the-counter medications
Those expiration dates on ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin and other common over-the-counter medications matter. “Many people don’t go through large bottles before they expire,” says Tzur. Also, “Oversized bottles take up disproportionate cabinet and drawer space in already small medicine storage areas.”
Tzur recommends purchasing over-the-counter medications that you know you’ll use before they expire, such as stocking up on allergy medication before peak season.
Skin care, makeup and sunscreen
Although you might be tempted to buy multiple bottles of your favorite moisturizer when it goes on sale, purchasing skin-care products in bulk can backfire. “All topicals have expiration dates — usually around a year from purchase date for many items,” says Dr. Farah Moustafa, a dermatologist and director of laser and cosmetics at Tufts Medical Center.
The same goes for makeup. Many cosmetics have packaging that features an icon of a small jar with an open lid and a number next to the letter “m” that indicates how many months the product should last after opening. The American Academy of Dermatology warns that cosmetics can break down over time and even build up germs that may cause skin irritation.
While you might see a great deal on a big bottle of sunscreen, most sunscreen begins to lose effectiveness after three years. “Extra-large containers add a layer of issues because once opened, that bottle would be open for a longer period of time and could begin to get contaminated,” says Moustafa.
Spices
That giant container of saffron might be on sale, but unless it’s a spice you use frequently, you’re probably better off purchasing a smaller container. “Buying specialty spices in bulk is a financial drain unless you run a commercial operation,” says Gary Gray, cofounder and CEO of CouponChief, a platform that helps online shoppers find deals. “A large container of specialty spice will remain in your pantry for extended periods, losing its flavor and potency.”
Liquid cleaners
“It can be hard to notice with the untrained eye, but disinfectants, sanitizers, bleach and enzymes all lose their effectiveness over time,” says Ryan Knoll, owner of Tidy Casa, a home cleaning company in Phoenix. Generally, if you buy more than you can use in six months, he says you’re purchasing products you’ll need to toss later.
Yorleny Loeffler, owner of Yorleny’s Cleaning Service in West Palm Beach, Florida, agrees. “Liquid cleaners often degrade over time in laundry rooms and warmer areas of homes,” she says. “There have also been cases where a year’s supply of detergent has separated or hardened, so it has lost its ability to clean effectively,” he says.
Large containers of cleaning products can also be difficult to store, says Tzur. “Industrial-sized jugs require floor storage, garage shelving or reinforced laundry shelving.”
Cooking oils
That giant bottle of olive oil that’s on sale may be tempting to pop into your shopping cart, but think before you supersize your cooking oils. “Oxygen, light and heat are the demise of fats,” says Emmy Clinton, a recipe developer and founder of cooking site Entirely Emmy.
Extra-virgin olive oil begins to oxidize the moment the seal is broken. “It’s recommended that a bottle of olive oil be finished within three to six months to enjoy its flavor and full health benefits,” Clinton adds. After that, she says, it can develop an odor similar to crayons or cardboard, which indicates it’s past its prime and could ruin the flavor profile of your dish.
Flour
“Flour is deceptively perishable,” says Tzur. White flour can last in a cool, dry place for only six to 12 months; whole wheat typically lasts just one to three months in those conditions.
To maximize shelf life, keep flour in airtight containers.
Eggs
Space-wise, Tzur is not a fan of purchasing eggs in bulk. “Large containers of eggs can dominate refrigerator shelves,” she says. Also, many households don’t use eggs as quickly as they expect to, she says.
Generally, eggs last about three to four weeks in the refrigerator, says Yujia Zhang, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Tufts Medicine’s Frances Stern Nutrition Center.
Brown rice
When stored properly in an airtight container, white rice can last indefinitely, according to the USA Rice Federation, making it an ideal bulk buy. Brown rice, on the other hand, has an oily layer that causes it to spoil.
“Brown rice has a shelf life of about six months before you can expect the oils in the bran layer of the rice to turn rancid,” says Clinton. “I recommend buying smaller portions that you will finish within that six-month time period.”
Vitamins and supplements
Nearly 80 percent of adults 50-plus take a vitamin or dietary supplement, AARP research shows, and many older adults take multiple — so chances are, you have a few in your medicine cabinet. While it may be tempting to purchase them in larger quantities, supplements lose effectiveness over time.
“Most supplements, such as vitamins and minerals, typically retain their effectiveness for about one to two years,” says Dr. Nneoma Oparaji, a board-certified internal medicine physician at telehealth company MDLive. “This is why I tell my patients that if they are taking supplements to treat deficiencies such as vitamin D or B12, it is important to take them within the labeled shelf life,” she says.
Birdseed
If you have a backyard bird feeder that you need to refill often, stocking up on birdseed may seem like a good idea. However, experts say buying it in bulk may be more trouble than it’s worth. “From a pest management perspective, bulk birdseed is actually a top item that attracts pests to your home,” says Keith Hinds, vice president of operations at Modern Pest Services.
Birdseed is typically a mix of high-energy grains, seeds and oils — a combination that attracts everything from beetles and moths to mice and rats, especially if a bag stored in a garage, shed or basement is left partially open, says Hinds. “If you have a lot of it, it can become a reliable source of food for these pests, and they will return often,” he says.
If you do decide to buy birdseed in bulk, consider dividing it into smaller sealed containers and storing them in a cool, dry, dark location to keep out insects and rodents, says John Griffin, senior managing director of urban wildlife programs at Humane World for Animals.
Dry dog food
Buying in bulk might make sense for a kibble-guzzling Great Dane, but buying large bags of dry food for smaller dogs can be a costly mistake.
Dog Academic, a company that studies consumer data among pet owners, analyzed purchasing patterns from 50,000 subscribers. The study found that 35 percent of consumers who buy kibble in bulk end up discarding a portion due to spoilage or their dog’s changing dietary needs.
“We advise our subscribers to purchase no more than a 30-day supply of kibble at one time and to store it in the original bag inside an airtight container,” says Belize Hans Polloso, Dog Academic’s vice president. “The savings from bulk kibble rarely outweigh the cost of waste and potential health issues,” if the food spoils, she says.
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