Buying and Storing in Bulk

It's not that hard. And it's so very much cheaper. We don't buy too much prepared food. At all. I don't know how people afford it. Really. Real, unprocessed food tastes so much better and is so much better for you. We get whatever we can in bulk, often organic, and from local sources when possible. Twenty five pounds of steel cut oats, 10 pounds of flax seed, 10 pounds of barley, 25 pounds of rice, 5 pounds of walnuts... Most people will have access to some kind of food co-op or buying club where you can order medium or large quantities and split the order with others. You just have to find them. You do need storage space - somewhere cool and not too damp. I built a small room in the basement with walls made of rigid styrofoam insulation. It has a vent to the outside through the 1st floor sill so even though it's only 8 feet from the woodstove that is our only non-solar heat supply it stays cool all winter. But if you don't buy in very large quantities there is no reason you can't do something similar in the city. The storage containers need to be well-sealed and the contents kept as cool and dry as possible.

It helps if you have a garden, but even if you don't you can still get these things from the market.

And for short-term storage, jars are fine. Dried beans, lentils, rice, barley, spelt, popcorn... all the essentials.