[rubylee]

We are pretty rural. We're about 90 miles from a Sam's Club and have no Costco. Does anyone know a good place to purchase bulk sugar or salt? We've bought a lot of things from LDS and Pleasant Hills but they didn't carry salt or sugar or if they did, I couldn't find it. I don't mind driving to Sam's to stock up on things but I was wondering if there was a more economical place that sold larger amounts.

 

[Cosmo]

Figure out how much it will cost you to make the 180 mile round trip (fuel, refreshments...etc.) and add the total to the estimated Sam's purchase. If it is within a few dollars of what it would cost you at a local grocery store then forget buying it at Sam's & just stock up from your local grocery store.

 

[Decidion]

You can try looking to see if there is a restaurant supply warehouse in the city that the Sam's Club is in. They sell in bulk and are generally cheaper...if they are open to the public (the one by us is).

 

[LeftCoast Grower]

We are pretty rural. We're about 90 miles from a Sam's Club and have no Costco. Does anyone know a good place to purchase bulk sugar or salt? We've bought a lot of things from LDS and Pleasant Hills but they didn't carry salt or sugar or if they did, I couldn't find it. I don't mind driving to Sam's to stock up on things but I was wondering if there was a more economical place that sold larger amounts.

They have it, might be worth it.

http://waltonfeed.com/

 

[rubylee]

Wow, Walton Feed has exactly what I want but their shipping is outrageous.:xeye: The restaurant supply place is a good idea and might be a little cheaper than Sam's. Our local grocery store is a mom and pop place and I can't get more than 5# packages of salt or 10# of sugar. I guess driving to Sam's isn't so bad compared to what they would charge to ship.

 

[Herbalpagan]

I buy from Emergency Essentials online. great shipping price of under $12 no matter how much you buy.

 

[Meat Guy]

Salt can be purchased at your local feed store. Will work for salting hides, etc. Do the math of prices of staples. Here many of the staples are cheaper in the small packages.
Our grocery store usually beats Sam's prices for things like that.

 

[danpauselius]

The mormons (LDS) have the lowest prices around. Locate your nearest LDS canning facility and make an appointment. You can find price lists online somewhere, I know we did.

 

[MikeK]

You might ask your local mom and pop store if they can order it for you with one of their merchandise orders. They might give you a good price break on it and make it worth your trouble. I find a lot of my supplies by asking retailers and restaurants to order for me. Many of them are glad to. They make a few extra bucks and you save a few, so everyone is happy.

 

[homesteader1]

I have purchased sugar from the LDS. The cost was good and the storage in #10 cans is awesome.

Aldi's has the best price on sugar and table salt in my area. Even though the sugar is in 5 pound bags the price per pound is less than Sam's Club.

The LDS does not put O2 absorbers in sugar. They say it will make it harden.

 

[MikeK]

I have purchased sugar from the LDS. The cost was good and the storage in #10 cans is awesome.

Aldi's has the best price on sugar and table salt in my area. Even though the sugar is in 5 pound bags the price per pound is less than Sam's Club.

The LDS does not put O2 absorbers in sugar. They say it will make it harden.

Sugar doesn't need them anyway. It doesn't go rancid or combine with O2. In fact, if you're in a dry region, you can just leave it sitting out on shelves in the bags it came in. It'll last indefinately that way. I do that, and it hardens a bit, but is plenty easy to crumble up again.

 

[survive]

I would speak with the manager of your local grocery store an explain to him/her that you are looking to make a bulk purchase. You would like to support the local store (this one) but you can't justify the higher price for bulk purchase. Explain that you were planning on doing a longer trip to buy "said" supplies, but thought you would see if they could work out a deal with you. You buy at the local store, if you can get a good discount!

Most stores will work out a deal with you. They would rather make less on the purchase than loose your business.

Come prepared with your list of things and find out what Sam's or Costco would charge. Then when they make you an offer, you can explain that "yes" you like the offer, or "no" the price is still to high. Give them a chance to come down one more notch in the price point.

Once they realize how big of an order you are looking at - they will most likely accommodate you.

Bakeries are another good spot to look. You can ask the baker if they might order some extra for you. They might be able to give it you for a little over the wholesale price.

You could also see about getting together with local families and starting a food coop. Some distributors are happy to sell to food coops, just like stores. They most likely will require a minimum order. The food coop pricing is usually slightly higher than wholesale, but tons cheaper than retail.

The Emergency Essentials site sounds good too. Right now they appear to have free shipping on orders over $199.
http://beprepared.com/default.asp?bhcd2=1288032526
Can't argue with stuff shipped free to your door!

 

[rubylee]

I don't know why I didn't think to ask the owner of the local store. He is getting me a price on a gross of canning jars and has ordered other things like coffee creamer (we drink a ton of coffee) by the case so we could get a better price. I also didn't realize that LDS had sugar. I got beans, rice and oats from them but never saw the sugar on the online order form. Thanks everyone.

 

[Neo31rex31]

Your best bet as previously stated, is to see if there is a cannery near you, or perhaps piggyback on a restaurant.

 

[exspooky]

Be advised large sugar purchases may cause interest from the ATF due to its use in illegal alcohol manufacture.Same thing goes with ammonia for methamphetamine,I'm sure other precursors to illegal drugs carry same alerts to the authorities.

 

[chops]

For bulk salt, we stock softener salt. It is not iodized, and food grade. I keep alot on hand for pickling, trade and salt curing meat. We just buy regular iodized table salt in the one pound boxes for cheap. I am not sure that anyone is going to care much whether it is table salt after the shtf.

 

[MikeK]

Be advised large sugar purchases may cause interest from the ATF due to its use in illegal alcohol manufacture.Same thing goes with ammonia for methamphetamine,I'm sure other precursors to illegal drugs carry same alerts to the authorities.

I don't think sugar would be anything to worry about. It's regularly bought in large quantities by a number of private folks, home based candy and fudge making businesses, etc. Besides bootleg alcohol is such a minor issue anymore. Now drug precursors, yeah. Same with ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

 

[StormWatch]

For bulk salt, we stock softener salt. It is not iodized, and food grade. I keep alot on hand for pickling, trade and salt curing meat. We just buy regular iodized table salt in the one pound boxes for cheap. I am not sure that anyone is going to care much whether it is table salt after the shtf.

Table salt has iodine in it, which prevents thyroid-related goiter. I'd think both table salt and pickling/meat preservation salt should be stored. Do a Google search on goiter--it's not pretty, and easily prevented.

 

[chops]

Thanks, but I realize the bit about the iodine, that is why we lay in iodized salt in the one pound box, for eating. The softener salt is for meat preservation and the like.

 

[MikeK]

Thanks, but I realize the bit about the iodine, that is why we lay in iodized salt in the one pound box, for eating. The softener salt is for meat preservation and the like.

It's always good to mention things like that anyway. For those folks reading these posts who might not know it. I've learned far more from reading other folks posts, than from getting my own answered.