I like to go to my local Bread/Bakery Outlet at least once a month to stock-up on bread products.
My teens eat quite alot of sandwiches(especially #2 son, the grilled cheese addict). I can't see spending $3.99 or more on a loaf at the grocery store!
The 'premium' breads(the Arnold and Thomas')go for 3 for $5 at the outlet. These brands can be as much as $4.49 a loaf at the local market.
I usually don't buy these 'premium' breads even at the outlet unless they put them on some kind of additional discount(if they are overstocked or too close to the sell by date, etc.). Last month I got bags of Thomas' bagels for .89¢ each because of a production overrun. I usually don't buy them at $1.67 a bag there but for .89¢ I was all over that deal!lol
The 'other branded' breads are usually 3 for $3(only if you buy 3 or multiples of 3...buy less and they are $1.59 a loaf). $1.59 is still a good price but $1 is better and I'll buy 3 to get that price, since we will use it all up.
There is also a discounted rack where everything is .89¢ each no matter the item or brand.
I "heart" the discounted rack.....
This outlet also carries Entenmann's Baked Goods. All kinds/varieties of evil goodness! They run 3 for $6 or $2.25 if you don't buy in multiples of 3. These are the items that go for $4.99 or more at the store.
There is also a discounted rack for the Entenmann's items where everything is $1.00.
I hardly ever buy off the regular 3 for $6 shelves, only the $1.00 rack.
On occasion, they will run a special, like Spend $10 and get a free loaf of something(their choice). Since when I go I stock-up, I usually spend enough to get the free loaf deal.
I tend to stock up more in the winter, since I can keep the bread out in the frigid garage, in my "auxiliary freezer". In the summer with the humidity, I don't buy more than I can fit into the fridge or the freezer to keep the bread from going bad.
The one problem with the Bread Outlet is that from day to day, you never know what or how much of something they are going to have available. They don't get regular deliveries or standard amounts sent to them. A lot of it is supermarket returns. Grocery stores will return for credit, bread which does not sell within XX number of days. The producer sends it to the Bread Outlet. It's all still 'in date' but only by a few days, so you need to freeze or refrigerate what you don't use right away after you buy it.
Since you don't know what will be there it's very hard to plan your trip successfully sometimes. If you need lots of rolls this month and they are out, you either have to make another trip and hope they have more that day, rearrange your meal plan, go spend more at the grocery store or make your own.
Anyway, here is what I bought last week....
5 boxes of Entenmann's
3 bags of rolls/buns
10 bags of breads
18 items for $20.45
That comes out to $1.14 an item because of the 2 free loaves for spending $20. Not a bad average with that.
It's a bit higher than what I usually spend. They were out of chocolate doughnuts on the $1 rack, so I had to splurge and pay $2 a box. These doughnuts are Hubs one request and it was his Birthday last week, so how could I say no? ;-)
I also splurge and got 3 loaves of the premium brand bread since they didn't have any similar type of that bread in the 'other brands' lower priced racks.
I occasionally still make my own bread, but not often, and not at all in the heat of the summer months. The problem is the teens prefer this store bought stuff to my homemade. Some day they will miss it when they have flown the nest.......
Anyway, it's well worth your time to seek out some type of Bread/Bakery Outlet where you live.
You will save scads of food dollars if you can keep from hauling too many of those evil baked goods home as well!lol
Sluggy
My teens eat quite alot of sandwiches(especially #2 son, the grilled cheese addict). I can't see spending $3.99 or more on a loaf at the grocery store!
The 'premium' breads(the Arnold and Thomas')go for 3 for $5 at the outlet. These brands can be as much as $4.49 a loaf at the local market.
I usually don't buy these 'premium' breads even at the outlet unless they put them on some kind of additional discount(if they are overstocked or too close to the sell by date, etc.). Last month I got bags of Thomas' bagels for .89¢ each because of a production overrun. I usually don't buy them at $1.67 a bag there but for .89¢ I was all over that deal!lol
The 'other branded' breads are usually 3 for $3(only if you buy 3 or multiples of 3...buy less and they are $1.59 a loaf). $1.59 is still a good price but $1 is better and I'll buy 3 to get that price, since we will use it all up.
There is also a discounted rack where everything is .89¢ each no matter the item or brand.
I "heart" the discounted rack.....
This outlet also carries Entenmann's Baked Goods. All kinds/varieties of evil goodness! They run 3 for $6 or $2.25 if you don't buy in multiples of 3. These are the items that go for $4.99 or more at the store.
There is also a discounted rack for the Entenmann's items where everything is $1.00.
I hardly ever buy off the regular 3 for $6 shelves, only the $1.00 rack.
On occasion, they will run a special, like Spend $10 and get a free loaf of something(their choice). Since when I go I stock-up, I usually spend enough to get the free loaf deal.
I tend to stock up more in the winter, since I can keep the bread out in the frigid garage, in my "auxiliary freezer". In the summer with the humidity, I don't buy more than I can fit into the fridge or the freezer to keep the bread from going bad.
The one problem with the Bread Outlet is that from day to day, you never know what or how much of something they are going to have available. They don't get regular deliveries or standard amounts sent to them. A lot of it is supermarket returns. Grocery stores will return for credit, bread which does not sell within XX number of days. The producer sends it to the Bread Outlet. It's all still 'in date' but only by a few days, so you need to freeze or refrigerate what you don't use right away after you buy it.
Since you don't know what will be there it's very hard to plan your trip successfully sometimes. If you need lots of rolls this month and they are out, you either have to make another trip and hope they have more that day, rearrange your meal plan, go spend more at the grocery store or make your own.
Anyway, here is what I bought last week....
3 bags of rolls/buns
10 bags of breads
18 items for $20.45
That comes out to $1.14 an item because of the 2 free loaves for spending $20. Not a bad average with that.
It's a bit higher than what I usually spend. They were out of chocolate doughnuts on the $1 rack, so I had to splurge and pay $2 a box. These doughnuts are Hubs one request and it was his Birthday last week, so how could I say no? ;-)
I also splurge and got 3 loaves of the premium brand bread since they didn't have any similar type of that bread in the 'other brands' lower priced racks.
I occasionally still make my own bread, but not often, and not at all in the heat of the summer months. The problem is the teens prefer this store bought stuff to my homemade. Some day they will miss it when they have flown the nest.......
Anyway, it's well worth your time to seek out some type of Bread/Bakery Outlet where you live.
You will save scads of food dollars if you can keep from hauling too many of those evil baked goods home as well!lol
Sluggy
"auxiliary freezer"-LOL we use our trunk!
ReplyDeleteI have a love/hate relationship with the wonder outlet. I love them and they hate me by adding weight to me. Who can turn down a discounted HoHo.
My weakness is the Entenmann's Stollen. It's a rich egg pastry/cake thing with dried fruit and nuts and a custardy filling in the middle. The outlet sometimes has it and sells it for $1!!!! OMG! Just put it into an IV and pump it into me until my heart explodes....
ReplyDeleteBut luckily for my heft, it's only available around Xmas time.
LOL! My husband calls these the Used Bread Store. We're not sure why. I love loading up on bread there rather than anywhere else too!
ReplyDeleteMost of the time tho, I throw a batch of bread into the bread machine when we need some bread around.