Do you buy bulk foods?

June4bride2be

A few posts below have a poster mentioning buying food from the bulk dept at Wegmans.

I don't anymore after reading an article on the amount of nastiness found when testing the food/bins. I used to work in bulk at Weggies too. The issue I have is you have no idea if EVERYONE is using the scoop/tongs and not hands, nor do you know how fresh the product is. 

It is a great savings, but unless it is pre wrapped (lollipops/candy) I am too grossed out to buy it.

NikCole

yes, I buy lots in bulk... nuts and dried fruits (which at Wegs are prepacked so I'm thinking they are less contaminated!) quinoa, steel cut oats, granola. I don't buy stuff like the candy and cookies, because I can see how lots of people would use their hands. But I don't think someone would stick their hand into a bin of grains... it would be kinda hard to scoop that way!

I'm also not a germ freak at all... not that I want to eat food that someone else put their grimy hands on, but I figure there is much worse things that we could eat. You never know what goes on behind the scene at a restaurant either. DH worked in bars/restaurants all through collage, and said some places are spotless, others not so much.  

jnk062602

I buy bulk like at Sams and BJs.  But not out of the bulk bins.  I hardly ever shop at wegs, but even when I worked there I did not.  It's mostly candy right?  It's just not stuff I think I normally buy.

Ashnmike528

I really haven't bought anything from the bulk bins in ages. In college I used to buy my hamster's food that way at Tops in B-lo. lol  

I bet the candy would be much more contaminated because I'm sure tons of kids and teens stick their hands in after doing god knows what. Eww I'm getting stick to my stomach just imagining that.

wendyj

I don't often, but if I did, it would only be the things that you'd need to scoop - flour, couscous, nuts (although now you mention it, that could be something people would just reach in for).

Telyco

I buy some grains and almonds and other things like that...BUT our wegmans has dispensers that are kind of like gumball machines- you put the bag under it a pull a lever and it falls out...there isn't anywhere to put your hands unless you climb on a ladder and reach down in. If we didn't have that then I wouldn't get nuts- but probably would still get the grains.

June4bride2be

I will have to look for those machines! I know they have really shrunk the sections for bulk foods in Wegmans....used to be huge and be staffed! I just worry about their rotation. Obviously the gravity machine types would be better! I am one who always feels the need to sample before I bag.....off of a tissue or tong of course. Once I got stale sponge candy.....so nasty! I didn't know it was bad until after I got home. This was a long time ago when bulk foods was booming!

Read2Me

I buy nuts in bulk at Wegmans but they have a different style of dispenser (like the M&M ones) so there isn't a scoop or chance of hands coming in contact with them.  I also buy grains but those get cooked so I don't freak out about them.