One of the things I hate about buying things in bulk at a store like Sam’s is dealing with the big, bulky packages. (I’d much prefer to wait for a sale at a regular grocery store and buy several smaller, easy-to-use packages rather than one gigantic one!) If you have the right kind of storage containers, it’s not too bad, but the cost of those large containers can add up!
Enter a tip that I learned from a Springs Bargains reader awhile back – sorry, I don’t remember who it was but I’m grateful. King Soopers gives away the big, five-gallon buckets from the frosting they use in the bakery department! They’re nice and greasy from all that frosting, but they usually seal really well and some hot water and dish soap is all it takes to get them cleaned up.
If you want to snag some free buckets, stop by the bakery and ask if they have any they’re giving away. Often they do, sometimes they don’t, so you may have to ask a couple of times before you’re able to get any. I haven’t ever asked at anywhere except my regular King Soopers, but from what I’ve heard, they all are willing to give them away, and bakery departments at other stores may be, too!
I wish I’d known this a few years back! We needed buckets to put free rocks that we got from someone on Craigslist in. I think we ended up buying buckets on Craigslist pretty cheap, but free would have been better!
Thanks Carrie, that is something I am sure to ask for. I do daycare and I’m always in need of a few containers to store things in.
Walmart has been known to give away their bakery buckets before…I bake so much that I keep the 25 lb bags in the big buckets with the airtight seal. It’s been a few years, but yes, they were FREE! I also keep an eye out at the thrift stores for tupperware type containers to keep my smaller bulk purchases in.
Walmart (at least in Falcon) stopped giving them away about a year ago because ‘now we recycle them’…though they may have changed back by now. Safeway will give them to you, but they won’t save them or anything, so it’s just a matter of asking when you’re in there, and if they have some, you may have them.
When you clean them, do pull the rubber seal out of the lid. Clean the lid, seal and bucket with hot soapy water. Then set them out in the sun for a day, then re-wash. Then push the seal back into the groove. Otherwise, there may be some frosting crud that doesn’t get washed out. The time in the sun really helps get rid of the phantom frosting smell.
Ah, great tips – thanks, Laura!
Sweet! My future MIL works in the bakery department at King’s. :) I’ll be hitting her up for some buckets!
Thanks for the tip, will ask when I get there :)
You could also ask at your local Coney Island/Greek Restaurant–often times feta cheese and pickles come in those buckets. Wouldn’t be so greasy, but might need a good airing out before use!