- Jenica Barrett
How to Buy Bulk in Jars
Updated: Jan 5, 2020
It seems like every pantry these days is filled with beautiful glass jars layered with colorful bulk goods. And rightfully so! Buying in bulk dramatically reduces the need for plastic packaging and can also save you money if done systematically. But how, you might ask, do you actually buy in your own jars?
In this blog post I'll walk you through step by step how to tare your jars and purchase items in bulk. By the end of this tutorial, buying goodies in your own jar will be a piece of cake!
Step 1: Gather your jars.
Make sure you have enough jars for all of the bulk items you wish to buy. Make a list and count up the jars to match that number!

Step 2: Weigh the entire jar.
This step can either be done at the store or in your home. Put the entire jar including the lid on the scale. Take note of the weight. This weight is referred to as the "tare weight" meaning it's the weight of the jar before anything is put in it. (02/03/18 Edit - most stores want the weight to be calculated in pounds but this will depend on where you are located in the world. If you are doing this at the store, the scale will already be programmed to the appropriate type!).

Step 3: Mark the weight.
Using either a washable crayon or a piece of paper tape, mark the tare weight straight onto your jar.

Step 4: Fill up your jar.
With so many delicious choices, what will you choose to put in your jar?? Fill it as full as you want!

Step 5: Mark the product number.
Once you've picked out what you want to buy, mark the product number on the jar next to the tare weight. The product number will usually be a four number sequence found on top of the bulk bins. This is how the cashier will know what you put inside!

Step 6: Check out
It's that easy! Now that you have both the tare weight and product number on your jar, the cashier has all the information she needs to check you out!