What Busy Moms Should Buy In Bulk To Save Time

Modern moms are so busy. If you are in a busy season of life, it’s important to buy in bulk food and household supplies to save time and $.

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When you notice there is one diaper left at 6:00 p.m. But two kids sleep in diapers.

When you’re on the toilet and realize there’s no TP in the bathroom. Or anywhere else in the house.

And when you have five hungry kids and nothing much to eat but some brownies.

Not that the kids mind…

These may or may not have happened to me. Oh okay, if I’m not careful to stock up on some essentials these do happen to me.

It’s probably not a big deal if you have one child and live right near a store.

But if you have a larger family who go through things quicker and are not a short trip to the store, it kinda matters.

Each time I’ve had a baby – and when I’m warned in advance of a big change – I try to stock up on a few things. Or when family members call and ask if there’s anything I need these are the things I think of first.

1. Hygiene and sanitary products. 

Toilet paper, paper towels, feminine hygiene, and soap are things that come to mind when you’re prepping for busy times. One thing I’ve noticed at Sam’s Club is that at least half the buggies rolling around have toilet paper in them.

It must be priced well. These types of items are things you do not want to run out of at 8 p.m. when the kids are in bed and you’re the only one home.

They are also things that won’t go bad and will get used no matter what.

• Toilet Paper- There’s no emergency like a “no toilet paper in the house” emergency.
• Hand Soup- A trick I learned from my mother in law. Buy the bottle replacer in bulk of whatever scent you like best.
• Laundry Detergent- Most of the time, buying in bulk actually saves you lots of money.
• Dish Soap- There’s plenty of space under the sink.
• Paper Towels- Also, you’ll more than likely save when you buy bulk.

So basically, you lose nothing by buying in bulk and you save money and sanity.

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2. Diapers, wipes, and baby essentials. 

Disposable diapers are great things to buy in bulk because you’ll save a lot of money.

Even though you’ll technically pay more because you are buying more, you’ll pay less per diaper or wipe, etc. so you’ll save in the long run.

• Baby Wipes- As a mother, I have have enough of these. Also… I’ve found that I use these even after the babies are out of diapers to clean things.
• Shampoo/Soaps- If you have found what works well for your kiddos, buy in bulk and save.
• Sippy Cups- What mother wouldn’t benefit from a few stacks of these in her cabinet at all times?
• Baby Formula- Per the ounce price of formula goes down in larger packages.
• Sunscreen- Ah, an item that is best to have one in your purse, in the van, at the house, at grandmas… and one handy everywhere else!

Note, if your babies are in between sizes, when buying in bulk be sure to go up to the next so they don’t outgrow them with 50 diapers left.

3. Food staples.

Everyone will have different food staples, but it’s a good idea to figure out what yours are. This could be cereal, eggs, bread, peanut butter (ahem…), pasta, canned tomatoes, etc.

We go through a lot of peanut butter because we eat it off the spoon in our family. Everyone but the baby.

I try not to get caught up in “spending to save” or “getting tons of food” when I’m there, but just to buy things I usually buy anyway, but in bulk and at a cheaper price.

• The everyday staples- These are food items used every day such as bread, milk, and eggs.
• Canned foods that make meals easy- We all have those days where we don’t want to plan a fancy dinner. It’s smart to have some canned soup or Spaghetti O’s handy on those days. A favorite in our house in tomato soup with our grilled cheese.
• Survival foods- Here in Florida, sometimes we get hurricanes. In severe cases, people have had to go weeks without going to the grocery story. It doesn’t hurt to have rice, dried beans, and canned meats/veggies in bulk.

4. Easy “conveniences.”

I prefer to cook real food from scratch, and I don’t like much processed or packaged foods for the family. Okay, I like them, but I try my best to not cook meals of basic real food most nights.

This might be as simple as scrambled eggs and toast, but that’s how I roll. That said, in times of busyness and great stress I will try to stock up on easy meals.

Whether that’s a pre-made lasagna, stir fry mix, or a Mexican dinner kit, it’s what I do.

• Hamburger helper kits- I especially like the just need meat and water to cook.
• Pre-made caserole/lasagna- Pop in the oven and voila.
• Vegetable stir fry freezer bags- You can literally do 1,000 + things with these and they are all yummy.
• Mexican dinner kit– Just add the fresh ingredients.
• Frozen section foods- This includes, breakfast waffles, frozen chicken fingers, and meals-in-a-bag.

This is also great if your husband isn’t terribly adventurous in the kitchen, but is willing to help.

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5. Ingredients for batch cooking. 

We are coming into a transition in our home and I know I’ll need to prepare in advance. If no one “needs” to eat and everyone leaves me alone, I love cooking.

But the kids always need to eat and never leave me alone so cooking is no longer the pleasure it used to be. When 4:30 comes and kids are a little crabby from their nap and I’m trying to keep them off the TV to curb their whining and attitudes, I am not my culinary best.

There are plenty of books out there to buy that will help you meal plan and cook in bulk.

You can divide food into freezer bags to put in the crockpot or one pot on the evening of and have an easy meal with little to no prep.

• Turn Spaghetti into delicious pasta bakes- Cook a bunch the family that night, and separate the rest into 2-3 casserole dishes to freeze.
• Hamburgers- I love to make pineapple & cream cheese hamburger patties. It takes a lot… so I always make in bulk and freeze a bunch in plastic bags for later.
• Roast & veggies- If you have a season where vegetables are in abundance… go ahead and cook them up with a roast and freeze in bags or containers for an east crock-pot meal.

If you know life will be crazy for a while this is a great way to take the stress of cooking out of the equation without resorting to take out each night.

6. Basic DIY breakfast.

I find breakfast particularly helpful. If my husband is home he takes the breakfast shift, but when he’s not I need it to be dead easy and basically DIY for the kids.

This past weekend I bought about a million waffles for two dollars. Okay not really, but I think this type of breakfast is easy and filling. The kids can pop it in the toaster and voila.

I hear it exists that some mothers cook hot breakfast for their kids most days.

I simply do not believe these mothers exist. How can it be?

• Breakfast bars- It doesn’t get in any easier than this…. peel back and eat.
• Instant oatmeal- My kids love the apple cinnamon flavor, especially on cold mornings.
• Fresh fruit- Seasonal fruit is a great way to add vitamins into your kiddos diet. There may be some training on how much to eat and how to properly store back in the fridge, but it’s worth it!
• Yogurt- Some kids love and others do not. For the ones that do, it’s a great source of calcium.
• Cereal- Of course, cereal and milk is an easy DIY breakfast.
• Frozen waffles- These can be warmed in the toaster and bought in bulk.

Instead of buying the oatmeal in individual packets, though, buy a big container and separate them individually using this recipe or one like it. I do this and the kids LOVE it!

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