Last week, while eating my plain old sandwich in the staff room at work, I noticed another teacher eating a Greek salad that smelled oh, so good! It suddenly gave me a craving for some Greek pasta salad, which I hadn't had in months. So this weekend, I decided to make a huge batch to keep in the fridge for my work lunch this week. I was visiting with my parents in Hamilton over the weekend, since it was my birthday, and decided to shop at the Bulk Barn near their house. The closest Bulk Barn in my neighbourhood is more than twice the distance making this location much more convenient.

Before heading into the store, I quickly checked the Bulk Barn Twitter feed to see if they had recently tweeted out a coupon. Unfortunately, the latest coupon had already expired. This was my first time at this Bulk Barn location so I had to wander up and down the aisles a couple of times to become familiar with what they had to offer. I was pleasantly surprised to find organic bulk bin items as well as pre-packaged organic foods that my family buys all the time. I found some all-vegetable fusili pasta for my salad and purchased some organic red quinoa and organic black rice which I can use as side dishes for dinner this week as well. I can double the amount of rice or quinoa that I would usually prepare to ensure enough leftovers for the following day. I will be honest, though, that I don't make a habit of planning my meals ahead of time but it is certainly more convenient and cost effective, especially when you make bulk shopping a part of your regular shopping routines. My friend plans her every meal and can account for every penny spent. I only wish I could be so organized.