Frugal Friday: Bread Outlets

I admit it, I don't make all our bread. Actually, I rarely make our own bread. I have a bread maker and will make pizza dough or the occasional loaf of bread (which we like to slice and eat with butter but do not like for sandwich making). I will also make rolls here or there or muffins and cinnamon rolls but the majority of our bread products are still bought from the store.

I know that homemade bread is healthier for you but in this busy season in my life I have decided to pick my battles and right now making all our bread products is not high on the priority list. While making your bread is healthier, I don't think it is always cheaper. Especially when you can buy from bread outlets.

Several larger cities nearby have bread outlets. There is a Hostess outlet and also a Sunbeam outlet in one major city that we frequent about once a month. I found the Hostess outlet to be a bit more pricey and not worth going to, unless you want to stock up on snack cakes and twinkies...which I don't. The Sunbeam outlet sells a lot of different brands but I mainly go for the Sara Lee bread. I am able to get loaves of the whole wheat bread for 99 cents, which sells for over $2 at the grocery store. I can get the hearty breads for $1.50 which sell for close to $3 at the grocery store. Sometimes there are sales which make for even better prices. I love the Sara Lee Cinnamon Raisin bagels which sell for over $2 at the grocery store and they often are on sale at the bread outlet for 50 cents a bag. Hot dog and hamburger whole wheat buns? Anywhere from 50 cents to $1 at the bread outlet.

Since we do only frequent this store about once a month I stock up while I am there. I am able to walk out of there with at least two bags full of bread for around $7-$8. If you spend over $10 there they throw in a another loaf of bread. I take advantage of whatever specials they are offering that week as well. I then freeze the bread and pull it out whenever we need another loaf. Now that we have a bigger freezer I will be able to buy even more of whatever is on sale that week.

If you don't make all your bread products I suggest you check your phone book to see if there is a bread outlet in your area. The products have always been fresh and the sell by dates are always a few days in advance so it isn't even "day old bread" like it used to be.

Another tip for those of you who live on a farm and have livestock is that our local bread outlet sells "feed bags" to farmers. Huge bags of bread products that are past their sell by date or had a tear in the bag or may have gotten squished for just $3. This would be an excellent way to supplement a chicken or pig's diet every once in awhile and help avoid waste of bread that could otherwise not be sold.

Do you shop at bread outlets? What is your favorite item to purchase there?