When I go shopping like I did tonight, I like to hang out around the bulk items. There’s just something cool about being able to scoop up dried apples, cranberry granola and wasabi pees without have to move more three feet to either side. Also, there are a few items I have never heard of before like the dried Mung bean and something called Millet. That keeps it interesting.

Tonight I browsed around for a bit before deciding on the bin full of roasted almonds. I noticed the cheap plastic bags hanging among the bins but I hate those things because they break so easily. I went searching for the good bags I’m usually able to find near the apples. Luckily, I was near the squash section and noticed a few of the good bags hanging there. I grabbed one and started shoveling almonds when an employee who was sweeping the floors nearby noticed me. She looked at the bag I was using and then she looked at me. She didn’t say anything but I could tell from her look that I wasn’t supposed to be using the produce bags in the bulk section. 

When I finished scooping what I thought to be about 2 lbs worth, I fastened a twist-tie around the bag and started looking for a pen to write down the bin number. I couldn’t find one and didn’t feel like asking the sweeper would be in my best interest so I memorized the bin number. But when I got up to the register to pay, I couldn’t remember the number. Luckily, the cashier didn’t seem to mind. She flipped through her little cheat book, found the item and ten-keyed the number before I could apologize.

Next time I go bulk bin shopping I’m going to make sure there’s no sweepers nearby and I’m going to put in one more big scoop to reach 2 lbs. I barely scooped a pound and a half of almonds tonight.