In one of my previous posts, I mentioned stepping outside of the box and finding healthy and awesome deals somewhere other than a supermarket. Paleo living is not cheap so getting the best prices on good quality stuff is pretty important. Yesterday’s trip to my local HomeGoods store is proof that I need to do it more often. Look at the cache of healthful, organic treasures found!

I usually shop at Thrive Market or Amazon for spices and cooking oils and such. But I was in desperate need of coconut oil and sea salt. Can’t cook without those two things! With no time to factor in for shipping, I decided to go the old school route and actually go to the store. Since today was a Monday holiday (yay!) I decided to go on a leisurely trip to HomeGoods.

Here are the results of my shopping trip:

• Organic virgin coconut oil: $7.99 — this is a huge container, 50% more than what I normally get! I usually pay $8 to $9 for 15 ounces. This one is 23 ounces.
• Himalayan Sea Salt: $3.99 — usually about $6 to $8 for 10 ounces. The one I got today is 16 ounces for almost half the price.
• Clearance! Non-GMO whole flax seeds: $3.00 — this is a 2.5 pound bag… It’s huge! I found it hiding in the clearance section. I’ll be sharing this with friends and family who use flax seeds. (Note: I know there is ongoing debate about flax seeds being Paleo! I like to grind them up and sprinkle on my coconut yogurt to thicken it up. It’s a good source of manganese and thiamine according to PaleoLeap! So I say… if you enjoy it, then have it.)
• Clearance! Organic coconut sugar: $3.00 — I don’t use a lot of sweeteners usually so it was important to get it at the right price! I like to spend my money on things I use all the time, and spend as little as possible on infrequently used items. This is a good price for a one pound bag.

HomeGoods has all kinds of gourmet gifts, snacks, and cooking ingredients at discounted prices. It’s a great place to go for items like popcorn gift tins, imported fancy vinegars, gluten-free snacks, lentil chips, seeds & nuts, and truffle oil. Of course, not everything is Paleo but it’s a great place to shop for gifts of food. I often like to make pretty gift baskets with good coffee, cinnamon sticks, imported dark chocolate, and organic snacks and HomeGoods usually carries . Gourmet items also make great stocking stuffers so keep that in mind during the holidays!

Is it safe to buy food from an outlet store?

Someone asked me this once and my answer is yes, it’s safe! Without getting all technical and business-y, here are my thoughts on the topic:

1. Stores like HomeGoods are well-known. They can’t risk selling bad goods or they wouldn’t be able to uphold their reputation. Bad reviews kill businesses! We all know the impact of Yelp, Google reviews, Facebook, and other social media sites.
2. Outlet and discount stores have various sources. We think of aged or last season goods when it comes to outlet stores but that’s not the only reason things end up there. Outlets often obtain overstock goods from vendors who simply produced too much of a certain product and need to liquidate quickly to free up cash or warehouse shelf space. Other sources might include bulk buys from vendors going out of business, products from companies that recently updated their logo or packaging, and specially produced goods for exclusive use. There are lots of other sources outside of “old goods”, too many to list here!
3. I have yet to find expired goods at HomeGoods. I have found expired goods at other stores before, but definitely not at HomeGoods. Most products I’ve found are nowhere near the expiration date and there are usually many months or years before the product will go bad.

I’m sure there are people out there who are squeamish about these things and might not agree, but I say, HomeGoods food is safe! ?

Food isn’t the only thing I got from HomeGoods… I also treated myself to a small gift:

A job well done saving money… I deserve a little gift!

I normally wouldn’t spend $5 on a simple little notebook but I loved the message on the cover! And it’s prettier than my usual yellow legal pads. Sometimes, little things mean a lot and I think seeing this message on my desk every morning will help me start the day off on the right foot. Besides, I saved a lot more than five bucks on my purchases so I kind of deserved it!

Here’s to my love of HomeGoods! I hope you find amazing deals at your local store too. ?