Food auctions aren’t just for Honey Boo Boo. You might have seen the family of the reality show visit a food auction during one of their episodes. They placed bids on various products, won some and took their bounty home.
Food auctions are gaining in popularity and becoming more and more available throughout the United States. As traditional auctions, ones that feature antiques drop off, auctioneers and auction houses are all too happy to switch over to auctioning food, something that has wide appeal to consumers in this economy. Winning bidders can save as much as 50 percent off of the regular retail price of products, and sometimes do as well as 75 percent off. It can be a good way to save money on your groceries.
Some things to know about food auctions: You have to be prepared to buy in bulk and be able to use and store the food. Groceries include everything from snacks to meat, and they also usually include paper products, such as toilet paper or paper towels. They can be useful in party planning.
The items you buy may not be able to be sold in a regular grocery store. Products may be close to or past their best buy dates (not expiration dates). There may be no difference in the products, or they may be slightly stale. For paper goods, the packages might be opened or torn. For canned goods, there may be some dents in one or two cans when you buy a case.
The nutritional value of the products may not be very high. Processed food is usually the bulk of food items being auctioned, and cuts of meat may be of a lesser quality, so keep that in mind.
Food auctions are usually found through research or word of mouth. In my local area, I’ve found notices of auctions in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Check local newspapers and search online to see if there are any food auctions coming up in your area.
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