I got a big shock this afternoon while shopping at our neighborhood Big Lots store.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Big Lots, it’s like a dollar store only bigger with a much wider selection of consumer goods.
As I walked quickly up and down the aisles trying to find a cheap, medium sized cooler, I suddenly came to a screeching halt when I spied out of the corner of my eye…
No it can’t be!
There in plain view on one of the main aisle end caps …
A prominent and very wide selection of Bob’s Red Mill Baking Supply Products!
I stopped and took this picture because it still hasn’t actually registered in my brain that this is indeed what I saw with my own two eyes.
Talk about out of place!
Nestled in amongst the cases of jumbo bags, boxes, and cans of ultra cheap, junky, no redeeming quality whatsoever, processed foods is this healthy selection of whole, grain based foods that appeals to Real Food Snobs like me!
Organic quinoa, old fashioned rolled oats, flaxseed meal, 7 grain hot cereal, even some gluten free pancake mix … bag after bag of stuff you would expect to find on an endcap at the healthfood store.  Such products are not typically found even at a grocery store (unless in the very small “healthfood section”) let alone a Big Lots (I consider Big Lots a step down even from the supermarket).
Granted, few of the products were organic and there was no arrowroot powder to be found (that really would have wigged me out as I had just picked up a bag of Bob’s RedMill Arrowroot powder earlier in the day at the healthfood store to whip up some grain free ginger snaps for the kids’ lunches).
From what I can surmise, this aberration at the neighborhood Big Lots means one of two things:
- The Southeast Regional buyer for Big Lots is a major health nut.
- Real Food is indeed making some serious inroads into mainstream America.
I tend to think the latter reason is most plausible. There is no way a buyer for Big Lots would put his/her career on the line ordering a bunch of healthfood type products to be displayed so prominently on the endcap of a main aisle unless a profit could reliably be made – no matter what his/her culinary predilections.
So, here I am, still in shock at seeing Real Food products in a budget conscious, stripped down, bare bones retail establishment.
Have you had a Twilight Zone moment with Real Food in an unconventional setting? Tell us about it!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
I live in the northeast. I see Bob’s Red Mill products in discount grocery stores and Wal-mart. I have to admit that I’ve become a bit skeptical of the brand, just because of who sells it. But it seems ok. And really, shouldn’t we be glad that there is one more thing less to seek high and low for. I’m glad to hear that this brand is trusted by lots of you Real Food snobs. It does ease my skepticism.
By the way, I enjoyed seeing this, not only was in enlightening, I got a good laugh at the same time!
I’ll have to stop by the BigLots on my way home from teaching my spin class tomorrow. Gotta see this! If I can find some good deals, I’m stocking’ up. Labor day weekend will be a big cooking spree!
I came across one today…a new Real Food based multi-level networking business (think Amway for Real Food). I think we’re more mainstream than ever!!!
Five years ago, I found about a dozen 28-oz. cans of Muir Glen organic tomatoes at Big Lots for $0.99 each. I knew a good thing when I saw it, I bought them out!
I’ll have to check out our Big Lots. I was in Wal-Mart the other week and small section of Red Mill products as well next to all the chemical food. I about fell over!
Don’t know if I have ever commented on your blog…but I have been following you for over a month. My son was diagnosed with autism this year. This has been quite the learning and lifestyle change for us. We first took all the additives, preservatives and dyes out of his diet…well actually our whole family. We try not to bring it in the house! We saw a huge change in our son’s behavior! Then we put him on gluten and casein free diet…along with supplements suggested by our alternative Dr. Our son just keeps getting better and better and I believe it’s from our diet change!
Thanks for all your great info you share with us! I especially love your videos!
Just filmed 2 more videos just this morning. Much much more to come! 🙂
Kindra, are you familiar with the GAPS diet? I would really encourage you to look into it for your son. That’s so wonderful that you’re already making strides with diet changes. I think utilizing the GAPS protocol would really give his healing a huge jumpstart though! I wrote a post about it recently (http://butterbeliever.com/2011/08/26/the-gaps-diet-how-food-heals-autism/), but if you follow Dr. Mercola, you’ll find much more info there and also on the GAPS website itself. I hope you’ll find it helpful!
You Know Real Food is Going Mainstream When … – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/6Rooq7T
Big Lots in Michigan has them too!
I think there was a problem with their packaging – I keep packages of gluten free baked goods for times when I am pressed for time and the Bob’s cornbread mix I got said 288 carbs per serving!
Before “Organic” products went mainstream we used to hit up Big Lots for Annies snacks and macaroni. Of course, this is before finding the WPF. But it seems the early part of trends get overstocked and end up on the shelves of Big Lots. I haven’t been in a while, I’m gonna stop by mine and see if they have any. Thanks for posting!