My first scoop of gummy bears into a paper bag happened by accident, during a wrong turn down an Ohio back road that ended at a store with bins stacked floor to ceiling. Kids who normally whine through grocery trips suddenly want to help, because scooping cinnamon, dried cherries, and chocolate-covered pretzels feels more like a game than an errand.
Ohio has dozens of these bulk food shops, many run by Amish and Mennonite families, and they usually beat supermarket prices on spices and baking staples by a wide margin. Here are six across the state that turn a pantry restock into an actual outing.
1. Swiss Village Bulk Foods, Sugarcreek
Sugarcreek sits in Tuscarawas County, about an hour and a half south of Cleveland, and its main drag ends up on plenty of Amish Country itineraries. Swiss Village Bulk Foods sits right on South Broadway Street, easy to spot with on-site parking out front.
Inside, the layout is clean and well organized, which matters when you have a kid holding a scoop in each hand. Bins and shelves hold bulk staples like beans, rice, flour, and sugar, plus candy, spices, and baked goods…