The bakery offers one of the best spots to visit at the grocery store. When you visit the grocery bakery, you can often purchase cakes, bagels, cupcakes, cookies, and other dessert options. Your orders are not just limited to the items inside the glass case. The next time you visit a grocery bakery, consider ordering a secret menu option.

Bakeries have a wide range of unadvertised items you can purchase. Experience the bakery in a whole new way with these specialty items that a majority of grocery bakeries will allow you to order.

1. Raw Dough Orders 

Grocery bakeries often have a mix of shipped items and items made right on the premises. For items made on the premises, the bakery often has a wide selection of fresh dough. Instead of purchasing a baked item, you could purchase the dough directly from the bakery. The fresh dough allows you to make similar bakery items or bake with your own twist.

Inquire about any fresh dough available, including pizza dough, bread dough, and cookie dough. Each option gives you a lot to work with in the kitchen and no need to make the dough from scratch.

2. Seasonal Food Orders

Bakeries go through seasonal items throughout the year and you may miss your window for some of the more common releases. Just because their featured items don't include seasonal treats, doesn't mean you cannot order the items. For example, you could order pumpkin spice cupcakes in February or Christmas treats in July.

Call ahead with a custom order and a bakery will typically have the ingredients to put the meal together. Be specific with your request and see what the bakery can come up with to serve you.

3. Frozen Items

When you purchase muffins, cookies, or other bakery items, those desserts will typically have a limit. Instead of purchasing the thawed items, inquire about frozen treats they keep in the freezer until they are ready to bring out. With frozen items, you can easily limit how many you prepare for a day.

For example, you could purchase a dozen cookies and just bake a few when you need them. The same goes for items like muffins or donuts.  See what a bakery has to offer and then spread out your purchase without the need to waste food.

Once you get to know bakery workers, you can find out all of your available options and get great value for your purchases at the grocery store.