Bulk Squid?

I need about 90 market squid coming up. Where is the best place to buy? Frozen is ok. I am an elementary school science teacher and I am doing squid dissections with 5th graders before Thanksgiving. One squid per kid is what I was thinking. I just started this last year and it went so so. The kids loved it, but I was stressed out, and we made a huge mess. Squid dissections are normally for older kids, but it isn't too hard under the right situation so I am going with it! I could always go to the bait shop and get 1lb boxes. They have what, 8-12 squid per box? Not bad. 28 kids or so per class, 3 classes of 5th graders. So 4 lbs per class, 12 lbs total. That's expensive. Who has the hook-up in Oakland??

First, I'd say look at seafood wholesalers in your area.  I recall going to Lucky Seafood Wholesale near Coast Guard Island back in the day.  They'll have squid for cheaper.  Next, I'd say reach out to Kirk Lombard of SeaForager in SF.  He's as invested in knowledge sharing as you are and he might be able to get you a really good price since it's for kids' learning.  Good luck!

That’s really cool that you were doing that. My hat is off to you. I guess you could use the dissected squid as crab bait afterwards?

cant help, but what you are doing is awesome!

I was at Island Pacific Supermarket in Union City last Wednesday. They had plenty of fresh squid for $3.49 / lb.  They have a Hayward store that's closer to Oakland.

I did the squid dissections with my 5th graders yesterday and today. I bought 8 boxes of frozen squid from the local bait shop and made that work for the about 75 students. I did this last year too, but I think I am done with dissections at this grade level. It is way too much work, and the kids haven't been getting enough from it. The kids love it, don't get me wrong, but I am stressed out the whole lab with 1 million things going on at once. I don't know, it is a bummer because I know these kids (5th grade so 9,10yo) are smart enough to do a squid dissection, plus it is a valuable comparative anatomy lesson. Maybe I just need to plan it out better for it to work the way it does in my head. Notice I am doing this outdoors, yeah because last year I stunk the classrooms up too much... LOL

You used to be able to buy a 40# box at the wholesale fish warehouse at the end of the puller point pier.  I think it is Morning Star.