do you prefer Whole Foods or Trader Joes for Groceries and why

[NewJersey]

I find that I can't do *all* my shopping at Trader Joe's. The store isn't big enough for everything I need. Whole Foods has everything but they are VERY expensive. I do a combo of both.

Yeah I feel the same way. I bought chicken at Whole Foods yesterday and it was $15.

 

[jbthi]

I live in Indy, there are 2 Trader Joes, one on 82nd street just south of Castleton Mall, and one on West 86th, near 86th and Michigan. There are 2 Wild Oats, 1 in Nora, approximately 82nd and College (it's on 82nd), and 1 in Carmel at the north end of Clay Terrace.

There is a Sunflower Market in Broad Ripple on Broad Ripple Ave, as well as Good Earth market in Broad Ripple.

Whole Foods has bought property at 86th and Keystone, but Whole Foods recently bought Wild Oats, so I am not sure what is going to happen.

If you are in the Indy area on Thursday, there is Farm Fresh Delivery (www.farmfreshdelivery.com that has very high quality organic produce. You can pick it up at their warehouse on Binford Blvd, and they deliver to many areas of Indy.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Meijer organics, and they had some variety of organic veggies and fruit. The bread, milk, crackers, cookies, etc are terrific. I know there is a Meijer in Avon, that may be the closest one to you.

Thanks for this information. 86th and Michigan is on our way to Carmel so I will stop by there. My daughter lives in Village Farms, very close to Clay Terrace so I will try Wild Oats also.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Whole Foods is expensive for things you could buy elsewhere (many of the exact brands they carry are carried by other nice markets here) BUT I have found that I can save on in-season produce that is a ton better quality than what is available at other stores... save one local market that easily rivals WF. I have shopped them for that frequently when I had one close.

We use TJ to stock up on our pasta noodles (they have whole grain noodles and lots of other healthier options), cereals, Pirates Booty, tomatoes (for some reason the best and cheapest we can get around here and dd takes cherry tomatos in her lunch everyday), yogurt (healthier version of go-gurt), love their sausages, etc.

I usually have to do my shopping at 3 stores anyhow. Nice local market (meats, produce), TJ's and bargain grocery store for all paper goods, sodas, bottled water, etc.

 

[weregoingtodw]

Another vote for TJ's here. We can get everything we need; that's our main grocery store. We'll stop at Kroger for fill-in items, since it's a bit closer, but we typically do 1-2 TJ runs a week. In fact, we just went there tonight!

I definitely feel that they are economical, not only because their prices are very competitive, if not better, than most conventional grocery stores. Not only that, the lack of name brand kid food gets you in & out of there without a ton of the gimmes (unless your child is like mine & has already developed a taste for the finer things at the tender age of 12 ).

 

[CEDmom]

Trader Joe's in great for everything but produce. They really don't have much of it at all. The prices can't be beat for the quality. Whole Foods has wonderful produce and some of it is comparable price wise to regular grocery stores. Overall though a trip to Whole Foods will cost much more than Trader Joe's or a conventional grocery store.

Wild Oats is a good store. It's a scaled down version of Whole Foods.

 

[DisnyMama]

Oh how I miss Trader Joe's! There on my "pros" list of reasons to move back to California next summer.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I thought I would take a road trip this weekend for some new food options and would like to try Whole foods or Trader Joes. Which one do you like and why do you like it.

You have to hit both.

Whole Foods has a much larger selection; many of their stores are true supermarkets with the same wide selection of items you'd find at any mainstream grocery store. Some are more like small neighborhood markets, but I haven't seen any that are as small as Trader Joe's. TJ's is great for low prices and some specialty items they import which you cannot find elsewhere in the US. You really have to check out both places and pick and choose things to try. TJ's is cheaper for most things, but does not carry a full line of supermarket items (at least not the ones I've been to). At Whole Foods, try the 365 (store) brand items. At TJ's, check out their frozen foods (especially good deals!) and their own label. In time you will get the feel for which things to buy where, and of course you can still find a lot of organic/whole foods at many larger chain grocery stores or small health food stores. Good luck!

 

[bumbershoot]

Whole Foods.

Trader Joes has products that I keep *thinking* are vegetarian, but then I'll find rennet or gelatin on their list of ingredients. It's just annoying.

Alas, WF is ages away and TJs is right across town, so we end up at TJs more often.

I'm thinking there's a reason TJs has the policy to refund you for anything you bought and didn't like, and the sneaky ingredients thing is one of them.

 

[bumbershoot]

My favorite place to shop TJ's.
Of course I am prejudice, all 3 of my son's work there. they are all older, 30, 28, and 24 but get paid better there than they would at any factory job in the area.

That's one thing in TJ's favor, they compensate their employees VERY well.

My husband's former co-worker ended up quitting to be a SAHD, b/c his wife as a simple manager at a TJs was making over 80K a year and they didn't need his salary. Nice!

 

[Beca]

We don't have TJ's here, but I shopped both TJ's and Whole Foods in AZ. Honestly, I don't see much comparison between the two stores. TJ's has a lot of really tasty foods (I really like their prepared salads), but I find their products to be deceiving (as someone else mentioned). A lot of their "really tasty" frozen meals have incredibly high amounts of sodium. I also never saw many organic baked goods.

WF seems to have a much larger percentage of organic foods (especially organic produce). I also really like their 365 brand products. Yes, their food can be really expensive (I have also paid $20 for an organic whole chicken)....but, we look at it as "pay the grocer, or pay the doctor".

For tips on healthy eating...you might try one of these books:

Toxic Overload or The body Restoration Plan by Patricia Baillie-Hamilton.

She is a physician and naturopath who has done toxicity tests on conventionally produced foods. She compiles a list of the most toxic foods to stay away from unless they are organic (such as strawberries and broccoli). She also espouses staying away from all whole grain products that are not organic. She says that the "shells" of grains contain a high concentration of pesticides and other toxins. She says that eating whole grain breads and pastas that are not organic is one of the worst things we can do to our bodies.

 

[Christine]

Yeah I feel the same way. I bought chicken at Whole Foods yesterday and it was $15.

Yes, I did that once myself. With a family of four, eating that chicken, we'd be broke in no time. It's a shame. The chicken is definitely better than Perdue but, man, I just can't afford it on a routine basis.

 

[MAKmom]

Yes, I did that once myself. With a family of four, eating that chicken, we'd be broke in no time. It's a shame. The chicken is definitely better than Perdue but, man, I just can't afford it on a routine basis.

You can find healthy meat that is not 100% organic. I am now looking for meat that is vegetarian feed without growth hormones. You can Google the brands. I also will buy Purdue sometimes. The money is the reason.

I am a hunter & gatherer

 

[burberryplaid]

I prefer Trader Joe's. I've very rarely been disappointed in anything we've bought there and the prices are great.

I've only been to Whole Foods once, and it was pricey.

 

[powellrj]

Powellrj, where do you have to travel to for Trader Joes and WF? I see you are in Central Indiana, we live in Terre Haute. We don't have either around here and I wondered how close they were. What is Wild Oats? Is it a food store? My daughter lives in Carmel and I see one over there. Have been meaning to check it out but never have time.

We buy a lot at farmers markets in the summer and St. Mary of the Woods College has an organic farm. Other than those Krogers is really our only local option.

June

Sorry I took so long to get back to the thread!

They have a Trader Joes in Castleton and a Whole Foods in Nora. We are just getting ready to head and out see what they both have!