Whole Foods

[2Tiggers]

Is it a budget buster?

I am thinking of going. Is it very expensive?

Also, is all the food there organic?

If you shop there, even for a few items, what do you get?

 

[Forevryoung]

Is it a budget buster?

I am thinking of going. Is it very expensive?

Also, is all the food there organic?

If you shop there, even for a few items, what do you get?

Yes it's expensive. If you purchased the same things at your local grocery store VS whole foods (entire trip) you would probably spend $50-$75 more for a family of 4.

No, all the food is NOT organic.

 

[disneyfreakk]

Whole Foods is VERY EXPENSIVE!

I would think you would spend more than $50-$75 a week extra. With that being said, the fruit, veggies and meat are fantastic. It's different than a reg grocery store, everything there is healthy, and not all of it looks like it would taste good. I haven't shopped there in years because we moved and there is not one here.

 

[eeyore81]

We love Whole Foods. We are vegan. I only shop for my special vegan items there. If my local Kroger or Walmart has the product I purchase it there. However, Whole Foods carries all kinds of products that I cannot find anywhere else. I would not do my everyday normal shopping there if I was shopping on a budget. I agree with the 50-75 dollar difference between shopping at Whole Foods and shopping at the major chain grocery stores. I go about once every 4-6 weeks.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Whole Foods is expensive...but they have sales and they accept coupons, so you can get it "cheaper". Not everything is organic. It's worth it for my family to have organic veggies and fruits. I love getting the deli meats and cheeses that are not loaded with scariness. Yum!

If you have a Trader Joes nearby and haven't been, it's kind of the in between stop.

 

[pintamino]

The first Whole Foods I ever went to was in New York City, and the friend I went with called it "Whole Paycheck" I do love it though.

 

[shortbun]

Whole Foods costs more but if you shop weekly and buy the things you need when they are on sale, it's not going to increase your food budget that much. That's assuming you buy local produce, non GMO food, organic and healthier foods in other places. If you are trying to 'use' Whole foods in improve the quality of your food, it will but you should really put some time and research into the stuff you think is important about what you put in your body. While the food at Whole Foods is not all organic, it IS free of genetically modified products. We buy our stuff at several places and I hit Whole Foods twice a month. It will take you a few trips to 'get' the whole foods thing. Be patient.

 

[Miss Peach]

When we go to Whole Foods, it is mostly to 'window shop'. It is in the same shopping center as our nearest Costco, so I hit it when I go to Costco. My DH goes to the smoke house and orders his lunch (they have a nice lunch special (if you are a meat eater, and he is) usually $5.99 for a pulled pork, beef, or chicken sandwich and a side of sweet potato fries), and I cruise the store to get ideas.

I make note of the items and prices so I can compare with the other stores near me. We have a Henry's, a Mother's Market, and a Trader Joe's--all closer (and better priced) than the Whole Foods. I also shop at StellaLucy and Amazon and the local farmer's market.

Whole Foods does have very nice fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood--VERY pricey. The other items are pretty much always WAY more expensive than any where else.

The clerks can be really-what is the word I am looking for--un-helpful, I guess. And you have to watch closely when they print the labels for the butcher, etc. And when you check out.

Cathy

 

[prncess674]

Whole Foods is VERY EXPENSIVE!

I would think you would spend more than $50-$75 a week extra. With that being said, the fruit, veggies and meat are fantastic. It's different than a reg grocery store, everything there is healthy, and not all of it looks like it would taste good. I haven't shopped there in years because we moved and there is not one here.

The bolded is false. You can make unhealthy with natural ingredient. A fat laden al fredo is a heart stopping fattening dish. They also sell Whole Foods brand of Oreos. Neither of these items are healthy. They both may be healthier than the processed sister product, but in no way are they healthy.

Whole Foods is expensive...but they have sales and they accept coupons, so you can get it "cheaper". Not everything is organic. It's worth it for my family to have organic veggies and fruits. I love getting the deli meats and cheeses that are not loaded with scariness. Yum!

If you have a Trader Joes nearby and haven't been, it's kind of the in between stop.

I love WF but have found very few products that issue coupons in weekly circulars that are sold at WF. I do like shopping the meat sales and seeing what local produce they are selling for reasonable prices.

When we go to Whole Foods, it is mostly to 'window shop'. It is in the same shopping center as our nearest Costco, so I hit it when I go to Costco. My DH goes to the smoke house and orders his lunch (they have a nice lunch special (if you are a meat eater, and he is) usually $5.99 for a pulled pork, beef, or chicken sandwich and a side of sweet potato fries), and I cruise the store to get ideas.

I make note of the items and prices so I can compare with the other stores near me. We have a Henry's, a Mother's Market, and a Trader Joe's--all closer (and better priced) than the Whole Foods. I also shop at StellaLucy and Amazon and the local farmer's market.

Whole Foods does have very nice fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood--VERY pricey. The other items are pretty much always WAY more expensive than any where else.

The clerks can be really-what is the word I am looking for--un-helpful, I guess. And you have to watch closely when they print the labels for the butcher, etc. And when you check out.

Cathy

I can't beieve you find the clerks unhelpful. It must be an anomoly of your store. I live walking distance to my local WF and there are plenty of people around to assist and the checkout clerks are swift and there are always plenty of registers open.

WF is great for anything fresh. I stay out of the middle of the store where they sell all the boxed and canned goods and only concentrate my efforts on the perimeter where perishables are stored: meat, fish, cheese, veggies, fruit and prepared food.

 

[beansmom]

my experience is that WF is more expensive than my local market but it also carries wonderful things that my local Stop&Shop doesn't. I would never make WF my main market but i do love it for a now and then trip.

 

[disneychrista]

We love Whole Foods. We are vegan. I only shop for my special vegan items there. .

My daughter is vegan, what items do you like there? She likes to pick up treats that she can't get elsewhere...cheese cake, donuts.

 

[RachaelA]

I only go there for specific things that are only there like certain types of yogurt, butter, etc. I also pick up their store brand cream cheese, soy milk, etc if I need it because it ends up being close to the same price as anywhere else. I love their prepared foods as well.

I can get my almond milk, rice milk, soy ice cream, etc at my local grocery store as well for cheaper so I don't get that at Whole Foods anymore.

 

[lpereira]

I love whole foods. But the prices are up there. I typically only get vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and breads there. They also have a tasty little house wine that is only 2.99 a bottle. When my garden is running full swing I get their paper bags a lot and shred them for my garden.
Most of my shopping is done at the local flea market. (Its really a farmers market) or att sams for my dry goods. Canned goods are the cheapest at sav alot. If I did all of my shopping at whole foods I would have to chose between electricity or the cell phones.

 

[TeaForTulips]

Not everything in WF is more expensive than what you find at your local every day store. It depends on what you get. It also depends upon what you think of as expensive and what you think something is worth.

I agree with a previous poster about staying out of the middle aisles. Their fresh fruits, veggies, deli, bakery, etc. is all really great. The produce I find there can be a lot better than other places. That also depends upon what you have in your area. Maybe your local store has great produce or you have a local farmers market which can be better too.

If you have a Central Market in your area it is very similar. I am used to the WF and CM in Dallas which I loved. The WF in Orlando is a disappointment. I am told there is another one near me though that I havent gone to.

If you are shopping on a budget I would stay out of WF unless you are looking for specialty items. Gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, organic, and all natural products are in abundance but I am surprised at how many stores are catching up with the world.

Just go one day and check it out. Even if you dont buy I bet you will still enjoy.

 

[BabyFu18]

I think Whole Foods is great if you happen to be shopping for someone who has a food allergy, I can't go into a grocery store and buy whatever I want I have to read the labels on just about everything and Whole Foods is one of the stores where I can get more items that I can eat than any other grocery store. I will say, WF is expensive and it's not a place I would consider doing all of your weekly/monthly shopping, but for speciality items it's great.

Edit - Just wondering why the Orlando store is a disappointment? I was thinking about stopping at WF in FL to grab a couple items that I know I can't get at a general grocery store while we are there this summer, should I just avoid it all together and bring things with me instead?

 

[gymboqueenkaylee]

I agree whole foods is very expensive. There is no way I could exclusively grocery shop there. I get my specialty items there since I have a wheat allergy but my local grocery stores are carrying more and more of organics and specialties so I have been getting more of them there since they are cheaper.

 

[Evi]

if your an uber peni pincher you will not be happy with whole foods prices. If you know great quality and want organic foods you will be happy. Whole foods has deals like other supermarkets. Its best to pick up a flyer on your way in. I've actually found many veggies at whole foods to be less expensive then my local shaws and of far superior quality. It all depends on what your looking for. Sometimes I find deals on stuff I wasn't planning to buy so its just random.

 

[khgreen]

I can't imagine doing all my shoping at Whole Foods but I do have a WF list. I also have a Trader Joes list, regular grocery list and even a Walmart list.

Overall we spend a lot on food because it's important to me to eat a certain way so we cut back in other areas.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I do most of my grocery shopping at Whole Foods. I love their meat, fish, fruits, veggies etc.
Mine also has a great deli/prepared food section.

It is an addiction!

 

[Kteacher]

I've been buying my produce at my local Whole Foods this winter because the quality was better. The prices were only slightly higher than in the regular grocery stores in our area. I also like their bakery and cheese departments. Like others have said, not everything there is healthy-but I do love their cakes