Whole Foods

[Frannie115]

Love whole foods! I have celiac disease and must eat gluten free. They have many products that are gluten free. WF is expensive. I will usually go about once a month and shop for other grocery items at Lowes Foods or Wal-mart.

A new WF is actually opening today that is much closer to us

 

[VAfamily1998]

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.

Not the poster you quoted, but I've found it varies by store. When I lived near San Diego, I found the employees at the La Jolla store to be wonderful. It was close to UCSD and I think a lot of the employees there may have been students.

Now, I live in Northern VA (I see you are in DC, so somewhat close to you) and my nearest WF is Fair Lakes in Fairfax. I shopped there frequently (at least once a week or so) when it first opened (I think in 2007?), but eventually I stopped going because I found the employees there to be down right rude. They always seemed very irritated and like I was a huge bother to them if I asked a question or needed service (like at the deli counter) etc.

 

[VAfamily1998]

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.

Has she ever had Uncle Eddie's vegan cookies? I started buying them when i shopped at the Whole Foods in La Jolla. Their peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are the best! I'm not even Vegan and I LOVE them!

 

[plummer925]

One thing to remember - Whole Foods pays their employees a LIVING WAGE. Meaning much above minimum wage that folks at Shaw's and Walmart are getting. My husband has a co-worker who has two jobs - one at the employment with hubby, and one at Whole Foods. They pay a fair wage to their workers, AND to the providers of the products that they sell (Fair Trade). I, personally, would rather spend an extra .20 on bananas and be assured that everyone from those growing to the casheir selling and everyone in between are getting paid a fair wage.

That being said, there are some things that I just can't afford to purchase there - meat is one, unless on sale. Their meat is fantastic (no antibodies, all natural) and when it goes on sale I do buy it.

I've never encountered a rude employee at Whole Foods - in fact, most seem to go out of the way to help you. When they first opened in our area we were talking with one of the butchers about Buffalo meat (we had never tried it) - he GAVE us 1# of buffalo hamburger to bring home and try. We did not like it, so it was nice to have not been out that money!

 

[figment3258]

Whole foods is great. It can be more expensive than what you are used to. It is great for produce and meat.

 

[hsmamato2]

we have trader Joes and a Whole Foods within a couple miles of each other..... I only like WF for the 'cleaner' meats they offer at the meat counter..... and when I do go- I buy what's on sale- just meats. Everything else in WF can be gotten elsewhere for FAR less money.
TJ's has some items I buy only there also-if you compare the TJ brand sulfate free shampoo(2.99 bottle) vs. WF equivalent (9.99 bottle)..... (just one comparison,there are many)
GF froz. waffles-WF 5.99-------TJ-1.99 no contest!
vitamins, gluten free foods,all cheaper at TJ's or my local grocery store than WF. WF is fun,and we all love the sushi counter for lunch,but I don't buy much there.(I love the seaweed salad mmm)

 

[4orm]

We used to shop there regularly till we moved further away. Now we regularly go to ta regular grocery store. Their selection pales in comparison to Whole Foods so we take the extra drive once a month and stock up on things that just aren't offered at the local chain stores... we also supplement with a farmer's delivery box weekly for fresh organic produce. It's more pricey, but for what we get, we find it worth it.

 

[Pigeon]

Lovely food, wildly expensive. I used to work near one and would get a salad there for lunch, and pick up the occasional item, but shopping there on any routine basis would kill my food budget.

And I've found the employees to be pretty holier than thou. I was there once with a friend on St. Patrick's Day. My friend wasn't going to be home for dinner, so she wanted to get her corned beef fix for the day by ordering a sandwich at the deli.

The deli clerk lectured her on the evils of meat in general, and corned beef in particular, while slicing up her $37/lb organically grown, gently raised, kissed on the lips and tucked into bed at night beef. If the whole thing hadn't been so funny, she would have been pretty irritated.

 

[eliza61]

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.

I love their grass feed beef and their steroid free chicken. for my staples (breads, cereals, etc) I go to my normal market.

My dh loves their homemade pies though.

 

[ellone]

My husband and I go there for lunch every so often. We loved their pizza. We usually call and order a whole pie because buying it by the slice is much more expensive (they sell the slices by the pound).

Their desserts are very good and very pretty, but expensive so they are for special occasions.

 

[jakenjess]

And I've found the employees to be pretty holier than thou. I was there once with a friend on St. Patrick's Day. My friend wasn't going to be home for dinner, so she wanted to get her corned beef fix for the day by ordering a sandwich at the deli.

The deli clerk lectured her on the evils of meat in general, and corned beef in particular, while slicing up her $37/lb organically grown, gently raised, kissed on the lips and tucked into bed at night beef. If the whole thing hadn't been so funny, she would have been pretty irritated.

This made me laugh out loud!! What the heck!!??

I've found the employees at our local Whole Foods to be very helpful, especially when it comes to the vitamins and supplements. It is very expensive, though, so I don't go often. Trader Joe's is more in my budget.

 

[neks]

I think Whole Foods gets a bad rap for its prices. If you shop carefully and at more than one store, they can actually be cheaper on many things compared to your traditional grocery store. Their 365 brand is often cheaper (e.g. canned black beans, tortilla chips, soy milk). Their produce is generally great and in the summer months it is usually locally grown which my regular stores can not provide. They also provide a great selection for natural foods compared to most grocery stores. Item for item I have found that my local store was about the same price as my local Safeway. Trader Joe's is normally cheaper but the meat is not freshly butchered there unlike WF.

That being said, for many items you will be paying more. They can be crazy expensive if you do not know the prices at other stores. And some stores are more expensive than others (Baltimore MD is more than Alexandria, VA for example). If you want to buy with a conscious and still save money, be prepared to shop at multiple stores. But do not write off WF because of the reputation for high prices.

 

[neatokimmo]

I've only been once and had fun in the bulk bins. I purchased organic popcorn, organic chickpeas, organic steel cut oats, a little organic cheese cracker snacks and wheatberries. It was a lot of fun. Per pound, it was more than my regular stores but my regular stores don't carry organic anything it seems.

 

[bigmama67]

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 have to disagree about both the clerks (I've always found them very helpful) and the prices- not everything is way more expensive. Stonyfield Farm yogurt, for example, is at or below the cost elsewhere. We get organic frozen veggies, freshly ground peanut butter (LOVE the honey roast!), hip and joint biscuits for my dog, organic pizza dough at $1.69 per ball (they also have bigger balls of dough for $2.99)...the store will have its own circular with coupons and also accepts Manufacturer coupons.

I will say that when we can afford the meat they have, the difference in taste is noticeable - once we bought chicken breast there on sale and it tasted AMAZING!!

The lunch counters (where they have them) are YUMMY! They also have small salad containers in the fridge section 2/$5. Goat cheese salad, chicken with tarragon and apple...OK, now I have to get there and buy some! LOL.

So, we don't go there for everything, but go at least once a month and load up on our favorite things.

If you bring your own bags WF gives a much bigger reduction than any other store; 10 cents a bag!

 

[brewcrew]

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

I have heard their cakes are delicious!!

 

[disneychrista]

Has she ever had Uncle Eddie's vegan cookies? I started buying them when i shopped at the Whole Foods in La Jolla. Their peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are the best! I'm not even Vegan and I LOVE them!

Yes we love them. They have those at our local Natural Foods Store (WF is an hour drive for us). I agree the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip are very YUMMY!

 

[Abbeys_mom]

I just about cried the day my Ralph's (only double coupon store in town) closed - until I learned WF was going there. The only thing in between my WF and TJs is a Peet's.

Since then, I have moved just about everything to organic/sulfate/additive/gmo free in our lives.

My favorite thing is to get an air chilled chicken in the butcher - it reminds me of the chicken in Europe, it actually TASTES like real food. I wait for it to go on sale, just like anything else.

DH is a veggie, he loves TJ and WF vegetarian cheeses since they are clearly labeled. Most cheese has this disgusting ingredient called rennet. Both of those stores label them, so it makes shopping so much easier for me.

 

[peggster]

I think Whole Foods gets a bad rap for its prices. If you shop carefully and at more than one store, they can actually be cheaper on many things compared to your traditional grocery store. Their 365 brand is often cheaper (e.g. canned black beans, tortilla chips, soy milk). Their produce is generally great and in the summer months it is usually locally grown which my regular stores can not provide. They also provide a great selection for natural foods compared to most grocery stores. Item for item I have found that my local store was about the same price as my local Safeway. Trader Joe's is normally cheaper but the meat is not freshly butchered there unlike WF.

That being said, for many items you will be paying more. They can be crazy expensive if you do not know the prices at other stores. And some stores are more expensive than others (Baltimore MD is more than Alexandria, VA for example). If you want to buy with a conscious and still save money, be prepared to shop at multiple stores. But do not write off WF because of the reputation for high prices.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. It really depends on what you buy. I shop at Whole Foods for specific things because they're cheaper than anywhere else, including Trader Joe's. Where I live, Whole Foods has the cheapest milk, bagged salad greens, and Luna bars, 3 things I buy weekly. If you're going to WF for things like cheese or bakery items, then yeah, you'll probably pay more. But I don't think it's accurate to say that across the board, Whole Foods is expensive.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

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.

 

[branv]

I am blessed/cursed to be near the flagship store and corporate offices, and wow-ee what a store! But to be honest, I never buy stock groceries there. If I am shopping for organic fruits or stock products, I prefer Sun Harvest or Central Market price wise. I do use them to buy quality spices, flours, baking products, grains, honey in the bin section. WAY cheaper than buying the pre-packaged variety. I do like their humanely raised meats, and their fresh fish, but have to shop by sale as they are more expensive.

And no, they are NOT just healthy and all their products are definitely not organic. I damage my heart a little every time I visit. Probably the healthiest thing I ever eat there is to eat dinner at the seafood service area -- you can order from their menu, or walk over to the fish counter and pick out any item to be cooked. Their fresh made soups are amazing, my fave is the crab and butternut squash bisque. YUM. They also have the most amazing bakery. I really love their breakfast brioches, particularly the white chocolate lemon. And their Chantilly Cream Berry Cake is our go-to special occasion cake...bliss on a fork. They make great pizza, and you can buy their pizza dough both frozen and fresh.

So, like I said...evil, tempting deliciousness