Whole Foods Market
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NorthCascades wrote: »The best produce here is found in stands on the side of the highway. We grow a lot of cherries and nectarines and stuff east of the Cascades. You can't always predict where they'll be or when, selection is limited, they only take cash, but you'd be wise to pull over and get something because it'll be really good.
Whole Foods has the next best produce around here, especially in the metro area. Easy to find, good selection, good quality stuff.
I don't buy produce at Trader Joe's. It's almost always lackluster. Every time I buy fresh raspberries there, I get halfway through them and find moldy ones.
Sometimes it's a good place to get flowers for my girlfriend though.
There are a few things that are less expensive at Whole Foods, most things cost less at TJ's. You figure out which things you should get from which store, and it's pretty easy.
I found that with TJ's produce too, and it's so disappointing! I can actually find more local produce in my regular grocery store than at TJ, and it always looks about to go bad. Even the bagged salads look old and brown
. I'd shop there even more than I do if they would improve that!
The TJ and WF by me are right across the street from each other, so once a month I head over, get everything I can at TJ, then go to WF for anything I couldn't find there. I go to a regular grocery or farmers markets the rest of the time.1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »There are a few things that are less expensive at Whole Foods, most things cost less at TJ's. You figure out which things you should get from which store, and it's pretty easy.
Yeah, this.
Back when I still got meat and produce from the grocery much more often than I do now, my mainstream grocery closed for about a year to remodel. Our TJ's was new then, so I was going to WF as my replacement (my first trip to TJ's was a disappointment -- tiny produce selection, no fresh fish!). Finally when TJ's got less crowded I decided to try it again and found the stuff I wanted and went to check out and was SHOCKED by how cheap it was compared to my WF jaded expectations. Since then I've been pretty good at figuring out what to buy at each place (and lots of stuff I just buy at the mainstream grocery which is now open and super convenient since I pass it every day on the way home).0 -
We are lucky to have a locally-owned (I believe employee-owned), large, well-stocked, clean, organic-foods-focused store with average prices at least a bit below WF, and an amazingly friendly & helpful staff. It has some in-store-prepped fresh packaged foods, but it lacks WF's giant ready-to-eat area (y'know, the buffet for people who are Too Cool to eat at buffets).
I prefer the local place for the "health-foods-y" items on my shopping list, though I get produce and some other items at the farmers markets (so fresh, and much of it organic), and some other items at chains that are physically closer to me.
However, there's one respect in which I appreciate WF's recent arrival in this area: It helps me identify the pseudo-progressives among my acquaintances - the folks who previously told me there was no place in this lame city to buy organics or related specialized products, and who think the WF giant-trendy-mega-corp is Just More Sophisticated than the actual progressively-managed, better run place.
I just hope it doesn't run the local, better-run store out of business.
(Yeah, I'm being snarky. If you'd talked to some of these folks, you'd be snarky, too. SMH! I'm willing to shop at WF for items that the local place doesn't stock, but I'm not buying into the mythology: It's just another chain.)2 -
That's not my impression of WF shoppers at all. No one here thinks they are all precious to be shopping at WF, and most of the mainstream groceries have tons of organics (and if organic is your thing the Green City Market is a better option -- I love it, but the crowd there really can be annoying).
I'm really interested to see how the WF that is soon to be opening in the Englewood neighborhood here fares. It seems like a worthwhile project.1 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »That's not my impression of WF shoppers at all. No one here thinks they are all precious to be shopping at WF, and most of the mainstream groceries have tons of organics (and if organic is your thing the Green City Market is a better option -- I love it, but the crowd there really can be annoying).
I'm really interested to see how the WF that is soon to be opening in the Englewood neighborhood here fares. It seems like a worthwhile project.
Perhaps life and pretensions are different here in the backwaters. (No, I don't really think this is the backwaters . . . but I know some folks who do.) I'm in a mid-sized city in mid-Michigan.
Note, also, that I did not intend to characterize all WF shoppers; I don't know them all, and as stated, I am one. I intended to single out an amusing reaction to WF displayed by a small fraction of people among my acquaintances.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I've never had a problem with their pricing, but I also refuse to shop there. If someone wants to pay ridiculous prices for somrthing because it gives them better feels, more power to them.
Everything we do in life ultimately boils down to "better feels."
Congratulations on that. Seriously.
I used to shop there, but after a lot of research I learned that regular grocery store meat and dairy also didn't have antibiotics or hormones, and organic produce wasn't any better for me or the environment, so now I just go either for affordability, or financial support for farmers via direct buy.3 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »That's not my impression of WF shoppers at all. No one here thinks they are all precious to be shopping at WF.
It's another place to buy food. No more, no less.1 -
joshperson195 wrote: »Overrated. Overpriced. Over it! I only purchase select products that are WF exclusive (Halo Top ice cream, etc.), but I REFUSE to pay $x.xx for a bag of chips or roll of paper towels that I could easily find at any other retailer.
I don't think of Whole Foods as a place for buying paper towels. Costco or even Amazon are better. I like their produce and many products in their 365 house brand. Good coffee, meat, and fish, too.0 -
ClubSilencio wrote: »I go to Whole Foods for their heads of romaine, kale, chard, etc. They always have to widest selection and quality. I prefer organic for leafy greens. $2-3 bucks for a giant head is a steal for me.
Has anyone tried their deli sandwiches?
No, but I've had many of their prepared dishes and they're delicious.0 -
The chain I've been disappointed by is Trade Joe's. I haven't bought anything especially good there. But many people sing its praises.1
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The chain I've been disappointed by is Trade Joe's. I haven't bought anything especially good there. But many people sing its praises.
+1
I've found a couple of frozen meals I like, but on the whole I find it underwhelming. Especially the produce which is worse than any other grocery store I've been to in the last couple of years. I don't even like their frozen broccoli. It's fibrous and seems to have been harvested a bit past its prime.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »That's not my impression of WF shoppers at all. No one here thinks they are all precious to be shopping at WF, and most of the mainstream groceries have tons of organics (and if organic is your thing the Green City Market is a better option -- I love it, but the crowd there really can be annoying).
I'm really interested to see how the WF that is soon to be opening in the Englewood neighborhood here fares. It seems like a worthwhile project.
Perhaps life and pretensions are different here in the backwaters. (No, I don't really think this is the backwaters . . . but I know some folks who do.) I'm in a mid-sized city in mid-Michigan.
Ironically, the most pretentious grocery store here is headquartered in MI (Plum Market, which I call WF on steroids). Different part of MI, yes (I peeked at where you are from). (Disclosure: I have a degree from a school in one of the towns in which Plum Market is located -- I expect you can guess which one -- and I am familiar with Bloomfield Hills, since I know people from there.)0 -
Calories are calories. They just want your money.1
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After reading through all of your comments, I have a couple of additional thoughts beyond my earlier response to OP.
The way to get value out of WFM is to be a conscientious shopper and know what the market price is for a particular item. If you're buying grass-fed beef for instance, you should do some research first and find out if the source (ranch/farm) is reputable, and what other sellers are charging. Typically, WFM gets $9.99 a pound, and the butcher at the meat counter at my local store knows the farmer that they buy from and has signage posted with the grower's info...all good stuff; BUT the local farmers market has a seller that charges $8.99, and he's more local, AND his product is better. On the other hand, Fairway Market has grass-fed beef on sale for $4.99 this weekend, but I know nothing about the producer or their practices.
There are some brands and items that are just not available anywhere else, for example, Westbrae ketchup, made with no sugar...great product BTW...can't find it in any other store, and WFM actually has it cheaper than online...go figyah!
As for the quandary of what is actually being debated here, I think that WFM is struggling to find the right balance between quality and price and promoting their brand of sustainable, local, organic and natural foods, and we all are expecting to be treated fairly and respectfully as customers. WFM has typically located their stores in neighborhoods that are demographically high-income and highly educated, but they are slowly realizing that there are plenty of us out here who don't have the MBA or the 6-figure income that also want to eat well and don't want to be ripped off trying to do it.3 -
Agreed!
I only buy items I can get any where else!
Organic kombucha, some organic veggies, etc!0 -
I live in NYC where everything costs a fortune and a half. Whole Foods is not really expensive to me. The foods I chose to eat cost a crap ton anywhere I go. I do try to support my mom and pop grocery store, but sometimes Whole Foods is even cheaper and I need the break.1
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When I lived near Whole Foods I LOVED their deli. Kung Pow tofu I didn't have to cook myself. Various types of quinoa salad all delicious. Latkes.
Gluten free desserts. I actually have Celiac disease and despise the process of finding a decent recipe, buying all of the ingredients, baking the damn thing...
Whole Foods has its uses.
I never did my major shopping there but for special items absolutely.0 -
Whole Foods has great meat and seafood.2
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I went to WF the other day and the woman in front of me spent $770 for her cart of groceries.
Just boggles my mind. Never in a million years would I spend so much on food.
I usually go for a few frozen products (Liege waffles, as Shop Rite stopped carrying them) or their bakery section (but that one really depends on the store too). Halo Top is cheaper at Wegmans and WF is always out anyway.0 -
I went to WF the other day and the woman in front of me spent $770 for her cart of groceries.
Just boggles my mind. Never in a million years would I spend so much on food.
I usually go for a few frozen products (Liege waffles, as Shop Rite stopped carrying them) or their bakery section (but that one really depends on the store too). Halo Top is cheaper at Wegmans and WF is always out anyway.
JFC! I thought I was bad when the ex and I were hitting like $300 (including Quest bars at the time).0 -
I go to WF all the time and can't imagine how you'd get to $770, but of course it depends on how many you are buying for and for how long. (If I was buying that much I'd finally join Costco, though.)0
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I went to WF the other day and the woman in front of me spent $770 for her cart of groceries.
Just boggles my mind. Never in a million years would I spend so much on food.
I usually go for a few frozen products (Liege waffles, as Shop Rite stopped carrying them) or their bakery section (but that one really depends on the store too). Halo Top is cheaper at Wegmans and WF is always out anyway.
Was she buying wine/beer in addition to food products? When I go to Whole Foods I tend to "shop the perimeter", not because I'm trying to eat clean but because that's where the fun stuff is that I don't get at my regular store. That includes produce, the cheese counter, seafood counter, meat counter, wine, frozen products, and all the prepared foods. Then I take a pass by the bakery case before I check out. If I buy wine, on any grocery trip, that can easily add $100 depending one what I select, as I usually buy 6 bottles at a time to get a discount.
So yeah, if I didn't restrain myself at WF and bought a lot of meat and seafood, wine, beer, fancy cheeses, etc - I bet I could top $500 easily.0 -
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joshperson195 wrote: »I went to WF the other day and the woman in front of me spent $770 for her cart of groceries.
Just boggles my mind. Never in a million years would I spend so much on food.
I usually go for a few frozen products (Liege waffles, as Shop Rite stopped carrying them) or their bakery section (but that one really depends on the store too). Halo Top is cheaper at Wegmans and WF is always out anyway.
WHAT?! I know someone who used to work at WF and she had a customer pay $900. It's crazy.
That would literally buy three months of my current food types. And people *kitten* about how expensive meats are? xD0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »I go to WF all the time and can't imagine how you'd get to $770, but of course it depends on how many you are buying for and for how long. (If I was buying that much I'd finally join Costco, though.)
She was pregnant, classy dressed, and her cart was full.
But still. My worst shopping trips are usually around $200 and that's maybe twice a year when I stock up on paper and/or cleaning products...0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »
I don't buy produce at Trader Joe's. It's almost always lackluster. Every time I buy fresh raspberries there, I get halfway through them and find moldy ones. Sometimes it's a good place to get flowers for my girlfriend though.
Agreed. As much as I love TJs, their produce leaves much to be desired. We buy our fresh produce at Sprouts (Colorado). At TJs, it's the flowers, their frozen food is INCREDIBLE. To name a few. the mahi mahi burgers, tuna burgers, all of their Indian frozen entrees, their appetizers, desserts, I could go on and on and ooonnnnnn. All wonderful.
I buy 2 bags of the white cheddar corn puffs per week, measure out my 28 grams and that is my nightly snack
Along with my few ounces of TJs (gluten free) vodka (I have celiac). And we buy all of our wine at TJs, as well. Not that "2 buck Chuck" stuff - that is gross. But all of their other wines are wonderful 1 -
I've lived in Austin almost my whole life (bar 6 years in Amarillo), and I remember my mom shopping almost exclusively at the original location on Guadalupe (the sight of the tofu swimming in the tubs at 7, after moving here from Amarillo, was nightmarish). I was so mortified by the Whole Foods lunches she packed for me, with the black bread and oily *kitten* peanut butter and carob chips and what I think might have been soy milk, but I knew she'd spent a lot of money that she didn't really have trying to be healthy for us all so I never said a word to her. Most days I just said I wasn't hungry and covertly dumped my lunchbox in the trash, until some nosy person at school noticed and made a hassle for her, after which I had to actually eat it and pretend I liked it. I was glad when she gave up WF.
Due to my childhood experience I never wanted to set foot in there again (I believe the last time I was there was about 25 years ago, when a friend dragged me there and insisted I try juiced wheatgrass, which was gross as hell) and always shopped at Sun Harvest. Sun Harvest went out of business, but now we have Central Market and Sprouts, which have everything Whole Paycheck claims to have without the snooty attitude, hideous prices, and smarmy employment practices. We also have Wheatsville Coop, which is consumer/employee-owned, or something like that. My (super conservative) sister is a member. And now I think we have Trader Joe's too, although I've never been.
Seriously, if you can only get it at WF, I don't want it. Sprouts has a wide selection of grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, and heritage pork, their deli is fantastic, and their prices on produce (which is high quality) are a freaking broken drum. And all of Central Market's meat is humanely raised without all the crap in it. Plus they always have interesting new stuff to try (I love the little ends of expensive cheeses you can try for cheap, so delicious).
I'll leave out my Views on the founder and what he says/does and the way the company is run, but those, along with my childhood experience, are the reason I refuse to spend a penny there.
On a completely unrelated note I remember kissing my first boyfriend across the street from that original Guadalupe location (although I'm pretty sure they had moved by then), and it was utterly divine. Sigh. Happy memories.1 -
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I went to WF the other day and the woman in front of me spent $770 for her cart of groceries.
Without knowing what and how much she bought, none of us can say if that's a good deal or if she got ripped off. I mean I spent $200 on socks once, nice wool ones, discounted from $15 a pair down to $5, they're great to have in a rainy place like Seattle but they wear out eventually. I'll never have to buy socks again as long as I live. The only way I'd ever spend $770 at a time on groceries is if something I use all the time was massively discounted and I wanted to take full advantage; maybe that's what she was doing.0
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