Whole Food Store - good or bad

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SMarie10
SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just read in the local paper (Des Moines, Iowa) that Whole Foods is looking to open us a store here - we just got a Trader Joe's which I really love. Anyone have a Whole Foods store in their area and would you say "thumbs-up" or "thumbs-down" and why?

From other articles I've read, the stores focus is on a lot of organics, but the prices can be prohibitive. I'm moving more and more to organic, non-processed, whole grain foods and this place sounds like something I could embrace.

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  • AnaNotBanana
    AnaNotBanana Posts: 963 Member
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    Whole Foods has a lot of good stuff and a bigger selection than Trader Joe's, at least the one in my area does. But there is a reason everyone in our town called it Whole Paycheck. It can get pricey.
  • tracybarnhill
    tracybarnhill Posts: 124
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    After going to one in Kansas City, MO, and I loved it kinda like getting lost in your favorite book.... Can't wait for ours here to open, in OKC!!! I will go out of my way to go there!
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
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    There's a whole foods store not too far from me. I really really like the variety that they carry. Lots of amazing choices I can't find in other stores. I also love their ready made stuff - so healthy and fabulous selection. But in general, yes I do find the store more expensive then other stores. I shop there occasionally for special stuff, but buy the basics at cheaper stores.
  • cediyam
    cediyam Posts: 181 Member
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    OMG there's a Trader Joe's in DSM now? cool. (I lived in Des Moines for 6 years) I love Whole Foods esp for my fish and meats. It is quite expensive compared to Walmart etc. But at least I know my chicken is antibiotic-free.
    Also most grocery stores have an organic section now, but I still love Whole Foods.
  • jenready
    jenready Posts: 2,658 Member
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    Whole foods has a great selection of food, but it costs more to shop there than at other grocery stores. I do like that they have a lot of fresh, organic items that I can't find at other stores though. I do have certain items that I buy from there all of the time, but I also go to another grocery store and do the rest of my shopping.
  • red01angel
    red01angel Posts: 806 Member
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    Thumbs WAY WAY WAY up!
    I have 2 within a mile of me, and even though they're pricey, you can ALWAYS count on the quality of their products. They also have incredible food bars by the deli; my guy and I go there once or twice a month for lunch...and their cheese and wine selection is superb! Unlike many grocery stores, Whole Foods also has a butcher and fish monger there to help you with your selections if you need...they also buy as many products as they can locally, so it helps the local ag economy.
    I like TJ's and they're an incredible, affordable chain store, but Whole Foods is just that extra notch up in quality, selection, and price,
  • mr_ashley
    mr_ashley Posts: 46
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    I like the Whole Foods we have in Birmingham. I'm not frequently there, because I don't do much grocery shopping, which is part of the problem with my weight I suppose! The better half buys all the food, and of course, she's never worried about her weight because she was always this thin, majorette little girlie with big hair and all that goes with that. I ask her to make healthier choices at the store for me, and it doesn't have to come from Whole Foods. They have lots of fat food too.

    The wife just doesn't know what it was like to grow up shopping in the "husky" department.
  • jojoworks
    jojoworks Posts: 315 Member
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    Whole Foods although expensive is a more complete package with better choices than TJ's. If indeed you are trying to move away from processed foods, Whole Foods offers more than TJ's, especially when it comes to fresh produce with a commitment to local and organic. Ultimately I think you may be best served by a local food co-op, but the trade-offs between a coop and a Whole Foods can boil down to things other than food choices and money (politics).

    good luck, happy shopping and enjoy your food!
    JoJo
  • blumuse
    blumuse Posts: 52 Member
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    Whole Foods can be more expensive BUT, their produce selection is the BEST I've ever come across, even better than Trader Joe's. They list it if it's local and organic. I feel like I can make more informed buying choices there because of that. If I don't splurge on fancy cheeses (my downfall) I can usually keep my costs down by sticking to the fresh/raw foods. It's the prepared foods that add up at the register (their food bar IS amazing though).
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
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    I use Whole Foods for my meats, fruits, and vegetables, but that's about it. Other than that, they'll charge you way more for the same items you can get somewhere else, and I'm not sold on the need for organic hamburger buns.
  • patti1007
    patti1007 Posts: 20 Member
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    Whole Foods is an AWESOME store. Great products however it's also nicknamed Whole PayCheck amongst my friends. I only purchase must-haves from there because I can get the other stuff at either Trader Joe's or my local market.
  • alexmommy
    alexmommy Posts: 76 Member
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    We love Whole Foods! We have both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's within 5 minutes of our house (Columbus, Ohio) and went into Trader Joe's once and had no interest in ever going in again. Their selection is way to limited and their prices aren't any better than Whole Foods. Plus the one by us is so tiny it was a nightmare to navigate. We go to Whole Foods a couple times a week, and as long as your careful about what you buy and what you have to have organic, it can be reasonable to shop there!
  • monoxidechick
    monoxidechick Posts: 339
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    We have a Good Food store in a town near me and it about the same thing I believe. I love it, so much more to choose from and so many options!! I would not go there for my whole shopping list, but the more choices for shopping you have, the better!!!! Our store generally has really knowledgeable people as well so they answer many of my nutritional and organic questions. I also love bulk items and their bulk section is to die for!! I get lost in there sooooooo often!

    In the small town I am currently living in we only have an IGA grocery store and super walmart, not much for selection. And for other items we basicly only have the walmart and Kmart. I believe that the more stores you have the more options you have and then you can spend your money in various places and support many companies when they have a good selection rather than being limited to one place.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    Whole food stores are great, especially Trader Joe's, Sprouts, and Henry's Market.
  • porcelain_doll
    porcelain_doll Posts: 1,005 Member
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    Whole Foods is my favorite store. One of the things I have found is that if you buy their 365 brand items, the prices are not that bad. Yes, still higher than what you'd find at Kroger, etc., but actually that isn't always the case, either. It depends on the item. Overall, yes. But the vast selection of items is phenomenal. Ours has a wine bar which is cool, esp. when they're giving out .25 samples. Yes, you can get a good buzz at WF for just a couple bucks on the right night. ;)

    I also appreciate their good customer service, as well. They don't hire just any nitwit off the street to work there. I never have to wait in line long, either. I also enjoy getting something from their hot foods bar and then eating in their café area, which is also where a lot of free classes are held on different topics. Shopping at WF invites you to continue putting healthier things into your body. :)

    Also, I don't make a lot of money but I work it into my budget so that I can get the bulk of what I need from there.
  • crystallayne
    crystallayne Posts: 109 Member
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    Love it!!! They have the best meat and fish section. Their deli is great, and they carry my favorite VOS water. Really still have to hunt for the low calorie, though. Stay out of the bakery, lol
  • firedragon064
    firedragon064 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    I like their produce and bulk food section.
  • tSunshineLove
    tSunshineLove Posts: 8
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    I like Whole Foods a lot more than Trader Joes, even if they are expensive. The selection is huge and, unlike Trader Joe's, they have tons of yummy produce that isn't individually wrapped in plastic. Lots of raw cheeses, milk, and other probiotic living foods like salsa, hummus, and kimchi.

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