Whole foods and trader joes!

Whole Foods, went to one the first time last weekend, and to me, it is just hype. The meat/fish was a good selection, but the one I went to was mainly hot foods, nothing I really wanted, but some was interesting to me, it was fun to visit. I personally like Sprouts better for anything special I need and HEB really is my favorite store to shop at. Trader Joe's isn't bad, again, special things I get there, like their soy ice cream. I can't eat dairy products and that is the only reason I shop at those types of places, is for non-dairy things. Oh I do like to buy TJ's butter over HEBs too, seems the dairy based cookies I make turn out better, if that counts ^_^
You can use the search function in the forums to find other forums on both stores. Sorry for not being a bigger help.

I've recently started doing my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's. I've learned to slow down and look around as there are so many hidden cool items. Keep an eye on the Nutrition labels - I'm often surprised at how either super healthy or super splurgy each item is. Here's some of my favorite finds so far:

• Frozen Alaskan Cod Fish ($5-6 for 2 fillets / easy lean dinner item since practically no fat, cooks in under 10min.)
• - Stuffed Red Bell Pepper with Seasoned Turkey & Rice (in the area with prepped wraps/salads/meals. Super yummy)
• Heat & Serve Chicken Wrap with pesto vinaigrette
• Trader Joe's brand of Fat Free balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing is the best I've ever tasted. I always swap that into any salad i buy to easily cut calories and fat, but still tastes fantastic.
• *any* of their prepped salads in the clear plastic square containers are delishious. I'll usually split 1 salad into 2 meals by just adding a protein. I just tried a new one called "Roasted butternut squash, Red Quinoa, Wheatberry Salad" so good!
• A staple when going to hang with friends and I want to bring something: Olive Tapenade Spread (short little jar, gold-ish lid) + Pita Bite Crackers + goat cheese log covered in blueberry or cranberry. Not for the "eating lean" days hahaha but they're mega favorites... had to share
• buy yourself some flowers each time - you're worth it and it'll make you smile!

If you like chick peas, buy them from Trader Joe's. They are the best on the market @$0.99 per tin, organic and less salt then Goya, taste better too.

I like Whole Foods and buy my cereal, cashew and sunflower seed butter when they are on sale (not a peanut butter person - too heavy on my stomach). I buy organic chicken from Whole Foods, yes it is expensive, my SO works hard and the chicken does taste a lot better than the processed kind sold in supermarkets.

I love WFs bread especially their prairie bread, one of my weakness. I buy 100% cranberry juice and 100% tart cherry juice from Trader Joe's (its too expensive in WFs). Love the Horizon selection in WFs.

I would take a good look around at both stores and mix and match. Love WFs apples, especially the Fuji ones, very crispy and sweet - good selection too.

I like the meat/fish selection at Whole Foods, and their BULK section! You can grind your own nut butters, or get just a scoop full of nuts, dried beans, rice etc instead of buying a big bag or container. They have bulk spices too in case you only need a bit of something for a recipe.

Trader joes has some great produce for cheap, I like the bagged chopped kale.

From TJ
Pink Himalayan salt
Organic pasta sauce
Organic pasta
Organic roasted red pepper & tomato soup
Organic stocks/broth
Organic blueberries & raspberries (freezer)
Dark chocolate covered bananas (freezer)
Japanese fried rice with edamame (freezer)
Dark chocolate bars. The firecracker one with pop rocks in it is fun to eat.
Peppermints in the blue tin usually by the register
Sriracha BBQ sauce
Dijon mustard
All of those are very reasonable $$ wise.
Sesame coated cashews.
Butter & more!

Take your time and look around & have fun!

Whole foods is expensive but you can still get some good buys sometimes. I like to buy my chapsticks from there. The pomegranate one and the coconut one.

Whole foods I like the bulk bins and a few other things here and there depending on what sounds good. They have a lot of tea. Puffed kamut cereal @ 50 calories a serving that I add to higher calorie sugary cereal for bulk. Different veggies and fruit that I don't see in other stores. I like to eat from their salad/hot bar but that adds up $ fast so not every trip lol.

Trader joes I buy tons. Frozen fish, frozen fruits and veg very cheap, soy chorizo is amazing, cheeses, cheap produce, mango black tea bags, chicken sausages and sometimes other meats, lots of nuts and dried fruits, spicy thai chicken pasta salad is incredible (2 servings per container so lot of calories), lots of sauces....take your time and really look at stuff. And coffee beans.

Skip both these stores and visit your local grocer.

echmain wrote: »

Skip both these stores and visit your local grocer.

What if they *are* my local grocer?

echmain wrote: »

Skip both these stores and visit your local grocer.

Trader Joe's is actually cheaper than my local grocer. My weekly food bill for the family went from $150/week to $65/week. And the chicken is a better quality.

OP, like everyone else said, take your time and look around. There are a lot of great finds at TJs. I don't know about Whole Foods, as the closest one to my house has little to no parking and is not close enough to walk to.

I am also from the Houston area, and have both of these stores nearby. I have shopped both, and there are a couple of specialty items worth going for now and then (great dried fruit, kettle corn), but for everyday shopping, you can't beat HEB. In fact, when TJ's moved into the Houston area, HEB has duplicated many of their best sellers, and price is similar. I skip Whole Foods altogether, except for their health/wellness section for natural health/beauty items - too expensive. Check them out for yourself, and you decide. Everyone's tastes and needs are different.

I'm a big fan of TJ. Can't even afford to walk into a WF on my weekly grocery budget. Some of the items I purchase from TJs are:

Steele Cut Oatmeal (freezer aisle...so good w/dried cranberries and pecans, which I also purchase from TJs).
Baby Spinach
Produce (their organic section is really affordable)
Almond Milk
Eggs
Almonds
Spices
Herbs
Greek Yogurt
Frozen Berry Medley Mix (for my yogurt)
Honey

The possibilities are endless. Like some of the others who have replied to your post said, take your time and look around. Also, enjoy the samples!!!

I love the bulk section and bulk spices at Whole Foods. We also used to get some of the more unique asian ingredients that HEB doesn't stock, but we finally found the one asian grocery store in San Antonio.

Stuff we regularly by from both stores -

WF - organic half and half, organic buttermilk, organic cream (i make my own sour cream, cream cheese, and butter with these, they have to not be ultra-pasteurized), fermented sauerkrauts, marinara (one of the few places I can find this soy-free), bob's red mill masa harina (best tortillas and tamales EVER), bob's red mill gluten free rolled oats

TJs - occasional produce, sweet chili sauce, light coconut milk (canned), peanuts, reduced sugar preserves, gluten free waffles (caveat - if these are not cooked long enough they don't sit well on the stomach), dark chocolate bars, salsa verde, frozen artichoke hearts, frozen organic mixed veggies, occasional ground turkey, chicken sausages, and organic tortilla chips, raw honey, pink himalayan salt

All the other organic type foods we buy at our local Fred Meyer because the prices are a tad cheaper on those items there. And quite a bit of organic from Costco too.

Research the internet. A number of foods from whole foods have been recalled. One for salmonella.

pomegranatecloud wrote: »

Trader Joe's is super cheap, but their produce overall is terrible so you'll need to go to a second store, unless you just eat mostly packaged food. If I go to Trader Joe's I usually just get nuts, certain produce (lemons, limes, kale, spinach, potatoes), frozen fruit, hummus, crackers, wine, and chocolate. I get everything else at Whole Foods and sometimes local farmers markets.

I must be really lucky. Both trader joes in my area have great produce. I've seen other people say the same as you though.

I wanted to add 1 more favorite thing I get at tjs....smoked rainbow trout. 7 bucks for 8oz of yummy wonderfulness. I was there last night and picked up more lol. I also found a satay peanut sauce that we mixed with a little of their sweet chili sauce and splash of rice wine vinegar then used it on chicken - it was so good.