My Whole foods love/hate relationship

 Today I dragged the husband to the Whole Foods store closest to us, about 40 minutes away in West Hartford.  I love the store and I don’t.. so much.  What I love?… great produce, healthy meats, all the gluten-free stuff I could possibly be looking for, and a great lunch bar if I’m so inclined.  Lots of flowers and chocolate and natural soaps too.  What I don’t like?  The drive. The prices.  And the general population in that store seems a little…. ooooh, how can I remain politicaly correct here…. snobby. 

Why is that?  well… quite a few customers appear to be in the upper tax brackets, and yes, I’m judging by the cover of those books…and the type of cars out in the parking lot too.  Does that have something to do with it?  I suppose not fair to say.  But I don’t see ANYONE who looks like they  might be struggling financially in that store…again, judging a book by it’s cover, the shame of it.  

Something’s not right with this system tho. Good quality produce, clean, antibiotic and pesticide, gluton, dairy or soy free foods should be affordable and available to everyone, no?  I’m sure the superfood gurus have a list of reasons why it’s more expensive to provide CLEAN food to consumers.  It just seems like it shouldn’t be.  There is LESS stuff in that food, not more. The reason so many low income families eat crappy food is because quite frankly it’s AFFORDABLE.  They should have better choices.

Anyway.. the husband wasn’t impressed.  After we left the store he said…… “you can get all this same stuff at our grocery store, just not as many OPTIONS.  AND.. you are a sucker for eye candy… and there’s lot of it here. “   Well, I beg to differ just a little, but truth be told, he’s atleast partially correct.  Ask me how glad I was that I didn’t cave to the eye candy on this particular day, huh?

Now Trader Joe’s is a whole nother barrel of apples… would you call it the discount version of Whole Foods?    I’m curious… if you’ve had experience with either, what’s your opinion?

43 thoughts on “My Whole foods love/hate relationship”

  1. I have that same love/hate relationship with WF too. One thing they do have, in my opinion, that's better than at other grocery stores…and isn't expensive. Their COFFEE BEANS… I know, go figure.
    Also like their varied selection of dried fruits and nuts for putting in homemade granola.

    My daughter and I go to WF maybe once every 2 or 3 months just to browse around…she at food and such and me at the people. 🙂

  2. So nicely said. I have thought the same things when it comes to wholesome foods and the cost in comparison to man-made foods that are nothing but fake food. Maybe it's because it's massed produced is why they can sell it cheaper? I don't know but my belief is that if we all ate better food there would be fewer illnesses therefore resulting in a cheaper healthcare system. Uh, my soap box… sorry!

    I haven't been to either of those two grocery stores as there are none near me but I have been to a Fresh Market and while I noticed that there were some snobby people in there (but that's because of where it's located and again, judging the book by it's cover) there are also your 'average Joe' people as well. The meats, cheeses, eye candy, varieties, and produce are all great and reasonably priced. It is a 40 minute drive for us though so we don't go very often. Lots of great eye candy in there too!

    Good for you for not caving in to the eye candy! It sure looked yummy!

  3. I go to both stores. And to the country cousin – Aldi.

    Think about where Whole Foods and Trader Joe stores are typically located. At least here in my home state. Both stores are located in tonier neighborhoods while the Aldi and Cub and Wal-Mart stores are in the not as affluent neighborhoods.

    I live in an older neighborhood, but work in a tony neighborhood. So I stop at my WF and TJs on a regular basis cuz there's stuff there I want I can't get elsewhere. Including the awesome produce and flaxseed tortilla chips. lol

  4. I agree with you about Whole Foods and their prices. I can't stand the store because it takes HOURS to shop there because they offer SO much. I LOVE Trader Joes. I go there once a month and stock up. Their prices are UNBELIEVABLE but true. Example – I love Lox (smoked Salmon. Their lox is $3 change and the exact same in Stop & Shop is almost $7. For a LONG time, their Morning Star vegie bacon and sausage was $2.69 and $4.69 at S&S. It went up a dollar but is still less then S&S. I like their TJ brand stuff alot. Will not shop at Whole Foods – even though they offer amazing things – just too pricey and overwhelming.

  5. We don't have a Whole Foods here – or anywhere in driving distance…BUT there is a Traders Joes near my daughter's home (100 mile drive for us). I LOVE TJ's. I have never once been disappointed with their products. They don't have EVERYTHING but they have a lot of the things we love. The kids (adult ones) like their 2 Buck Chuck wine…lol..only I think it is 3 bucks now!

    It is cheaper to eat crappy food, isn't it? And THAT is sad! xo Diana

  6. Ms. A.. I am not claiming to be in any tax bracket, my point is it shouldn't matter which you're in… ALL people should have access to good quality clean food at affordable prices. The prices in this particular food market make it nearly impossible for a family struggling to get by to take advantage of their wholesome products.

  7. Whole Foods here is about as far for me to drive, too. I don't usually go there. I so agree with you that the organic and good for you stuff should not cost so much more than the crap. I truly believe there would be a lot less cancer in this world if we didn't eat all the foods that have so many chemicals in them.
    I have never been to Trader Joes. Not sure where on even is.

  8. There is a reason why they call Whole Foods, Whole Paycheck. I use to go to Whole Foods for chicken sausages and organic canned tomatoes for my spaghetti, then my own grocery store started carrying that same brand. I love TJ'S and find their prices much more reasonable. All the grocery stores in my area have awesome organic produce and other organic staples that are so much more affordable. I feel Whole Foods is more of a status symbol for the upper crust. I find them snobby and not particularly friendly. That's my two cents for what ever its worth.

  9. my daughter and I drive down to Hadley Mass.
    We go to Trader Joe's first……..stock up, and then we go to Whole Foods to have lunch at the lunch bar, and to indulge ourselves in a couple of 'eye candy' things.
    We are very excited because Trader Joe's is coming to Albany…..about 50 min away….YAY.

  10. I agree. I do like shopping at Whole Foods, but it does seem like the clientele are a bit stuffy. 🙂 I wish we had Trader Joes here, but our silly liquor laws won't allow them. Darn it!

    I think your husband is right.

    Have a great week.
    Pam

  11. I agree with you, some of the food is nice but the prices are way out of my income bracket. love your blog.
    arlington, tx

  12. I think Whole Foods is fabulous for their deli, salad bar, all the things up front that you mentioned. I used to shop there in Palo Alto but we don't have one in our area. I like Trader Joe's for some things, but it doesn't compare to WF. There were a couple supermarkets in the Bay Area that I also loved and I've not found anything to match them:-( We are only shopping for the two of us so it's not as expensive for us, although we buy most of our regular groceries at Von's and take advantage of their sales.

  13. Both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are nearby, but I definitely prefer (by far) shopping at TJ's. Not as much selection but their prices are so good and what they do offer is always fresh and interesting. It's always fun to find new things there to try. In regards to Whole Foods…sometimes I like to go there to "window shop" or for very specific items that no one else carries and that I need. I used to love to go to photograph their produce dept, but that isn't allowed in my local store any longer. Another reason not to visit. And, yes, there is definitely more of a snob factor in that store, whereas there is NONE in Trader Joe's!

  15. Well I guess I'm odd man out. I love Whole Foods and wish I had the time to go more often. I find when it comes to vegetarian products they have great prices. A cheese that S&S sells for $15lb they sell for 9. I find the ppl are much more polite and don't try to knock you down like they do everywhere else.
    Sure Trader Joes is good but doesn't compare.

    x
    Carole

  16. I love Trader Joes, and don't go to Whole Foods, even though it is closer to me. I think TJ's is very reasonable, and I love their products. I can't find cut flowers anywhere around here as reasonable, and they are definately worth the splurge during the winter!!

  17. I don't shop at either. We don't have a TJ's out here in the sticks of southwestern Virginia, and if there is a Whole Foods I'm not aware of it. Just changing my eating habits this past week and doing the best I can with the stores that are available to me.

  18. I've never been to a Whole Foods. I've been to Traders Joes. I like Trader Joe's, but I can't afford very much there. Not only that, it's a 2 hour drive to the nearest one. So I'm not a very good person to ask. I do agree with you about the food. Everyone should be able to have "clean" food!

  20. Oh, you are singing to the choir, I'm just jealous that your Whole "Paycheck"…umm foods is so much closer than ours! One is an hour and a half away and the other, easier to get to one, is over 2 hours away…sigh! And you are SO, SO right about the socioeconomic disparity of healthy food for lower income families verses those with money. I don't eat organic just for the status of it, I do it because I have major health issues and I have to! So what if I was me, with all of my health issues and I couldn't afford to shop there, I shudder to think! And Trader Joe's is cheaper, but it's even harder to get to. The problem we have is that our local stores carry almost NO organics and just a small sampling of gluten free. We were just at a local store yesterday and they had nothing in produce that was organic, the price of rural living. And a lot of our local farmers spray the heck out of stuff, even the Mennonite and Amish communities are not organic. So we make that trek to Whole Foods every few weeks, grimace at the total and feel lucky we can afford it.

    Kat 🙂

  21. I guess I am one of the few that has never been to a Whole Foods. Thankfully I don't have any health problems that require me to eat organic…I try to eat clean by buying at the farmer's markets when I can and to eat lean meats and bake what I can. That said, I am curious about Whole Foods. I have been to TJ's a few times but it is nothing to stock my house up with.

    In the city we tend to go to the butcher for our meat, the sea food place for our fish and the bakery for our bakery! Then we hit the sale papers for all of the stores that have sales. The grocery stores are quite competitive, so I do well there.

    I think if you shop around, use coupons and buy seasonally, you can really make a savings. Maybe the people that shop at Whole Foods just don't care about that.

    XO,
    Jane

  22. Here in South Jersey we are a food market wasteland – no Whole Foods, which I like for their wide selection (I can get brands not sold elsewhere) and they do have good sales occasionally, no Trader Joe's – fun to shop but not nearly the variety, and no Wegman's, a great grocery store for the masses and snobs alike.

  23. Loved our Whole Foods in Baton Rouge – Not so much with our new Whole Foods in Charlottesville.

    However, compared to a 'normal' grocery – it is the best!!

    (and all this from a man)

  24. I agree with you 100% that good food should be affordable for all people. Heck, we make a very decent living and I think Whole Foods prices are CRAZY!!! I ate dinner there one evening for a meeting and I was shocked at how much my sandwich and pasta salad cost! SHOCKED!!! I haven't been to a Trader Joe's but I have a lot of friends who love it. I need to check one out!

  26. we are so fortunate to have both and they are equally a 15 minute drive from me, but in two totally different directions.

    i love them both.

    our whole foods is not snobby at all. instead it's filled with what i call "granola folks" and i'm amazed when they fill their carts to overflowing, as i know how much all that is costing.

    i shop at WF for certain things i can't get anywhere else and love what i can get at the deli.

    trader joes i love for the things i can't get at WF and also, trader joes is really known for their frozen items.
    they have the best fresh bruschetta ever and a peppered salami that disappears when it's in my refrigerator 🙂

    ps…love this debate

  27. Sorry Karen…I can't give an opinion one way or the other…we don't have either store here!! We are supposed to be getting one, I just can't remember which one! I LOVE the eye candy though…your pics are awesome!

  29. I have a funny story on WF..my husband and I were doing a big re-model in Vienna Va. We were there about 4 months…I would go to WF just for a little peace and quiet..I would wander the aisles..lol..I'm sure they thought I was shoplifting or something..it was my haven! I buy almost all of our groceries at TJ…I actually think in the long run you spend less when you shop healthy..you just don't come home with a lot. The main reason all the processed food etc is so cheap is because they add corn to almost everything as in high fructose corn syrup and corn is still super subsidized by the government. If you haven't seen it watch the dvd Food, Inc. ..it is a real eye opener.

  30. Well, I have to say I do love Whole Foods for the variety. Like TJ for their nuts!!! So unjust that we have to pay astronomical prices to eat healthy! I know my grocery bill has tripled wherever I shop these days!!!

  31. I go to a reg market to be honest, so these type of store's are not my bag. And if you pick and chose wisely you can buy some healthy things in a reg store without the high prices of a specialty store. Richard

  32. We don'[t have Trader Joes here but Whole Foods is closer than the regular grocery store. I pop in there about once every six weeks or so to pick up a few things I can only get there or a few other items.

    It's pricey on some things. But others are sometimes affordable. They do have coupons, they do have deals.

  35. I don't shop at either one often as they are just both a little too far away to be practical however I do stop occasionally to get items that I can't find at S&S. I love them both but just cannot pay the high prices at WF… The difference in prices of organic and natural foods at all stores makes it very hard to eat the way I would like to and I am sure it makes it impossible for anyone with a lower or fixed income.

  36. Not a real fan of Whole Paycheck, but they do have some unique items. I love TJ's, I find them to be very reasonalbe. The one near me is moving into a larger location – can't wait!

    Have you been to Wegman's?

    P.S. Wal-Mart Super Center also carries some organic and high-end merch that Whole Paycheck does and for a WHOLE lot less!

  37. Interesting take on your Whole Foods visit. I've been to both, but only when we are out of town and looking for some healthy food. While at home, we go to our local Natural Food Co-op (and yes, very expensive) that we have belonged to for about 30 years, along with a local CSA where we get organic veggies in the winter. I will be checking out the clientele more closely next time. lol

  38. We have a Whole Foods market here and I do go there to buy oatmeal, rice, spices, but there is a lot there I can't afford–like the meat and produce! The people I see there do appear more affluent, and the workers are definitely the new "hippie" types. I got a little offended when I "liked" their FB page and got some political agenda comments on their page I didn't particularly care for. I'm really not interested in their political agenda. We don't have a Trader Joes–just a super Kroger store that I love! Sam's and Wal-Mart SuperCenter are not my favorites! I suppose it costs more to buy organic because it has to be fresher without preservatives. I'm allergic to sulfites so I have to be careful. Glad son is into gardening, because our Farmer's Markets are expensive too! We are buying lots of heirloom seeds!
    V

  40. There are a few things that you can only find at a 'whole foods' type of store! But the prices are considerably higher so it's best to only buy the things you can't get at your regular grocery store. We love to shop there occasionally! ♥♥♥

  41. We have a Whole Foods about 10 min. away but, I only go there maybe once a month. Nobody seems snobby but their entire frozen vegetable section, although claiming to be organic, comes from China not USA Don't trust it, won't buy it. The local veggies are labeled with the farms and countries they come from which, I like. I buy local and in season. I still like TJ's more overall. They are super consumer friendly, and have lots of good deals. Not so much for larger families though. When it's just my hubby and I, we'll probably mostly shop at TJ's. I also love the Organics brand at Vons. Made in USA certified organic, and cheap for organics. Great for eggs, milk, canned food, frozen food and things other than food. Still, my favorite for veggies and fruit is the Farmer's Market. Here where I live they are year round, local, and organic in most cases. I like to support the local economy while walking my dogs!

  42. Yes, Whole Foods is a nice store but pricy by my standards. We have a food co-op in Willimantic. I volunteer there and get a discount. I trust that the food is good – local in season – and does not come from China.

  43. After trying out both of these we now always go to Sprouts instead. Love the place. They have good prices and every Wednesday is double ad day. Their new ad comes out each Wednesday. On Wednesday you can shop from both last weeks weekly ad and this weeks ad. So double the bargains. Also the people who work there and the customers are always nice. Yes many look like they may 'have money' but they don't put on any airs. I do not 'have money' and they treat me the same. My husband and I always feel completely comfortable there. Check out their ads, locations and information on line. Give them a try! 🙂 Sarah

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