OMG I LOVE Whole Foods Market!!

So, They finally built this awesomely huge Whole Foods Market close to where i work and i went there the other day and OMG its Amazing!!!

Everything you could possibly imagine to fit a healthy and fit lifestyle is in that place... And they have an incredible cold and hot food bar, and a sushi bar! And to top it all off everyone that worked in the place is pretty happy and friendly too.

There seriously needs to be one of these places in every town, so we all can experience this incredible place!

 

While I can't afford to shop there right now (even their conventional produce is significantly more expensive and I buy a ton of produce) I do love the atmosphere.  Also if you go on a weekend you can basically make a meal of the free samples!  Plus I love all stores that have bulk bins.

I was surprised to find that their prices are pretty good.  I was put off at first by the high priced fancy produce, meats, fish and cheeses.  But as I shopped, I found great bargains, especially their store brand.  For instance, the 365 brand of frozen flax waffles is $1.99.  Other brands in other stores are $3.99, and they're not as good! 

Their canned beans are available with no salt added, for .89 a can.  I get the tongol light tuna when it's on sale for .99 a can.  Their low sodium chicken broth is half the price of other brands. Their olive oil is a bargain too - high quality, organic, cold pressed, and inexpensive!  Also, breakfast cereals are cheaper.

I'm a big fan.  I just don't buy produce there, unless it's really cheap.

isnt it great?? the nearest one to me is 20 min away and i'll go there once or twice a month for a few items i can't get at my regular grocery store (shiritaki noodles, almond breeze, soy cheese etc.)

i also LOVE all their fresh food stations, and their bakery bread is to die for!!

i wish i could afford to do all my shopping there =(

Yea the prices were one thing i forgot the mention. The produce is definatly on the expensive side! But your right about their store brand, and you can find good prices on stuff in the grocery section. And they thave pretty fair prices on the bulk stuff, like the grains, nuts, beans, granola ect.! And they have Goji berries !!!! 

 

Well I have a Central Market, which is pretty close to Whole Foods and I love it as well. I won't do major grocery shopping there but will pick up my shirataki noodles and always, always, always have to hit thier awesome salad bar. Runs me about 8 bucks though. Oh well, I enjoy it!

 

I agree that WF is great for many things (sushi  - yum!) but the produce can be too pricey.  It's great that some hard to find healthier items are easy enough to find there.

I too love the bulk bins and the bread...oh my!!!

Central Market!!!
There's one in my town, and I love it dearly. Except I go to college in a different state and have no Central Market or Whole Foods anywhere nearby.
I miss them both..they're just such happy places to be

I do almost all my grocery shopping at Whole Foods and love it very much, but it sure does live up to it's nickname, Whole Paycheck.

Shop the bulk bins and their store brand (365 and 365 organic). Same natural or organic ingredients, much cheaper.

 Central Market doesn't appeal to me at all, Whole Foods actually cares about the environment and sustainability, Central Market is a gourmet grocery store, that's it. Central Market feels like a meat cutting warehouse or something inside, WFM is inviting and warm. Just my personal opinions!

Even though their produce is more spendy, that's actually the main reason I shop there.  Their produce is soooo much better than what the other stores in my area have, I just can't bring myself to buy the crap after seeing what Whole Foods has.

So, I get my produce there, any special meats that I really want to be good, a few other things, then head over to the other stores for deals on regular packaged goods that aren't much different.

If I had the money, though, I'd do all my shopping at Whole Foods.  It rocks!

Central Market is great, too, but they're too far away from me - too much traffic, takes too long to get there.  I only go there when I'm looking for some specific thing that I can't find anywhere else.

We have a health food store that is owned by Whole Foods and I love buying my almonds, beans, oatmeal from the bulk bins. 

       &nb sp;     

I think I might go there today!  I love this store.  It has everything you need to be organic, healthy and green!  Trader Joes is great too!!  :)

I think the nearest Whole Foods is 4 hours away from me!  :-(  I do really like it though--the cheese section is nice! 

We have one finally opening up soon in our area... I am glad to see that prices seem to be fair and the selection is good :O)

I wish we had one here, all we have is a super wall mart and a little grocery store. It gets aggravating when you can't find the produce your craving or all the oddities that make low calorie dishes delicious. Even when figs are in season you can't find them here.

Ive never heard of this Central Market before! I live in the NYC metro area and ive never seen one here, so what states do you guys live in that have em? cause maybe its only a regional market. 

And lollipop you made me laugh ! It is such a happy place! Im glad many of you love it just like i do, thats what made me put this post up in the first place! 

I am moving to Tallahassee FL in a few days (!) and will be down there for six months, I have no idea where I am going to get my whole bulk flax seeds, figs, dates, hemp seed powder, raw pumpkin seeds, gogi berries, quinoa, buckwheat and alfalfa seeds!!   OH GOD.  I need my health food stores and bulk bins.....

 

Our city is considering to let whole foods come in.  Otherwise we will get a henry's.  Which of the two stores is better?  Does anyone know?  We are supposed to give our opinion.  I don't know much about either - it sounds like they are like real grocery stores - not just health food stores.  Otherwise, we have chain store markets that have expired dairy products and about-to-expire breads, etc.  Anyone's opinion would be appreciated - what is the best store that carries organic food and hard to find specialty foods of the two?

gigigalaxie, Central Market is owned by the HEB grocery chain, and as far I know, they are all in Texas.  Here's their website:  http://www.centralmarket.com/cm/cmLocation.js p

It's Texas sized, too - it was once on TV as the largest market in the world!  Don't know if that's still true or not, though.