what to look for at WHOLE FOODS?

[Seitvonzu]

i'm going to whole foods tomorrow and wondering if any of you have any particular items that you would recommend looking for. we often get to trader joes, but only have been to whole foods a handful of times. when i used to have better access, i was a student and POOR, so *not* shopping at whole foods!

any faves that you can't pass up? special treats? everyday values that are staples? i'm looking for any ideas...the last time i went i ended up with peonies (beautiful! and HUGE!) and a putamayo kids cd (animal playground-- really good!), but hardly any food. DH is completely on board with me stocking up this time and i'm bringing a cooler. can't wait!

[vludmilla]

I love WF for bulk foods like oatmeal, beans, etc. The prices are great. I also like the grind your own organic peanut or almond butter. They also have a nice selection of chocolate. Grass fed beef hot dogs and other meats.

[Seitvonzu]

grass fed beef hotdogs? that sounds great. my child is a hotdog fiend unfortunately. i accidently picked up the turkey nitrate free ones at trader joes instead of the beef and they are AWFUL. she'll still eat them. bleck , bleck :) good rec! thanks :) (also the grind your own nutbutter, that's another staple around here)

[wellyes]

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, they have these meatless pepper steaks which make me want to keel over with pleasure when I even THINK about them. Oh my they're good.

[SnuggleBuggles]

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=333991&highlight=foods
That past thread may give you some more ideas. :)

In addition to the items I posted in that thread I would add:
WF brand cereal bars
their diapers (if you have need for baby diapers)
grind your own honey roasted peanut butter

Beth

[Seitvonzu]

thanks! i even posted in that old thread and i still didn't find it trying to search-- i need to get better searching skills :)
i have a little list going:
sunflower seeds (we make lots of granola)
hotdogs
applewood bacon
chocolate chunks
chicken taquitos
fresh honey roasted peanut butter
frozen veggies- peas & carrots (my child is weird and prefers shreds so thanks for that little detail!) and brocolli florets
chicken stock
higher grounds coffee (local guys that i bought from at a farmer's market that told me they have a deal with whole foods -- i really liked their costa rican where they have a direct relationship with the farm... it had a chocolate taste! yum!)
i'm sure lots more will jump in our cart, but this is a great start :) and some of it is even actual food ! (as opposed to our last visit)

i'll also roam the aisles this time if my toddler cooperates...we're meeting a friend for waldorf class first and then lunching and shopping. we'll see. i brought my own car so i don't have to feel inhibited with stocking up or shopping on my own schedule! thanks for the tips :)

[MontrealMum]

We don't have one nearby, but I've been to them while travelling both here and in the US, and started my own thread on it this past summer. Based on our super shopping trip there during our vacation I think that you really get a bang for your buck in their awesome bulk foods section and with their 365 brand - especially the cheeses! The olive bar is pretty impressive too, though we have that at lots of stores locally since we have a large Greek population. And if I had lots of extra cash and no time to cook I'd certainly spend a lot of time at their deli/prepared foods bar - WOW! [not that I'm recommending that, but check it out, I got some great ideas there that I'm duplicating at home] If you don't have a source of health food-type beauty products I think that section is pretty good too...but we have lots of that available at other places.

ETA: they have a vegan chocolate mousse (and we are not vegan) that is to. die. for. Seriously! I've been trying to recreate it at home for months now. It's their own label (probably 365).

[sadie427]

Their meat is great--would stock up on whatever meat is on sale and freeze it, unless you have a great butcher closer. After recent publicity about E coli in ground meat, I only buy ground meat there as they grind it fresh daily on dedicated grinders for each kind of meat. The sausage in the butcher case is particularly good, as is the bulk bacon and the one kind of steak we tried.

The house brand of shampoo and lotion is good.

Love most of the house brand crackers, especially the crostini and the ritz-style.

House brand soda, if you drink soda, it's made w/ cane sugar and the ginger ale is really good.

House brand whole bean coffee.

Good sales on wine.

Love the olive bar.

Good cheese, but I usually get cheese at TJ's instead because it's cheaper.

I stay away from most of the prepared foods because of cost, but you can have a good lunch there relatively inexpensively if you're careful. Our WF has good pizza and fish and chips.

[Seitvonzu]

thank you all! i'm up bright and early for our adventure and this is the morning that my early riser decides to sleep in? haha! i believe we'll be eating lunch "in house" so to speak...that was my hubbies only recommendation (he loves their prepared foods) off to drink some coffee and breakfast then i'll have to wake lucy i guess...we need to be out the door at 7:30!!!

[vludmilla]

grass fed beef hotdogs? that sounds great. my child is a hotdog fiend unfortunately. i accidently picked up the turkey nitrate free ones at trader joes instead of the beef and they are AWFUL. she'll still eat them. bleck , bleck :) good rec! thanks :) (also the grind your own nutbutter, that's another staple around here)

Yup, they have Applegate Farms organic, grassfed, nitrate, nitrite free hot dogs. They are $6 at mine but that is only one dollar more than the hot dogs I buy at TJ's.

[TwinFoxes]

Their pesto is really good. I get the plain pesto, in one of the refrigerator aisles.

They have these organic honey bear-shaped graham cookies, kind of like Annie's bunnies. They're really good, and you can actually taste the honey.

Little cans of organic mandarin oranges that my girls love. Perfect kid snack. I've never seen organic ones anywhere else, and they taste better than any canned fruit I've ever tried. And they're packed in pear juice, so it's not super sugary. In my WF it's by the apple sauce I believe.

Someone already mentioned the house brand ginger ale, it is really good! I always get a can from the cold beverage aisle as my little treat on the way home.

Do you drink? They have a nice wine selection.