First, we need to address a couple of important issues that we hope will explain our point of view and curb controversy.
• We live in Manhattan. Overall, our groceries cost more than yours do if you live in Tennessee (we're only singling out Tennessee because we're from there, which means we know). We do not have Costco. We do not have Wal-Mart. We are comparing these Whole Foods products to products from Fresh Direct, Fairway, or the local Gristedes.
• We're not talking about fresh produce or meat. Fairway, Fresh Direct, and the farmers' market all have Whole Foods beat (or at least tied) when it comes to these categories. We're mainly talking grocery items (specifically, the in-house 365 brand).
• Organic counts. Sometimes, a product isn't much cheaper or any cheaper than the same thing at Fresh Direct. But many of the 365 brand products are organic, which means you're getting better quality for the same money.
With that, here are our picks:
1. Organic Water Crackers, $1.79. The ever-popular Carr's Water Crackers are $3.69 at Fresh Direct, and we've seen them for $3.99 at other stores. That's more than twice the price of the WF brand.
2. Organic diced tomatoes, $1.19. Del Monte from Fresh Direct are $1.79, as are Muir Glen Organic diced tomatoes.
3. Olive Oil, $7.49 to $8.49 for 1 liter. Whole Foods sells Greek, Italian, Spanish, and blended olive oils under their 365 brand. All are cheaper than the cheapest at Fresh Direct: Bel Aria, which is $9.99 for a liter (Bertolli and De Cecco are both in the $12 to $14 range).
4. Organic pasta, $1.99. Whole Foods 365 dried pasta is a bit more expensive than non-organic brands (like Barilla, which is $1.59 for most shapes at Fresh Direct) but much less than other organic brands ($2.99 for De Cecco organic) and multigrain varieties ($2.39 for Barilla Plus).
5. Organic milk, $3.39 a half-gallon. Horizon Organic is $4.39 and Organic Valley is $4.19 at Fresh Direct.
6. Organic chicken broth, $2.19. Imagine Organic is $2.89 at Fresh Direct. We occasionally see 2 for $5 deals at Fairway, but WF is still cheaper.
7. Nuts. We bought a pound of whole cashews for $6.69. At Fresh Direct, a 14-ounce bag costs $8.49. We can't remember our last nut purchase at Fairway, but we still think WF beats it.
8. Cereal! We don't eat a lot of cereal, but when we do buy a box, we're always blown away by how expensive it is. If you're willing to go with 365 Corn Flakes instead of Kellogg's, though, you can really save money. Most cereals at Whole Foods were $2.49 as opposed to $4 to $5 for brand names at the grocery store.
OK, those are a few of our staples. But there are plenty more... Do you bargain shop at Whole Foods? What are your favorite products?
Related: Survey: Shopping for Bargains at Whole Foods (our past coverage of this issue)
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Love the 365 Spanish olive oil.
Cereals are cheapest at Trader Joe's- every time I go in there I'm amazed by it!
The same thing goes for a regional chain here - Trader Joes. People act shocked that I would step in the door because everything there must be so expensive, but some of the stuff there is actually cheaper and better than the regular grocery store.
My advice is just because a store *looks* more expensive, don't assume everything in it will be.
This really, reaaaaally goes for Walmart, because people go there thinking it's cheap and yet stuff there can easily be the same price or worse than a grocery store. They can get away with worse prices because they've convinced the entire country they're the cheapest choice on everything.
I'm a student in nyc (originally from TX) and totally agree. I shop at Whole Foods because somethings are way cheaper than D'Agostino or the Morton Williams near my dorm. I love getting a liter of Bolthouse Farm Juices. $3.99 at WF other places $5.99. :(
Whole Foods Organic Hot Sauce is my favorite hot sauce ever and it is the cheapest- around $1.50
another way of saving money at whole foods is to buy from the bulk dry good section.
Water crackers, nuts, chicken broth, milk, and cereal are cheaper at Trader Joe's. Olive oil equivalent to the low end of the WF price here.
I've found the same thing out in the Bay Area. The water crackers struck me as particularly notable. The grocery store (safeway) brand are more expensive than the Whole Foods private label - even when they're on sale.
I think a lot of it comes down to what I buy. I'm not a stickler for organic foods, but I do like a lot of unusual and health-foodish type foods. I feel like at Safeway, I'm buying mostly their higher-margin items whereas when I buy the same things at Whole Foods, a lot of my usual buys are among the lower-price and lower-margin foods in the store. Though if I do the entire weeks' shopping at WF, there's inevitably a few things I end up paying too much for.
the tofu at whole foods is actually cheaper than at trader joe's (the house brand, anyways)
but their nutritional yeast is MUCH more expensive than at the local food co-op
Nope, I don't believe you because that's just a sample list, not a weekly load to feed a family.
pedalpowered - bulk foods are not available at Whole Foods in Manhattan with the exception of the brand new Tribeca location...the bulk foods is the thing that makes that location unique....like the beer hall at the bowery location
I can't thank you enough for this post- I work for Whole Foods as a cashier, and hear constant complaints and jokes about "Whole paycheck." As if we're holding a gun to their heads, forcing them to buy those $15 organic cacao beans.
Whole Foods/ 365 brand products are competitive with other bargain brands - not to mention very high quality, sans trans fats and artificial ingredients (Oreos, anyone?). Of course we have many specialty and pre-prepared items (like, say, truffle oil or ready-made lasagna from the deli) that drive up the bill, but these aren't really necessary everyday items. You can find things cheaper in other stores, but that's what bargain shopping is all about. I've found granola bars to be cheaper at Target than they were on sale at Jewel.
My tips are: fill up on produce, look for sales, use coupons, and try to cook from scratch when you can, no matter where you shop.
I agree about TJ's. Nuts are def much cheaper at TJs, on the other hand in most cases at Whole foods you can buy from the bulk bins for a little more per pound and you don't have to buy the whole pound. It just depends how much you plan on using. I happen to make my own nut mix and use alot of nuts and dried fruit so TJ's is better.
But for something specialized like tahini, I was outraged to find that the SUPER CHEAP Market Basket (greater Boston supermarket chain) was $2 more than whole foods. So for some stuff its cheaper, it just goes to show that you have to shop around. I make a trip to a few different markets (TJ's Whole Foods, Market Basket, Stop and Shop) during the week and if i think I can get a better price at the next spot, I wait. Sometimes it works out but sometimes I end up going back for it the next time.
I just moved from NY. I shopped at Whole Foods all the time and found it to be cheaper than local stores like Stop n' Shop. Not for everything, like you said. But there are definitely some deals to be had.
One thing that's super cheap and really good are the 365 semi-sweet chocolate chips. I always stock up when I go.
And BTW it's much more expensive to go grocery shopping in NYC and San Fran, national chains usually keep prices about the same across the board and cause they can buy so much they get a better wholesale price than a little corner spot like D'agostino's who has to mark it up based on the price they get it for.
Produce, especially organic, is ridiculous at WF and in most cases its not much better.
In Chicago, we go to WF specifically to buy organic meats and vegetables and wild-caught fish. I know that those items cost more than their non-organic counterparts at traditional grocery stores, but the higher cost is worth it to me.
I've always said that it depends on what you buy. But I am very bitter about my local WH scaling back on bulk goods--no bulk spices at all any more.
Agree with all the raves for TJ's. I am so amazed at the quality of products and low prices. Yes, they may not have the selection like WF, but I'll opt for one good olive oil at a low price. And their selection of prepared items is a saving grace for any working person.
P.S. Costco in LIC is not too far from Manhattan and worth the trip once in a while.
Depending on what type of bulk you buy there are some fantastic resources online. There are a couple of great spice retailers that I've just found recently with FAR fresher and cheaper/simlarly priced spices. I have to say that every time I go to WF I want to have a much better experience than what actually happens.
As for bottom line cost, I don't tend to buy canned stuff and I can get some bulk organic stuff at costco (organic butter at costco - wayyyy cheaper), and then I tend to head to the co-op.
TJ's is my go-to (except for stuff they don't carry). Murshrooms are 25% cheaper there than the Safeway next door, olive oil is a lot cheaper, ice cream, bread, eggs, milk, greek yogurt, maple syrup and cereal too. Oh, and white whole wheat flour and vanilla, which I was pretty surprised about. I think their milk has a better flavor than the stuff at Safeway, too.
As for Costco, if you have a car, you can do what my folks did when the nearest one was an hour away: write a really long list and go once a month or less. They'd fill the freezer with meat and the pantry with dry goods. Of course, this requires room that you might not have but if you do, it works well.
I'm sure this has more to do with being in southern California, but my Whole Foods has 3-pound bags of organic apples (gala, fuji or granny smith) for $2.97, and they are delicious.
I miss TJs so much. But thank you for this list since we tend to stop in at WF when we need to, usually for bulk goods. Buying something like quinoa in bulk vs. the overpriced little boxes in the health aisle at Safeway is a big money saver. I was, however, surprised to find that a newer Safeway in Boulder carries bulk spices whereas the WF doesn't. And I recently discovered Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers, which has cheaper deals on many things, including a modest but still useful selection of organic produce. Shopping around indeed.
there are a lot of things that I find to be cheaper and more easily available at whole foods than at other stores. in addition to the milk, other dairy products--yoghurt, butter, ricotta, cream, cottage cheese, etc.--are cheaper at whole foods and some of the products are ones I can't find at other stores.
also pantry staples--mayo, soy sauce, oils, balsamic vinegar, spices, flour, sugar...
my nearest whole foods is a little over an hour away, I go about once or twice a month and try to stock up on staples. when I run out of something in between trips I am always annoyed by how much harder it is to find and how much more expensive it is locally.
The problem with TJs in Manhattan is that there's only one, and unless you can shop during off-hours you can end up standing in line just to get IN to the store (!!). Going down the block to Whole Foods saves at least half an hour and, in my experience, only costs a dollar or two more if you mostly stick to 365 brand items and take advantage of sales. Plus, the produce at TJs is often remarkably bad.
I totally agree - shopping in a comparative way saves $$$.
No TJ here in S. FL :( BUT I love my local WF. Sometimes (often) WF organic items are lower priced than my regular grocery stores non-organic items in the same size containers...
I like buying from bulk bins so I can buy as much or as little as I may need so there is no waste - and I get an additional few cents off when I bring my own bags - love that :)
As another WF employee, I also thank you. I shop in 3 places, of course at WF, but also at Trader Joes (their snacky stuff is better quality than some of the 365 stuff), and at the Park Slope Food Coop. The 3 hour per month commitment is worth it, given the quality of produce and very good cheese prices.
Even with my discount, there are certain things at the other two stores that are cheaper, such as the TJs brand Organic Chocolate syrup, and the produce at the coop. Otherwise, I completely agree that you can do a normal family shopping at Whole Foods on the 365 brand, if all-natural food is important to you. Natural/organics are VERY expensive at regular supermarkets, so comparable products are always pricier. I just love knowing that at Whole Foods, I will always get food that is devoid of chemicals and bad animal treatment.
I have also noticed lower prices on WF store-brand items. But many of those things are produced in China, which terrifies me.
WF 365 organic Worcestershire sauce is the same price as Lea & Perrins, and just as tasty. Their tomato paste in a tube is much cheaper than name brands. Frozen shrimp are often cheaper than Safeway and Giant. I love Trader Joe's for high quality, inexpensive dried fruit and nuts, but the supply seems to be unpredictable.
Thank you so much!!
It's not just the 365 brand stuff that can be cheaper - I needed some dish soap recently and when I picked up a 25-oz bottle of one of the all-natural brands at the Associated near my apt., I was shocked to see that it was well over $5. I put it back on the shelf, thankfully, because the next time I was at Whole Foods they had the exact same thing for $3.69. WF also has the cheapest price on my favorite kombucha drink by far. For bulk stuff I still prefer my local health food store though.
Their 365 brand peanut butter and chocolate chips are a great deal. In Philly they're $2 each, as I recall.
Steer clear of Bolthouse farms if you can. The owner of the land all the products are made and grown on gave $100K to vote YES on PROP 8.
If you're worried about saving money, why on earth are you still buying organic food? The planet will thank you for it, and so will your bank balance.
Even in Omaha, where I think we have a pretty low cost of living, I find things at Whole Foods to be less expensive. Mind you, my ethical systems is built up around how I eat so getting as much organic as I can afford is important to me. But I find that Greek yogurt is a good $2 a container less than at other stores (not to mention the 365 plain regular yogurt in the big jars!) and that I can get organic, cage free eggs for $2.50 a dozen. And even when I'm looking or produce, I can get some things for a better price at Whole Foods. Mostly in the way of greens like chard and sometimes even spinach. Oh and bulk organic carrots! I guess I could go on with my list (tahini at Whole Foods - $3.99, $7.99 at Baker's) but I'll spare you.
Even as I'm just coming out of a jobless stint, I found that going to Whole Foods helped me eat with my ethics (and get a few treats) better than the "regular" grocery stores. I love Whole Foods.
'If you're worried about saving money, why on earth are you still buying organic food? The planet will thank you for it, and so will your bank balance.'
The planet will thank you for putting unnecessary pesticides into it? I don't follow.
I'm pregnant, and given the current research linking commonly used pesticides with autism, I'll pay an extra few cents for organic, thanks.
I shop exclusively at Whole Foods, and eat about 80% organic. I don't spend a fortune because my SO and I rarely eat meat, we eat a lot of cheap staples (quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, beans and lentils- bought dry from bulk bins) and produce.
If you buy convenience foods Whole Foods can be more expensive since they're not filled with corn by-products like the stuff you'll find at a 'regular' grocery store. However, if you're willing to cook from scratch (which is much better for you anyway) you will spend less and eat better at Whole Foods.
These aren't really staples, but they are cheaper and better at WF:
1. WF whole wheat bread
2. WF kettle corn (though hard to find lately)
3. WF chocolate hazlenut spread (no hydrogenated oils or artificial flavors)
4. Westsoy Unsweetened Soymilk
5. Vitamins and supplements, beauty and household products all cheaper at WF and all cheapest in the NYC region (was so surprised they were more expensive in Texas when I went home for a visit!)
6. Panda licorice
7. rice
Agree that milk, yogurt, olive oil, stock are cheapest and best at WF.
Beer - Fairway and TJ.
Seltzer - Fresh Direct (they deliver it!!!)
Spices - Integral Yoga or Kalustans
Still looking for: cheap sea salt for baking/cooking
Laura in LA: What items are made in China?!
Wholefoods 365 butter is $2.59 or something a pound, which is cheaper than in my local regular grocery stores (occasionally butter is on sale for 2/$5, but not often).
Their 365 brand gluten-free stuff is good too- $3.69 I think for a pound of flour, which is lame but still cheaper than any other prepackaged mix.
Meat is sometimes cheaper (rib roast was $8.99 a pound 3 weeks ago), and seafood is also when on sale (small Maine shrimp was $3.99/lb).
I do my shopping in 3-4 stores (there are a lot of grocery stores within a 10 min bikeride of my house, I'm lucky) and there are absolutely some things I buy at WF because they're cheaper. Look for the yellow sale signs, and stock up!
I agree, the staples are often cheaper at Whole Foods than they are at the QFC by my house here in Seattle.
Good point Fade on Violet, I encounter a lot of grateful moms that can buy products that agree with their childrens' allergies, and of course we see many expecting moms :)
I heard about products made in China- I wish I had more details, but I know the company incorporated another Core Value to create a win-win situation with all suppliers. Not to mention they've vastly expanded the "Whole Trade" label, which I assume is like fair trade. Outsourcing is not the greatest, but at least workers receive adequate pay, and WFM also contributes with microfinance loans (Whole Planet Foundation).
The WF-brand shampoo and conditioner are inexpensive as well. I also like the WF bath soaps, which have nice scents and cost much less than Pre de Provence or L'Occitane.
They talk about the China issue on the WFM site (though I'm sure a little independent research on the consumer's part wouldn't hurt).
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/sourcing.php
I used to be a huge fan of the bulk granola at WF (cheaper than if you buy it in a box just about anywhere, except maybe TJ's), and I also love the 2-lb bags of 365 coffee beans for $10. The coffee is especially amazing and a great deal; I've paid twice as much for coffee that good from Pete's. My favorite is the "Pleasant Morning Buzz" blend.
365 tofu wins at $1.50. Plus their oatmeal in the bulk bins is half as much as the already cheap off-brand oatmeal at Kroger's.
Things I buy at Whole Foods: 365 brand tofu, whole wheat tortillas, peanut butter. Plus specialty items like tahini. And of course items in bulk!
First I go to the farmers market and buy all that I can that is local, in season and hopefully organic- this tends to be cheaper than even conventionally grown produce from a regular market.
Then I go to WF and buy pretty much everything else that I need, things that typically would come in a package - WF 365 brand 95% of the time. I know some may object but some frozen vegetables and fruit is such a time saver for me and the 365 organic brand is extremely affordable relatively speaking.
The only exceptions are ; milk: I buy at WF but not 365 brand. Here in Cleveland, Snowville Creamery milk is my choice for supporting local diary and our WF has the cheapest price $2.99 for half gallon.( Horizon is my second choice if they're out of Snowville, cause it taste so good compared to the other brands. Hartzler another Cleveland local is my favorite but it's the really expensive milk that only comes in glass bottles- $3.50 for a quart- so I dont buy it very often.) ;I buy Heinen's ( local upscale market) natural peanut butter because I don't like 365 PB.
WF has best prices on the beauty products I prefer but on sundries, Im all about what's on sale at CVS.
Family of 5 we spend about $500 on groceries a month because we buy hardly any junkfood.
Shopping at WF helped me diagnose a food intolerance for corn.
Shortly before moving near a WF market, I had tried various elimination diets to identify the culprit of my food issues -- dairy, gluten, soy, corn, etc. -- without any success.
After several symptom-free months, I realized that it was a corn intolerance, and in spite of eliminating corn kernels and tortilla chips from my diet, I had still been ingesting plenty of high fructose corn syrup before I had begun shopping at WF -- where none of the 365 products contain HFCS. What a huge difference from one little ingredient.
Trader Joe's gets most of my non-farmer's market food dollars. Their prices are a lot better than most every So Cal supermarket chain, and definitely better than Whole Foods. The excellent TJs water crackers are .99, and the nut and seed prices are much better than anywhere else. I do shop at Whole Foods for some things, but overall I'm not that fond of it.
We shop TJs more often, because it is located in our town, we're there at least 2x week. WF is a longer drive, and we choose not to go regularly, if we're driving by, we'll stop in.
We get our produce from our CSA share year-round, and supplement with seasonal favorites from TJs or the other markets in town. We get so much from our farm box that we don't do much fresh from other sources. It's really that much better. :)
Thankfully we live a few blocks from the Berkeley Bowl grocery store, which is extremely produce-centered--which means varied, fresh, and very cheap vegetables and fruits! Seriously, if you are ever in the East Bay in California, I encourage you to check it out. It's an experience.
Nonetheless, we still go to WF for the "aisle" items (canned stuff, boxed stuff), but we ONLY buy things that are on sale. Other aisle stuff we get from Trader Joe's, Costco, or (even better) the Grocery Outlet.
If you happen to live near a WF, then I think the free samples make it worthwhile to stop in to scan for sale items:) We have never bought more than a few things at a time there, though. There are cheaper and better options around here.
I live in Philly and this city has a total lack of grocery stores. Being from the suburbs I love supermarkets and those corner stores just don't do it for me.
I'm a law student and shop at WF every week. I live alone, so it's fairly easy for me to keep my groceries w/in $50 range. I know it could be cheaper if I hiked down to Shop Rite but why bother? The people at WF are great at selling me 1/2 lb of steak (for two nights of dinner) and things like that. Plus, the kids who work at my WF are probably the nicest I have ever met, in any store. So that's really what keeps me coming back.