I Tried 5 of Whole Foods’ Newest (and Healthiest!) Groceries — Here’s What I Thought
Few things are more dangerous for your wallet than wandering Whole Foods without a shopping list (which happens more often than I care to admit), but during my most recent trip I had a very clear plan. My mission involved stocking up on January’s latest and greatest in order to report back with my thoughts. Guidelines are good!
The new offerings all skew toward the super health-conscious and thus were a little on the pricey side, but here’s a pro tip: If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can unlock massive savings. (The seafood kits below were 40 percent off for Prime members, among other awesome deals.) If there’s one major takeaway from this shopping trip, it’s that signing up for Prime is definitely worth it if you shop at Whole Foods on the reg.
Back to the task at hand — here’s my haul!
1. Purely Elizabeth Vibrant Oats, $3 for two ounces
I love an on-the-go oat cup, so I was super excited to try these colorful ones from Purely Elizabeth. I tried them with my editor, Lisa Freedman, who had some strong opinions: “It’s surprisingly bitter. Maybe some healthy people will like this — but I’m not one of those people. I wish it had a hint of sweetness.”
I made the turmeric one with 365 brand coconut milk (see below!), overnight-oats style. Again, not sweet. The only hints of sweetness come through in the granola, which gets lost once you stir. They’re definitely a good on-the-go option for people looking to start their day with some trendy ingredients, though. Spirulina! Pitaya! Turmeric! Health!
2. Purely Elizabeth Superfood Granola, $7.50 for eight ounces
Hello again, Purely Elizabeth! These granola clusters taste like the oat cup toppings (above), but with the flavor volume turned up. The launch of the grain-free pumpkin spice pouch struck me as a bit odd (the PSL is so last season, people!), but the dark-chocolate strawberry comes in hot, just in time for Valentine’s Day. If you’re looking for an excuse to sneak some ashwagandha into your diet, here’s a fairly approachable way.
Related: What Is Ashwagandha?
3. 365 Everyday Value Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk, $3 for 64 ounces
Coconut milk isn’t exactly a ground-breaking new grocery item, so we were surprised when WF announced this on their new product list for January. But hey, their own branded version is new to them, so we decided that it’s still worth trying. Smooth and creamy, as promised! I put this in my overnight oats and was happy with the texture. Plus, it didn’t break when I put it in my coffee. I can’t wait to try it with my milk frother and make homemade lattes.
4. Fishpeople Wildly Delicious Seafood Kits, $10 for two fillets
Get all the fun of a meal kit in the form of a frozen fish dinner! These frozen fillets come vacuum sealed along with a special topping to match the fish, a recipe card with instructions, and a piece of foil to bake it on. Be warned — they smell a little fishy at first. You can bake them thawed or right from frozen, but the baking time changes.
They definitely tasted a little on the fishy side, but if you don’t mind and want a super-easy way to put a fish dinner for two on the table, these are for you.
5. Effi Foods Probiotic Chickpea Granola Clusters, $9 for seven ounces
Have you noticed that chickpeas are taking over the world lately … or at least this granola? These clusters have cayenne pepper in them, which means they have a spicy kick. If you can’t handle the heat, keep your hands out of the pouch!
Have you tried any of these new Whole Foods groceries? What’d you think?