Is doing all your grocery shopping at Whole Foods that much more expensive than (Safeway, Giant)?

[Anonymous]

Please help settle this debate once and for all. Family of 4. We shop at GP WF and DH is insistent that we only shop at GP Safeway. What say the forum?

[Anonymous]

What is GP?

Anyway whole foods is generally more expensive, in my personal experience. But, if you shop smart than you can make it work for you.

[Anonymous]

A lot depends on what you buy when you go to the store. If you buy organic, WF is marginally cheaper. But the cheapest form of whatever (bread, eggs, meat) will be cheaper at Safeway than at Whole Foods.

[Anonymous]

If you stick to 365 brand staples as much as possible and only do organic when "needed" (dirty dozen, dairy) then I have found it's comparable. Actually the 365 organic milk is cheaper there than the Horizon milk from Safeway. But if you start to buy prepackaged or exotic things then it can really add up.

[Anonymous]

Depends on what you buy - if your diet includes meat and seafood, then yes. But I've done the price comparison on a lot of their 365 brand staples, and they are competitively priced against other organic brands.

[Anonymous]

It also depends on whether you buy things only on sale from Safeway and Giant. Their regular prices are pretty marked up on a lot of items. Their sale prices are good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is GP?

Anyway whole foods is generally more expensive, in my personal experience. But, if you shop smart than you can make it work for you.

Glover Park?

[Anonymous]

Agree with other posters. I've found that prices on things like bulk nuts and grains, 365 brand canned goods, milk and organic produce are comparable and in some cases beat Safeway.

Meat and fish are definitely more expensive.

What kills my budget there is when I go crazy on all the more interesting items. Who knew I needed three kinds of cheese, some sushi and a bunch of essential oils or body care products!?

[Anonymous]

I always spend just as much at Safeway or Giant. I gave up trying to save money at the grocery!

[Anonymous]

First, I can't get everything at whole foods. So. I have to make multiple stops.
Secondly, we eat mostly produce and one day of animal protein. For us, wf is cheaper and the quality is better (usually!). We don't live near any good stores but the Downton dc whole foods. I am sure that's part of it - cant wait for the giant in shaw just to have an option!

Lastly, when I know I need a big haul, I go to Wegmans. By far cheaper.

My strategy is to stick as closely to my list as possible at wf. I also hate shopping there and want to gt out as quickly as possible!! Lol

[Anonymous]

I shop pretty exclusively at WF b/c it's most convienant. So long as I stay away from the prepared stuff then it's same price as what I would get elsewhere. There are exceptions though so I'll stock up when I get the chance.

They big key is to not get suckered into the fancy aisles!!

[Anonymous]

Ugh - Wegman's. NOT a destination for this Arlington gal. I've been and the amount I spent on gas is more than I would save any day of the week.

To answer OPs question - I shop at WF for certain items that are def cheaper than Safeway or HT. Milk and butter are cheaper, crazily enough. Other stuff, as other posters have said, is cheaper at Safeway and the others. I don't believe in the organic hype just everything in moderation.

[Anonymous]

NO.
I have compared both stores over several years. You can experiment too with your own grocery list. Do a month at Giant's and a month at WF.

Reason:
I buy 365, bulk, unprocessed food at Whole Foods, organic fruits and vegetables and small amounts of meat. I am very good at resisting the "fancy" foods unless it is a special occasion.

For something approaching the same quality, it would be the same price or more expensive at Giant's - except that it wouldn't be the same quality!

[Anonymous]

WF is cheaper for some stuff - bulk grains, seeds, oats, dried fruit, etc. There is crazy mark up at Safeway and Giant and HT for things like quinoa and steel cut oats. I usually find Canned Beans to be the best price at HT on sale. Meat and fish are more expensive at WF. Produce, it varies. Safeway's milk is usually the most expensive. Frozen fruit is the most expensive at Safeway also. I rotate grocery stores, going to WF for items that are hard to find elsewhere about once per month. BJs to stock up on stuff they have at good prices about once per month. And then HT or Giant for the rest. I rarely go to Safeway because they don't stock things I need and the produce is usually the worst quality in my area. Wegmans is just too far for me.

[Anonymous]

WF milk in the returnable bottles is inexpensive. We like dorset cereal which is sold at whole foods and harris teeter. It is frequently sold out and I believe is more money at Harris Teeter. I do spend more money when I go to WF because I do not restrain myself. I've gone from WF to Harris Teeter to Safeway etc in the same trip and seen big price differences for the same stuff like organic berries with the same label.

Safeway has those online only coupons and just for u's so organic bananas were .69/pound. WF has no online pricing. DC recently saved $.70 per gallon at an exxon by entering the safeway number.