Whole Foods: what do you buy there?

[Anonymous]

Do they have good cheese doodles? I could really use some sometimes.

[Anonymous]

21:36, I would hire you as a personal chef if I could. I spend twice that and feel like I often waste so much. I'm also intrigued by the anchovy dish. They sell them at Costco, but I haven't found a recipe yet that seems both yummy and relatively straightforward.

[Anonymous]

DC has multiple food allergies and it's the only place I can find certain items. It's now just easier to do the majority of our grocery shopping there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We find the berries at TJ's usually look good on outside but can have mold growing on the inside. I bring them back if that happens. If I have any produce issues with a WF purchase I bring it back, the manager told me to. They guarantee freshness. If I get home and am not satisfied it goes back. This rarely to never happens.

I have never brought back shrink wrapped peppers.

Eh, don't bother. I picked some up and ended up returning them a couple weeks later - they were kind of wrinkly. The rest of the produce is good, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy everything there except for Asian specialty foods. DH is Asian, so we go to H-Mart for things like high-quality fish sauce and good noodles (the stuff at WF is sub-par), or certain veggies.

That said, I don't buy any processed food except for peanut butter, bread, cereal, and pasta (if those count?). I shop around the edges of the WF. Grocery bill for 3 adults is about $60/week.

Before I hear the cries of protest, yes, $60 for almost all my groceries -- I have posted before how it's this low (we mostly eat very little meat, lots of veggies -- including weird ones you probably don't eat unless you're Vietnamese -- and rice, a little fish here and there, and a decent amount of pasta).

Can you break down your grocery bill by item? I'm doing something very wrong if you can feed 3 adults on $60/week from WF. Thank you!

Like I said, I've already done this elsewhere, but can do it again. Groceries this week were:

almond milk $3.50
1/4 lb bacon $2
1 lb spaghetti $1
1 papaya $2
1 lime 50 cents
bananas (organic) $3
frozen okra $2
1/2 lb pork (boston butt) $3
arugula (organic) $4
yams (organic) $4
whole chicken $10 (organic)
frozen spinach (organic) $2.50
1 can 365 spaghetti sauce (w/coupon from whole deals, whoo hoo!) $1.50
1 lb penne (organic) $2
1/2 lb mushrooms $3
1 tub sour cream (organic) $3
onions (organic) $3
garlic (organic) $1
egg noodles $2

From H-mart:
potherbs (chrysanthemum, maybe?) $1.50
sen choi $2
dried anchovies $4
green beans $2

What I already own: rice, olive oil, hot peppers, fish sauce, other pantry staples (sugar, salt, etc).

What I made: spaghetti with olive oil, pepper and bacon; penne with sauce; chicken with arugula and yams; beefless stroganoff; pepper pork; and many variations of the rice-vegetable&soup-salty food (anchovies) meal that's staple food (mostly for lunch). Fruit for dessert.

When we have to buy rice (20-lb bag) the bill is about $20 higher one week per two months.

Hope that helps. You're not doing anything wrong, we just save money by eating "ethnic" a lot -- I doubt you'd like the normal lunch of rice, anchovies, and vegetables cooked in fish sauce (I love it, though)!

I think your prices a little off. A champaign mango at WF is $2.99, a regular mango is more. 365 Spaghetti isn't $1, it's at least $1.50. Organic sour cream is not $2.99, more like $3.99. Whole Foods 365 Brand egg noodles aren't $1.99 either. Of course, maybe your Whole Foods is less expensive than mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I am there daily. One of the dangers of living only 2 blocks away and WAH.

I buy salads for lunch. I buy their NY strip, produce, milk, cereal, cheese, bread, EVERYTHING! It is the only store I shop at

You must live in Clarendon. I can't wait until the TJs opens too, my wallet can't take our frequent trips to WF for everything.

Why Clarendon?

There's a WF in Kentlands, Rockville, Silver Spring, Falls Church, all over DC including Wis Ave. Why would the poster have to live near Clarendon to be able to walk to a WFs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy everything there except for Asian specialty foods. DH is Asian, so we go to H-Mart for things like high-quality fish sauce and good noodles (the stuff at WF is sub-par), or certain veggies.

That said, I don't buy any processed food except for peanut butter, bread, cereal, and pasta (if those count?). I shop around the edges of the WF. Grocery bill for 3 adults is about $60/week.

Before I hear the cries of protest, yes, $60 for almost all my groceries -- I have posted before how it's this low (we mostly eat very little meat, lots of veggies -- including weird ones you probably don't eat unless you're Vietnamese -- and rice, a little fish here and there, and a decent amount of pasta).

Can you break down your grocery bill by item? I'm doing something very wrong if you can feed 3 adults on $60/week from WF. Thank you!

Like I said, I've already done this elsewhere, but can do it again. Groceries this week were:

almond milk $3.50
1/4 lb bacon $2
1 lb spaghetti $1
1 papaya $2
1 lime 50 cents
bananas (organic) $3
frozen okra $2
1/2 lb pork (boston butt) $3
arugula (organic) $4
yams (organic) $4
whole chicken $10 (organic)
frozen spinach (organic) $2.50
1 can 365 spaghetti sauce (w/coupon from whole deals, whoo hoo!) $1.50
1 lb penne (organic) $2
1/2 lb mushrooms $3
1 tub sour cream (organic) $3
onions (organic) $3
garlic (organic) $1
egg noodles $2

From H-mart:
potherbs (chrysanthemum, maybe?) $1.50
sen choi $2
dried anchovies $4
green beans $2

What I already own: rice, olive oil, hot peppers, fish sauce, other pantry staples (sugar, salt, etc).

What I made: spaghetti with olive oil, pepper and bacon; penne with sauce; chicken with arugula and yams; beefless stroganoff; pepper pork; and many variations of the rice-vegetable&soup-salty food (anchovies) meal that's staple food (mostly for lunch). Fruit for dessert.

When we have to buy rice (20-lb bag) the bill is about $20 higher one week per two months.

Hope that helps. You're not doing anything wrong, we just save money by eating "ethnic" a lot -- I doubt you'd like the normal lunch of rice, anchovies, and vegetables cooked in fish sauce (I love it, though)!

I think your prices a little off. A champaign mango at WF is $2.99, a regular mango is more. 365 Spaghetti isn't $1, it's at least $1.50. Organic sour cream is not $2.99, more like $3.99. Whole Foods 365 Brand egg noodles aren't $1.99 either. Of course, maybe your Whole Foods is less expensive than mine.

NP here. Was at WF Rockville today. Regular mango was $1.99 and organic was $2.50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy everything there except for Asian specialty foods. DH is Asian, so we go to H-Mart for things like high-quality fish sauce and good noodles (the stuff at WF is sub-par), or certain veggies.

That said, I don't buy any processed food except for peanut butter, bread, cereal, and pasta (if those count?). I shop around the edges of the WF. Grocery bill for 3 adults is about $60/week.

Before I hear the cries of protest, yes, $60 for almost all my groceries -- I have posted before how it's this low (we mostly eat very little meat, lots of veggies -- including weird ones you probably don't eat unless you're Vietnamese -- and rice, a little fish here and there, and a decent amount of pasta).

Can you break down your grocery bill by item? I'm doing something very wrong if you can feed 3 adults on $60/week from WF. Thank you!

Like I said, I've already done this elsewhere, but can do it again. Groceries this week were:

almond milk $3.50
1/4 lb bacon $2
1 lb spaghetti $1
1 papaya $2
1 lime 50 cents
bananas (organic) $3
frozen okra $2
1/2 lb pork (boston butt) $3
arugula (organic) $4
yams (organic) $4
whole chicken $10 (organic)
frozen spinach (organic) $2.50
1 can 365 spaghetti sauce (w/coupon from whole deals, whoo hoo!) $1.50
1 lb penne (organic) $2
1/2 lb mushrooms $3
1 tub sour cream (organic) $3
onions (organic) $3
garlic (organic) $1
egg noodles $2

From H-mart:
potherbs (chrysanthemum, maybe?) $1.50
sen choi $2
dried anchovies $4
green beans $2

What I already own: rice, olive oil, hot peppers, fish sauce, other pantry staples (sugar, salt, etc).

What I made: spaghetti with olive oil, pepper and bacon; penne with sauce; chicken with arugula and yams; beefless stroganoff; pepper pork; and many variations of the rice-vegetable&soup-salty food (anchovies) meal that's staple food (mostly for lunch). Fruit for dessert.

When we have to buy rice (20-lb bag) the bill is about $20 higher one week per two months.

Hope that helps. You're not doing anything wrong, we just save money by eating "ethnic" a lot -- I doubt you'd like the normal lunch of rice, anchovies, and vegetables cooked in fish sauce (I love it, though)!

I think your prices a little off. A champaign mango at WF is $2.99, a regular mango is more. 365 Spaghetti isn't $1, it's at least $1.50. Organic sour cream is not $2.99, more like $3.99. Whole Foods 365 Brand egg noodles aren't $1.99 either. Of course, maybe your Whole Foods is less expensive than mine.

NP here. Was at WF Rockville today. Regular mango was $1.99 and organic was $2.50.

HA! I meant Papaya, not mango.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I am there daily. One of the dangers of living only 2 blocks away and WAH.

I buy salads for lunch. I buy their NY strip, produce, milk, cereal, cheese, bread, EVERYTHING! It is the only store I shop at

You must live in Clarendon. I can't wait until the TJs opens too, my wallet can't take our frequent trips to WF for everything.

Why Clarendon?

There's a WF in Kentlands, Rockville, Silver Spring, Falls Church, all over DC including Wis Ave. Why would the poster have to live near Clarendon to be able to walk to a WFs?

Because she originally mentioned that a TJs was opening soon near her, and that would be in Clarendon.

[Anonymous]

Nothing. It is much more expensive than the alternatives and they don't very much local produce, organic produce. It is disappointing that 98% of their produce is trucked in from california.

[Anonymous]

Only cases of horizon individual serve regular milk. I swore
off the store years ago after too many cases of oily, gross prepared food and fish that had gone bad. I have no idea why people think it is good quality; they stopped caring at least five years ago. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to find the milk elsewhere- do peole really serve thier kids that vanilla milk I see everywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I am there daily. One of the dangers of living only 2 blocks away and WAH.

I buy salads for lunch. I buy their NY strip, produce, milk, cereal, cheese, bread, EVERYTHING! It is the only store I shop at

You must live in Clarendon. I can't wait until the TJs opens too, my wallet can't take our frequent trips to WF for everything.

Why Clarendon?

There's a WF in Kentlands, Rockville, Silver Spring, Falls Church, all over DC including Wis Ave. Why would the poster have to live near Clarendon to be able to walk to a WFs?

Because she originally mentioned that a TJs was opening soon near her, and that would be in Clarendon.

Exactly. Somehow the original post got cut off, but the poster said she lived 2 blocks from WF and a TJs was opening up soon a block away. In clarendon, a TJs is opening next month a block awAy from th WF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy everything there except for Asian specialty foods. DH is Asian, so we go to H-Mart for things like high-quality fish sauce and good noodles (the stuff at WF is sub-par), or certain veggies.

That said, I don't buy any processed food except for peanut butter, bread, cereal, and pasta (if those count?). I shop around the edges of the WF. Grocery bill for 3 adults is about $60/week.

Before I hear the cries of protest, yes, $60 for almost all my groceries -- I have posted before how it's this low (we mostly eat very little meat, lots of veggies -- including weird ones you probably don't eat unless you're Vietnamese -- and rice, a little fish here and there, and a decent amount of pasta).

Can you break down your grocery bill by item? I'm doing something very wrong if you can feed 3 adults on $60/week from WF. Thank you!

Like I said, I've already done this elsewhere, but can do it again. Groceries this week were:

almond milk $3.50
1/4 lb bacon $2
1 lb spaghetti $1
1 papaya $2
1 lime 50 cents
bananas (organic) $3
frozen okra $2
1/2 lb pork (boston butt) $3
arugula (organic) $4
yams (organic) $4
whole chicken $10 (organic)
frozen spinach (organic) $2.50
1 can 365 spaghetti sauce (w/coupon from whole deals, whoo hoo!) $1.50
1 lb penne (organic) $2
1/2 lb mushrooms $3
1 tub sour cream (organic) $3
onions (organic) $3
garlic (organic) $1
egg noodles $2

From H-mart:
potherbs (chrysanthemum, maybe?) $1.50
sen choi $2
dried anchovies $4
green beans $2

What I already own: rice, olive oil, hot peppers, fish sauce, other pantry staples (sugar, salt, etc).

What I made: spaghetti with olive oil, pepper and bacon; penne with sauce; chicken with arugula and yams; beefless stroganoff; pepper pork; and many variations of the rice-vegetable&soup-salty food (anchovies) meal that's staple food (mostly for lunch). Fruit for dessert.

When we have to buy rice (20-lb bag) the bill is about $20 higher one week per two months.

Hope that helps. You're not doing anything wrong, we just save money by eating "ethnic" a lot -- I doubt you'd like the normal lunch of rice, anchovies, and vegetables cooked in fish sauce (I love it, though)!

your food sounds great!

But you I assume you eat these entrees for dinner, and salty soup/anchovies for lunch each day (7 days a week). But what do you eat for breakfast? And you never snack?
Do you take the salty soup to work each day?
And all the fruit (which you use for desert) 3 adults eat in a week is one papaya and maybe 3 bananas ($3 worth)??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only cases of horizon individual serve regular milk. I swore
off the store years ago after too many cases of oily, gross prepared food and fish that had gone bad. I have no idea why people think it is good quality; they stopped caring at least five years ago. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to find the milk elsewhere- do peole really serve thier kids that vanilla milk I see everywhere?

You know you can get horizon cases of milk at Costco & Giant, so why bother going to WF at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is much more expensive than the alternatives and they don't very much local produce, organic produce. It is disappointing that 98% of their produce is trucked in from california.

The Kentlands WF has a wide selection of local produce. Mostly from PA, GA, DE, NJ, MD, & VA. I'll take that over CA any day. They also have local days where very local famers sell their items outside.