How much do you spend at Whole Foods per month?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Us too. Sometimes our amount is closer to 800 (but that is usually because we spent grocery money elsewhere or ate out a ton/was on vacation). If you figure out how, let me know, because I have been trying to tackle this issue for a year, and haven't been able to change it. I have begun to made peace with the fact that eating well is one of our priorities, and that food is really expensive these days.

Kate of Jon and Kate plus Eight once said on the show that yes, eating organic is more expensive but it was a gift that they were giving to their children and that they made sacrifices in other areas to do so. I thought this made a lot of sense. I don't frequent H-Mart and the like since I had a kid because I'm too worried about sourcing and have a hard time buying non-organic produce, especially fruit. Strawberries for example are doused in pesticide. OP, you might want to consult the EWG's list of dirty dozen and clean fifteen to determine where you can cut back on fresh produce.

[Anonymous]

I was spending over $1000/mo there but I've since cut WAAAY back. I was buying everything there, it is so close to my house- and was very liberal with expensive bottles of wine, craft beer, expensive cheese. Overspending on luxuries that had turned into into every day expenses.

Now I'm down to about $350-$400/mo - but I go to TJ's about once a month for a huge staples run that costs around $200 (no frozen meals or snacks, more like peanut butter, beans, grains, cheese, yogurt, hummus, etc). Also, I'm pregnant and DH is limiting drinks to the weekend tonly o try to lose weight, so that has also helped with cutting out costs. WF wine aisle is so tempting!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are groceries significantly cheaper? We shop at Giant and Safeway and still spend a comparable amount. Groceries have gone up a ton during the past year.

Target. Lots of organic stuff, too. You can't shop there for everything, but it's vastly cheaper than regular grocery stores.

If you eat mostly processed cans & box mixes.

I think this might be the difference (no judgement, just wondering). To the people who never buy from WF or think its really expensive, do you tend to eat packaged foods more than cook from scratch?

I cook from scratch and don't shop at WF. I wouldn't think I'd have to state this, but obviously this is news to some: just because you shop at WF doesn't mean you prioritize health and are healthy, and just because you shop at Giant/Safeway doesn't mean you eat crap and are unhealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$800/month for a family of 5. I shop there for the reasons PPs have mentioned -- quality of food, ethics of production, cheaper to get it there than at mainstream groceries.

The money goes to breakfast and dinner, mostly. My kids buy school lunch.

So you spend all that money at WF because you're worried about what's in your food and how it's grown, but you send your kids off to school to buy lunch there? Why bother (either doing that, or shopping at WF)?

My kids are still in preschool but when school time comes, I'll probably let them buy lunch at school two. Just because they have 1 crap meal a day doesn't mean breakfast, dinner and snacks can't be fresh and organic.

That's still 20-33% of "crap" per day, depending on the amount of snacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want me to actually face that figure??? Noooooo!!!!

Ditto. Sunday's trip alone was over $300... I shudder to think of the monthly bill.

At least I'm not the only one!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So you spend all that money at WF because you're worried about what's in your food and how it's grown, but you send your kids off to school to buy lunch there? Why bother (either doing that, or shopping at WF)?

Because the perfect is the enemy of the good. My kids don't like the kind of food I can pack -- they like hot lunch -- and in my hierarchy, local/organic eaten is better than conventional/heavily processed eaten is better than anything uneaten.

I buy them Yoplait, too, even though I don't like the HFCS or the nonrecyclable containers. It's what they like, and I don't want to be a controlling asshole about yogurt.

If they had never been given the yoplait to begin with then how would that make you a controlling asshole? Your kids eat what you feed them, if you never give them crap then they wont want it.

Sounds like your kids run you.

Sounds like your children are very young.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a whole thread about spoiled products at WF:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/193808.page#1854231

If I remember this thread correctly the majority of bad items were pinned to a few DC stores, and the customers were asked why they didn't take their rotten food experiences up with the store managers rather than complaining about it on DCUM. Yes, same thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So you spend all that money at WF because you're worried about what's in your food and how it's grown, but you send your kids off to school to buy lunch there? Why bother (either doing that, or shopping at WF)?

Because the perfect is the enemy of the good. My kids don't like the kind of food I can pack -- they like hot lunch -- and in my hierarchy, local/organic eaten is better than conventional/heavily processed eaten is better than anything uneaten.

I buy them Yoplait, too, even though I don't like the HFCS or the nonrecyclable containers. It's what they like, and I don't want to be a controlling asshole about yogurt.

If they had never been given the yoplait to begin with then how would that make you a controlling asshole? Your kids eat what you feed them, if you never give them crap then they wont want it.

Sounds like your kids run you.

Sounds like your children are very young.

My kids range in age from 17 to 3, probably older than your children minus the youngest. Sounds like you just buy crap and allow them to eat it because you are lazy. Again, if it's never introduced it is not an issue, Mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Us too. Sometimes our amount is closer to 800 (but that is usually because we spent grocery money elsewhere or ate out a ton/was on vacation). If you figure out how, let me know, because I have been trying to tackle this issue for a year, and haven't been able to change it. I have begun to made peace with the fact that eating well is one of our priorities, and that food is really expensive these days.

Kate of Jon and Kate plus Eight once said on the show that yes, eating organic is more expensive but it was a gift that they were giving to their children and that they made sacrifices in other areas to do so. I thought this made a lot of sense. I don't frequent H-Mart and the like since I had a kid because I'm too worried about sourcing and have a hard time buying non-organic produce, especially fruit. Strawberries for example are doused in pesticide. OP, you might want to consult the EWG's list of dirty dozen and clean fifteen to determine where you can cut back on fresh produce.

Is non-organic good for helping to build a stronger immune system? Like how too much anti-bacterial soap isn't good. Even weeds have adapted to overcome Roundup weed killer....

[Anonymous]

Me and WF? It's like Norm walking into Cheers. Everyone knows my name.

2.5 blocks away and I am in ther at least 4 times per week.

I should have my own Engraved parking spot which they whisk me directly to (my airtraffic controller parking friend). Yes-many days I drive the short distance- because I buy so much crap. 1 or two items ends up being 4 heavy bags and case of horizon milk.
Actually my WF star in the cement out front or the wine section too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So you spend all that money at WF because you're worried about what's in your food and how it's grown, but you send your kids off to school to buy lunch there? Why bother (either doing that, or shopping at WF)?

Because the perfect is the enemy of the good. My kids don't like the kind of food I can pack -- they like hot lunch -- and in my hierarchy, local/organic eaten is better than conventional/heavily processed eaten is better than anything uneaten.

I buy them Yoplait, too, even though I don't like the HFCS or the nonrecyclable containers. It's what they like, and I don't want to be a controlling asshole about yogurt.

If they had never been given the yoplait to begin with then how would that make you a controlling asshole? Your kids eat what you feed them, if you never give them crap then they wont want it.

Sounds like your kids run you.

Sounds like your children are very young.

My kids range in age from 17 to 3, probably older than your children minus the youngest. Sounds like you just buy crap and allow them to eat it because you are lazy. Again, if it's never introduced it is not an issue, Mom.

LOL. Your poor thing.

[Anonymous]

Also funny that she thinks she's controlling her 17 year old's eating.

[Anonymous]

I don't want to admit how much. We have kids with food allergies, one with Celiac too and we try to eat more organic. Plus, their produce is much better than any other store near us. They also have certain supplements you can't find anywhere else and for so many things they are actually cheaper than health food stores. Actually WFM is cheaper than Safeway for a lot of things I get. I have memorized which stapes are cheapest where (WFM, Safeway, Giant) and shop accordingly. I also follow the sales and stock up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also funny that she thinks she's controlling her 17 year old's eating.

You poor thing, my 17 year old has healthy eating habits because I didn't load her up on junk. Of course I don't control her eating habits but she's a good, healthy eater and doesn't eat crap.

I do not control what she eats or force her to eat the way she does. As a matter of fact, she buys her own groceries most of the time and they are all healthy.

Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So you spend all that money at WF because you're worried about what's in your food and how it's grown, but you send your kids off to school to buy lunch there? Why bother (either doing that, or shopping at WF)?

Because the perfect is the enemy of the good. My kids don't like the kind of food I can pack -- they like hot lunch -- and in my hierarchy, local/organic eaten is better than conventional/heavily processed eaten is better than anything uneaten.

I buy them Yoplait, too, even though I don't like the HFCS or the nonrecyclable containers. It's what they like, and I don't want to be a controlling asshole about yogurt.

If they had never been given the yoplait to begin with then how would that make you a controlling asshole? Your kids eat what you feed them, if you never give them crap then they wont want it.

Sounds like your kids run you.

Sounds like your children are very young.

My kids range in age from 17 to 3, probably older than your children minus the youngest. Sounds like you just buy crap and allow them to eat it because you are lazy. Again, if it's never introduced it is not an issue, Mom.

LOL. Your poor thing.

LOL, "Your poor thing" makes no sense.