Anonymous wrote:Like anywhere there are definite things to buy there and things to buy elsewhere. We are natural organic product type people (not obsessively, but it's what we prefer for various reasons) and we pretty much make everything from scratch (don't buy prepared/frozen/boxed foods). Here's what we buy (either because it's the same product but cheaper at one place, or because regardless of price, it's significantly better quality):

Whole Foods: produce, fish, meat, fancy cheese and dips for when we're entertaining, bread, canned beans and tomatoes

Trader Joe's: nuts, cereal, cheese, yogurt, milk, eggs, butter (all organic and definitely cheaper than WF, but I would never buy produce or milk at TJ's)

Safeway/Giant: flour, sugar, spices, toilet paper, pasta, rice (and seriously nothing else ever - their organic stuff is crap and everything else has too many additives)

Online: beauty products, coffee

Sorry - make that produce or MEAT at TJs

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad I live in the 'boonies' and close to a Wegmans, so I don't have to shell out what you guys are to WF!!

Bonus points to us hillbillies!

Yeah, I would say Wegmans is more similar to a huge Giant/Safeway than Whole Foods. Not really comparable. But I'm glad you like living in the boonies.

Like anywhere there are definite things to buy there and things to buy elsewhere. We are natural organic product type people (not obsessively, but it's what we prefer for various reasons) and we pretty much make everything from scratch (don't buy prepared/frozen/boxed foods). Here's what we buy (either because it's the same product but cheaper at one place, or because regardless of price, it's significantly better quality):

Whole Foods: produce, fish, meat, fancy cheese and dips for when we're entertaining, bread, canned beans and tomatoes

Trader Joe's: nuts, cereal, cheese, yogurt, milk, eggs, butter (all organic and definitely cheaper than WF, but I would never buy produce or milk at TJ's)

Safeway/Giant: flour, sugar, spices, toilet paper, pasta, rice (and seriously nothing else ever - their organic stuff is crap and everything else has too many additives)

Online: beauty products, coffee

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.

Han Ah Reum, H-Mart - Asian grocery stores!

The produce may be cheaper but the rest of the stuff is more expensive than Giant or Safeway.

lol, is this the who has the biggest bill contest to show off your riches

hardly anything anymore. they've been slowly phasing out everything i could buy there... tazo decaf chai, earth's best individually boxed milk, lafe's shampoo, buffalo wings. thank you, whole foods!!!!

12:13 - don;t be so smug. I used to think Wegmans was "all that" and would usually go there first, then to WF for grass-fed beef.

Then I read the label on a can of Wegmans tuna in water. You'd think the only ingredients would be tuna and water, right?

WRONG. There was other junk in there, and a warning that the item contained soy products! Honestly... how does soy end up in tuna?

There's a very good reason Whole Foods is so popular.

I'm so glad I live in the 'boonies' and close to a Wegmans, so I don't have to shell out what you guys are to WF!!

Bonus points to us hillbillies!

I do pretty much all grocery shopping at Whole Foods, and we average $150/wk, so about $600/month for a family of four. That is supplemented by an occasional trip to Trader Joe's and regular groceries. There are some things that I try not to buy at Whole Foods just because of the cost: cheese and lunch meat (although I do like their natural brands of lunch meat). But especially the cheese (specifically the sandwich slices and shredded, not the fancy good stuff) - it's absolutely ridiculous at WF! The higher meat prices at WF have encouraged me to have at least one meal a week that is vegetarian or just has ham or bacon as the meat.

$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.

family of 3 (child just over 1): $500 monthly, now.

During warm months when the garden is producing: maybe $400 monthly.

During farmers market season: probably $200 or so monthly, and $200 or so monthly spent at the market.

Like a PP I am not willing to compromise on naturally raised meats. Local "organic" will win out every time over non-local USDA Organic.

And I think that I'm fairly frugal, esp for a mostly-WF-shopper!

We spend about $400-500 there a month, which ends up being about half our grocery bill (family of four). We live half a mile from the WF, but within a mile of our house there is also a Giant, Safeway, Trader Joe's and an independent grocery store, so it's not like we're limited. I just like WF so so much better than anywhere else.

Like others, we buy mostly organic natural products. We never ever buy anything with artificial flavors, dyes, sweeteners, HFCS, nothing like that. I like that at WF, I don't have to look at every single label, I know that their products don't have artificial stuff in them without even looking. I remember once going to Giant and trying to find canned black beans that didn't have additives. Everything I picked up had weird stuff I didn't recognize - in BEANS for crying out loud.

Also, I've never had anything bad at WF. Their fish is significantly better (and doesn't have artificial coloring or other additives like the fish at other stores). We don't eat other meat, but I've heard it's much better too. Their produce is unbelievable - I've never thrown anything out. Whereas if I get produce from Safeway, it's pretty much guaranteed to be either inedible or so old that it quickly wilts. I also like their prepared foods for when I need a quick dinner. Lots of vegetarian options and everything is delicious and beautiful.

Like others have said, the products I buy tend to be similarly priced at WF versus Giant/Safeway. But even so, I'm willing to pay a bit more since it's always good and for the convenience of not having to obsessively read labels. It seems to me like 3/4 of the products in Giant/Safeway are not actually food.

I think I probably spend $1000/month. I shop mostly at Whole Foods, because, like for the PP, for the things I buy they are often cheaper. And I hate shopping and just can't stand having to go to several different stores to find what I need. (that is if you want to buy organic items, brown rice pasta, coconut milk, recycled toilet paper and non-toxic dish detergent, you really aren't better off at other stores.) I avert my eyes from their more expensive items. (Emu eggs) I supplement Whole Foods by buying some produce and eggs at the farmers market, and maybe every 6 weeks or so do a big shopping at Trader Joes. We spend a lot on groceries, but we are frugal in other ways. (rarely go out to eat, never have a sitter.. haven't seen a movie in the theater in years!)

Zero.

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

+1