I went to Whole Foods Friday for the first time in a couple years because I happened to be nearby and parked at the garage anyhow. Picked up a few things I can't get elsewhere. I also bought some lovely looking organic strawberries, but they taste terrible, like something nowhere in the realm of strawberry. So annoying. And so not going back.

according to mint.com, i've spent $2703 so far this calendar year at WF for two adults and one 5 year old.

Anonymous wrote:
And Wegmans was on top for best prices, well over Giant/Safeway/Shoppers, etc...

Unfortunately for most of us in the immediate DC area, we'd waste all that savings driving back and forth to Fairfax or Lanham...

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)?

We spend about $1000/month for a family of four. I pretty much shop at WF exclusively and use soap.com for most of our toiletries & household products. Yes, it's an absurd amount to spend on groceries, but I tried shopping at Safeway for a while and found my grocery bills to be just as much.

Anonymous wrote:Washington Checkbook runs an article every year or so about the cost of shopping at various grocery stores. It confirmed that organic shoppers will save a little money if they shop at WFM rather than another store.

And Wegmans was on top for best prices, well over Giant/Safeway/Shoppers, etc...

I like a variety of stores for different things. While I'll agree it's a lot like a bigger Giant, their Natural/Organic section is far bigger and better than any of those other chains...on par or exactly like with the brands of WF, but better prices. They have organic meats, no sodium deli meats, and their produce rocks...Many times I can find organic strawberries or grapes at Wegmans, when all WF has is the 'conventional' stuff! Their breads are great and I can get "normal"/non-organic stuff if I need to.

I buy lots of stuff at Costco (TP, even grass-fed hamburger meat) that saves me money too. I would never buy TP at Whole Foods!

Whole Paycheck, er...Whole Foods is good for some stuff, but I would never solely shop there.

Too much.

I always vow to start shopping at MOMs since it is close by also but I somehow never make it there.

Anonymous wrote:Us: Family of 3 (child under 3)
Monthly: $900

Something has to change.

Family of 4. This is us---though if I really checked it might be even higher (most likely). I live just a few blocks away and after shopping here all of the time it is hard to hit the regular chains. Food just isn't as fresh or appetizing. I also don't like Trader Joe's as much since it is mostly frozen or packaged.

I assume when my young boys get to pre-teen, etc. age I am going to need to shop elsewhere!

Agree with PP - I think you'll find a lot of people who aren't "rich" by DC standards spend a lot on WF because they prioritize healthy (and delicious) eating over a lot of other things. It's all down to what's more important to you.

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

No. We live in a modest house and drive modest car. We do spend a lot on groceries, but that's where our priorities are. It doesn't mean we're rich.

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!

That's okay, I"m sure you spend more on gas.

Washington Checkbook runs an article every year or so about the cost of shopping at various grocery stores. It confirmed that organic shoppers will save a little money if they shop at WFM rather than another store.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm in Fairfax, right in between a WF and Wegmans. But I always end up at Wegmans.
I think its the bread department. Wegmans bread is just awesome... european standards.
WF breads look just as good... but something isn't quite the same.

For seafood or produce, I always end up at one of the korean supermarkets, Lotte or H-mart. There is so much more variety, its cheaper, and its fresher.

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.

Maybe $300-400/month but I also shop at the Giant and Trader Joe's. I am not fanatical about organic - I try to get the dirty dozen in organic, organic milk and natural, but not necessarily organic, meats. This may offend some of you but I do buy berries based on price. We eat a lot of berries and I'd rather have them than not be able to afford them and thus eat fewer fruits. My DS will eat a whole container in a sitting.

I do usually prefer WF just because it is easier to get in and out of quickly so often go there when we need a mid week grovery run.