recommend me things. I'm a new WF shopper and this place is overwhelming.

2/5/2014 11:18:09 AM

groceries

2/5/2014 11:24:42 AM

complete edibles

2/5/2014 11:25:45 AM

Jumble cookies from the bakery and ginger beer.

2/5/2014 11:26:19 AM

You just have to walk around the store, pick up items, and ask yourself "if I described this to someone as n ingredient in my meal, would I sound like a douche?"

If the answer is yes, buy it

2/5/2014 11:29:01 AM

i did pick up some fresh chocolate chip cookies from the bakery. super noms! and yes, i loved their selection of ginger and root beers. i'll have to pick some up once it becomes Dark n' Stormy weather again.

I mostly loaded up on citrus fruits, apples, and veggies. also some tea bags for work, yerba mate, chicken, and few other odds and ends

a herp derp derp I broke the thread because i'm a dumb

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 11:40 AM. Reason : this is why the jeep guys shouldn't have html abilities]

2/5/2014 11:37:48 AM

I get my bison and grassfed beef

and chickens

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 11:38 AM. Reason : lol]

2/5/2014 11:37:55 AM

Eh...I only buy shit at Whole Foods when I can't find it at other places (mostly veggies and stuff).

Place is crazy expensive.

2/5/2014 11:43:23 AM

yep, i only buy fruits and vegetables and hot bar. it's too expensive to do my regular shopping there.

2/5/2014 11:45:37 AM

cave aged gruyere + candied pecans + black pepper crackers

also

humboldt fog cheese

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 11:54 AM. Reason : typo!]

2/5/2014 11:48:02 AM

nothing. place is overpriced and full of people you'd prefer to avoid.

2/5/2014 11:48:45 AM

These are the main things I usually get there:
- Beans (black, pinto, dark red kidney) - 365 Brand. $.89/can non-organic.
- Frozen Spinach - 365 Brand. $1.49/bag.
- Eggs - Latta's Egg Ranch. $4.49ish for 18.
- Non-organic Avacados on occasion. They're like $1.50
- Those big ass honeybuns from the deli area. $2.69-$2.89. Microwave that fucker!
- Deli sausage on occasion when it's on sale.
- Fresh Salad/Fruits/Veggies depending on what looks good, what I'm cooking, and what's on sale.

None of the above is notably more or less expensive than equivalents at Food Lion; yet the quality of the food is generally better IMO.

I buy most of my meat at Earth Fair and Sam's Club. Not interested in paying $15-$20/lb for wild caught Atlantic Salmon or tuna steaks on the reg (and I eat that 3-5 times per week so it adds up.)

Sometimes I'll get their sushi or hot bar food for dinner. The sushi is far better than any other grocery store sushi I've had around here although it doesn't compare with a good sushi restaurant. Don't fuck with the cheap and heavy foods on the hot bar. You don't want to pay $8.99/lb for some mashed potatos. If you do, please don't let your mouth gape open when your normal sized plate rings up as $13.50.

Their bacon on the morning hot bar is pretty damn cheap since they charge by the pound and they've already cooked the grease out for you. Sometimes I'll get a ~$3 takeout box of it and have a couple slices per morning with breakfast for the next 4-5 days.

The $9.99 take and bake pizza is awesome when you want a quick meal for you and your girl at home.

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 11:59 AM. Reason : s]

2/5/2014 11:51:32 AM

Quote :

"nothing. place is overpriced and full of people you'd prefer to avoid."

you're becoming such a crotchety old man

2/5/2014 11:58:22 AM

^^^Yes. It's not just expensive. It's extraordinarily overpriced.

^^Good call on the bacon yo.

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 12:00 PM. Reason : ]

2/5/2014 11:59:40 AM

I sometimes go there to get the Organic Valley grass fed whole milk. If you want an exceptional glass of milk, can't go wrong there.

2/5/2014 12:00:17 PM

^^^I'm not the one that stays in on the wknds

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 12:01 PM. Reason : ^]

2/5/2014 12:01:14 PM

I agree that their meats and prepped foods are pricey, but there's really no comparison between what you'll find there versus a place like Food Lion.

If you cook real food from basic ingredients I don't see any notable difference in price. If you want a bunch of processed shit prepared by people who hate you then you'll surely save money with your MVP card at Food Lion and the McDonalds dollar menu.

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 12:03 PM. Reason : s]

2/5/2014 12:02:55 PM

When I was poor and in college I ate lentils, the soup bar, and corn bread a lot with sweet tea as a side.

GG On the Bacon and Gruyere.

Bacon! A couple of the brands are about $6 for a lbs and you only get 7 slices to the pack.
All of the cheese is pretty epic, I usually get Robusto or Gruyere, both of which are super similar and randomly pick one the next time.
Dry Aged Ribeye or NY Strips.
Lettuce greens, or really any produce.

The farmer's market in NC is much cheaper for produce, but the reverse is true where I live now. You can pay $7 for radishes at my farmers markets--fucking hollywood liberals.

Where else would you find watermelon radishes for your salads?!

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 12:06 PM. Reason : a]

2/5/2014 12:04:17 PM

I always have to negotiate at the Farmer's Market if I want to beat supermarket prices and half the vendors are just selling the same non-local stuff from the same distributors that service grocery stores. I go there for fresh foods from local farms, but I don't really see a difference in their advertised prices and those I get at the grocery stores. It's cool if you don't mind haggling and some of the farmer's daughters are cute though.

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 12:10 PM. Reason : l]

2/5/2014 12:09:17 PM

Skack, awesome recommendations. It was my first time in this one in Charlotte, i'm usually an HT guy since i live with 2 miles of three of them . So i poked around for awhile and picked up a few things i wouldn't normally buy. pre-made stuffed shells for dinner tonight, a pre-made chicken caesar salad for lunch, just to try them out. those few things added onto my bill, but aside from that it didn't seem as overpriced to me as people say. I tend to only shop around the edges of the grocery store. meats, greens, dairy. very little in the boxed/processed items.

2/5/2014 12:12:40 PM

The pre-made items were what blew my mind price-wise. A friend asked me to pick her up some pasta salad, and it was like thirteen dollars for a normal-sized container of pasta and mayo.

2/5/2014 12:20:58 PM

Things I like there:

Organic Girl brand salad. Super greens is delicious
So Delicious coconut milk (I don't drink dairy milk and this is better than almond. They also sell it at the teeter) Vanilla unsweetened is my favorite
Hummus mix in the bulk bins (if they still have it). It was delicious last time I tried it, but it was too close to one of the wheat bins and some scoop trading mofo ruined it for me.
The bulk bins in general usually have some good prices on harder to find stuff.
When they put Larabars on sale and have a whole foods coupon for them (in the whole deal booklets) I usually stock up on them. Chocolate chip brownie is delicious but healthier than a candy bar.
Annie's salad dressings are amazing. My favs are papaya poppyseed and raspberry vinaigrette (also sold at super target)
365 brand body lotion. Works really well, good ingredients, and cheaper than the national brand crap.

Other than that it's either deals with the whole foods coupons, or gluten free stuff you probably don't care about.

2/5/2014 12:45:49 PM

A lot of their unpackaged foods are actually higher quality and lower price than other stores.

Apples, oranges, grapes and other common fruits and veggies are usually the same price as places like Harris Teeter and Kroger but are usually organic and fresh.

Bulk products can be the same. I buy grits and popcorn from their bulk section. The organic stuff is a lot cheaper than the stuff at other stores, plus the lowes, kroger and food lion around me don't carry a lot of unbagged popcorn or old fashioned grits, its usually instant for both.

And the hot bar is usually better than anyone else, but that's not true for all stores. The Cary one sucks, but the North Raleigh one is great.

2/5/2014 1:06:46 PM

They just opened one up near me with a parking lot. It's great.

Just stick to the 365 stuff and stuff on sale. I bought abunch of kale for 2 half off the other day.

2/5/2014 1:15:28 PM

Counter culture coffee.

2/5/2014 1:18:27 PM

Do Whole Foods usually not have parking lots?

I don't shop at WF a lot. Some things I find are cheaper at WF than at Harris Teeter. I like that they have a wagon up front with juice boxes, fruits, fruit strips etc for kids. Makes shopping much easier when your kid is distracted by food.

2/5/2014 1:37:26 PM

The only WF I've seen without a parking lot is at Logan Circle in DC.

All the others are just like normal grocery stores with parking lots.

2/5/2014 1:46:46 PM

Quote :

"Apples, oranges, grapes and other common fruits and veggies are usually the same price as places like Harris Teeter and Kroger but are usually organic and fresh."

this was one thing i noticed, especially with the apples. HT apples look like oversized mutants compared to what was at WF. I'll gladly pay the 2.99/lb for honeycrisps that don't have that pesticide glaze and huge mutated size.

2/5/2014 3:24:21 PM

Dr. Bronner's Soap. It's the best.

2/5/2014 4:15:53 PM

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 4:18 PM. Reason : X]

2/5/2014 4:17:34 PM

Quote :

"nothing. place is overpriced and full of people you'd prefer to avoid."

TKE-Teg and BridgetSPK know the score: "It's not just expensive. It's extraordinarily overpriced."

2/5/2014 4:25:26 PM

http://www.thecookiedoughcafe.com/flavors.html

THIS SHIT WAS JUST ON SHARK TANK OMFG

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 6:49 PM. Reason : oh nevermind that says fresh market]

2/5/2014 6:49:04 PM

I can only find it at whole foods, but Better than Bouillon. It's a glass jar and def my favorite way to make a soup or season. I get the No Chicken Base for a minestrone I make. It pretty much makes the recipe. It's pricy but lasts awhile.

2/5/2014 7:20:35 PM

Quote :

"Their bacon on the morning hot bar is pretty damn cheap since they charge by the pound and they've already cooked the grease out for you. Sometimes I'll get a ~$3 takeout box of it and have a couple slices per morning with breakfast for the next 4-5 days."

People get crazy about the hot bar bacon at the Wade ave location...it turns into a black friday situation when they put out a fresh tray sometimes.

2/5/2014 7:24:04 PM

I hear they make a good Half & Half

2/6/2014 1:13:04 AM

I go to whole foods for the free(mostly cheese) samples.

2/6/2014 1:27:58 AM

I go there for.......1% whole milk :333333

2/6/2014 1:33:13 AM

Quote :

"Dr. Bronner's Soap. It's the best."

shit, I just buy that at Target

2/6/2014 8:55:35 AM

Quote :

"I can only find it at whole foods, but Better than Bouillon. It's a glass jar and def my favorite way to make a soup or season. I get the No Chicken Base for a minestrone I make. It pretty much makes the recipe. It's pricy but lasts awhile."

I've never had trouble finding it at Harris Teeter or even Food Lion.

It was the only place I could find Angostura bitters though.

[Edited on February 6, 2014 at 9:27 AM. Reason : or crap, maybe that was Fresh Market]

2/6/2014 9:26:21 AM

They definitely didn't stock it at the food lion I used to go to. Don't have one near me now.

[Edited on February 6, 2014 at 12:30 PM. Reason : ]

2/6/2014 12:29:51 PM

I just got some Angostura bitters at the HT on Tryon.

Old fashioneds abound.

2/6/2014 12:55:20 PM

^^^ What? They've got Angostura bitters at Harris Teeter

^ Yeah, exactly.

[Edited on February 6, 2014 at 1:09 PM. Reason : .]

2/6/2014 1:08:51 PM

This was maybe two years ago. I expected them to have it too, but the one I went to then didn't. And they didn't even know what it was when I asked.

2/6/2014 1:25:45 PM

I think I know how to copy cat the cookie dough cafe. I believe the key is the base- cooking the flour and adding something for the right consistency. Hmmmm, do I want to waste butter in this experiment....

2/6/2014 6:40:13 PM

i get wayyyy too overwhelmed in the butcher section! help

2/25/2014 10:12:18 AM

I always spent much less at whole foods than harris teeter.

On the west coast, whole foods isn't even more expensive than most of the local stores.

2/25/2014 10:33:06 AM

[Edited on February 25, 2014 at 1:20 PM. Reason : on to the next one]

2/25/2014 1:11:51 PM