Once upon a time, Whole Foods Market earned itself a facetious but arguably accurate nickname:Whole Paycheck.
Indeed, the chichi chain maintained a reputation for being a pricier place to get groceries.
), shopping at Whole Foods can still add up to be an expensive experience.
Not all goods on the shelves at your local Whole Foods are created equal, though.
You should always go into this hunger-inducing store with a curated list and a dose of personal restraint.
And if you’re not sure about an item?
Try it before you buy it.
you’re able to ask to taste pretty much anything at Whole Foods, according toThrillist.
Don’t want to swipe sample after sample on your next shopping trip?
We’ve got you covered.
Here are some of the best Whole Foods' items to purchase and a few options to skip altogether.
Lots of varieties are healthy and nutritious, but many others aredeceptively loaded with sugar and added ingredients.
There are alsoplentyof picks for those on a dairy-free diet.
AsVegNewsrevealed in 2019, Whole Foods launched their own 365 line of vegan yogurts made with almond milk.
The store also carries the highly-rated Kite Hill dairy-free yogurts and Forager cashew-milk yogurts.
Wallaby Organic 1.5% greek yogurt.
However, thesebuffetscan also harbor illness-causing bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, according toAARP.
One of the worst offenders is pre-cut fruit.
This rings especially true for non-food items like paper goods, household essentials, and toiletries.
But stocking up on all those beautiful fresh fruits and veggies will add up quickly.
As noted byKitchn, these items are generally well priced, between $3 and $5.
Better yet, fruits that are going to be frozen are often picked when they’re perfectly ripe.
If you want fresh fruit, though, it’s important to prioritize seasonal purchases.
Whole Foods Market does a great job of luring us in with beautiful bouquets and colorful blooms.
Meanwhile, the Meyer Natural Angus Beef on Whole Foods shelves comes from a Cargrill processing facility.
Still, brand perception could have you paying significantly more for essentially the same product.
However, that’s not all bad.
As reported byBusiness Insider,consuming 40 of these veggie chips will cost you 130 calories.
Furthermore, the word “veggie” in the label is very misleading.
The packaging is deceptive and can lead people to believe they are getting healthy benefits.
But they’re not.
In this instance, there is a negligible amount of real veggies in your veggie chips.
In fact, the experts at Whole Foods are more than willing to help.
Plus, they’ll debone fillets,peel and devein shrimp, and crack crab shells for you.
They’ll season or marinate your selection too.
But don’t give in to temptation, unless you are willing to spend big on your beans.
You and your wallet are better off bagging beans and grinds elsewhere like at Trader Joe’s.
The price difference for a similar selection can be quite significant.
Furthermore, even high-end super markets are not the ideal place to buy coffee.
This is because beans and grinds often sit on the shelves for longer than intended.
While not an unsafe practice, it’s certainly not ideal in terms of taste and quality.
