I’m the girl that knows the price of natural peanut butter at nine different grocery stores.
I’m frugal. There, I said it. Being the compulsive grocery shopper that I am means that if I didn’t navigate the aisles with some sort of financial prudence, I would most definitely not be able to afford raw organic cacao and hemp protein. No sir-eee.
I’ve partnered up with my friends at Whole Foods Upper Arlington to share with you my favorite value items as well as a few cost-effective tips for being supermarket savvy. Now I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. Whole Foods 365 Value Brand is the bees knees. A pound of organic whole-wheat spaghetti for $1.99? A liter of extra virgin olive oil for $6.99? I tell you no lie. There are tons and tons of high quality natural and organic items that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for.
Because lezbehonest, a trip to the grocery store shouldn’t cost the equivalent of a car payment. Or forty-two Chipotle burrito bowls. Lettuce all shop smarter, not harder.
Below are some of my all-time favorite 365 Everyday Value items:
stevia extract $6.99 // sliced beets $.89 // organic whole leaf frozen spinach $2.99 // frozen whole strawberries $1.89 // natural peanut butter $2.49// organic frozen three pepper blend $2.99 // organic reduced-fat and sodium popcorn $2.29 // bulk bins // canned pumpkin $1.29// organic extra firm tofu $1.99 // extra virgin olive oil $6.99//organic corn tortillas $1.49 // wild-caught tuna $1.69 // bulk spices // organic vegetable broth $2.19 // organic whole wheat spaghetti $1.99
Now let’s chat about some money-saving tips!
1. Make a list and stick to it. As delish as those trendy new gluten-free-kale-spinach-sweet-potato-quinoa-bean-chips look, they’re likely pretty pricey and far from a necessity. That’s not to say you’re not allowed to splurge on a fun new snack here and there, but making a list ahead of time will drastically reduce impulse buys like chocolate covered kale chips.
2. Buy in bulk. I’ve said it before and I’m gonna say it again. Whole Foods has loads of grains, dried beans, dried fruit, spices, etc. available in their bulk section and theyr’re super affordable. One time I needed dried mustard for a recipe and didn’t want to buy a whole container of it so I put a couple teaspoons in a baggie and guess what? It was free! Didn’t even weigh enough to cost anything. Winning! Other items I buy in bulk include nutritional yeast, quinoa, steel-cut oatmeal, and medjool dates. You can also get volume discounts if you buy more than a case of a particular item.
3. Shop the sales. It may sounds obvious, but be sure to stock up when you notice your favorite items are on sale! I’m that girl that will buy five packages of crackers when they’re a dollar off. You can also peruse the sales flyer before you shop so don’t miss out on any deals. I subscribe to the Whole Foods Market news email newsletter which outlines all of the sales as well.
4. Clip coupons. There is always a coupon or three lingering in my wallet. You can even print coupons from The Whole Deal value guide online before you shop if you want to plan your meals around the coupons. The Whole Deal is always in print in stores, too.
5. Eat more plants. Load up on super cheap nutritional superstars like beans, lentils, oats, brown rice, and fresh or frozen fruits/veggies. Eating more whole, unprocessed foods and shying away from pricey packaged ones will boost your body and your bank account.
Join me and a Whole Foods expert for the next Healthy Eating on a Budget tour and tasting on Wednesday, April 1st at 6:30pm at Whole Foods Market Upper Arlington! We’ll be sharing our strategies for planning shopping trips, in addition to tactics for easy batch-cooking and our top choices for simple, fresh, and delicious recipes. You’ll go home with lots of knowledge, a handful of coupons and a few goodies. Register by calling Customer Service at Whole Foods Market 614-481-3400.
[Tweet “Don’t break the bank! How to Shop at Whole Foods on a Budget via @thehummusapien @WholeFoodsUA”]
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
I definitely hear you sister..whole food is NOT the cheapest place to shop at but they have some great products and you just have to stick with what you need and get the hell out of that foodie heaven.
Alexis says
Foodie heaven it is!!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
I also know the cost of organic peanut butter at at least 4 different stores. :) Great post!
Jenni Schaffer says
Full disclosure, I worked for Whole Foods for 2 years. (I only left b/c retail is really physically demanding) I still love shopping at WFM because I don’t want produce that’s been harvested by children. I LOVE knowing nothing in the body care department is tested on animals. This is super important stuff! People love to pick on WF’s prices so thank you for showing us there’s lots and lots of smart buys there! Oh, and BTW, LOVE FROM SOUTH FLORIDA! :)
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
I feel like you and I should be professional cheerleaders for Whole Foods. Like they should just pay us to stand out front in cute little uniforms with poms poms, singing the praises of the 365 brand. Dream job, amiright?! ;)
But seriously, you’re right- shopping there doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive so thank you for proving that! I wish I lived closer so I could come see your gorgeous face on April 1st!
Alexis says
OMG you’re so right. I know you’ve got a mad case of the WF lovin, girlfran! MOVE HERE AND MAKE ME VEGAN RISOTTO.
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
People I know are always complaining that Whole Foods is too expensive. I literally do all the things you mentioned and I don’t think it’s that bad! My advice is definitely to always go with a list!!
Alexis says
I’m glad you don’t think it’s crazy expensive either! It’s all about knowing the inside scoop :) A list definitely helps!
Roxy Barnes-Mackey says
its a great idea. I love beans but even though I soak them over night. And rinse. ( I am on a very low sodium diet ). I get terrible stomach bloating and gas. Enough to make me very uncomfortable. I don’t like to take more pills to take care of the c
Gas. What do you suggest ? Also it wouldbe great if you could tell those of us that are low sodium. If a receipt still works if you leslave the salt out
Alexis says
To decrease bloating, I’d suggest rinsing the beans, which you’re already doing :/ Some people just don’t tolerate beans as well as others. Savory recipes will work fine if you leave the salt out, but salt is important in baking so I wouldn’t adjust it in sweet recipes!
moomoo says
Some folks find that doing multiple soaks and rinses helps. You can change the soaking water every 4 hours. Takes some planning, but then they cook in ~10 min once my pressure cooker heats up.
Alexis says
Good to know, thanks!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
ahhhhhhh you know I wish I could be there!!!! Can I just hire you to shop for me? Please?
Alexis says
Only if I can hire you to make me all the fluffy pancakes all the time.
Georgie says
Preach sista! These are excellent tips. Sticking to my list (90% of the time) has been a huge life saver – that and knowing what I already have and NOT being hungry when I go.
Alexis says
Haha oh dear…considering the fact that I’m hungry 99.9% of the time, I pretty much want to stuff everything in my face whenever I’m at the store. Like, #allthesamples.
Dana | fresh simple five says
Love this! I find my grocery bills are pretty reasonable at Whole Foods when I shop the bulk section, 365 and sales… unless I walk by the dark chocolate section. Game over.
Alexis says
Hahah the dark chocolate section is my demise.
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West says
Good stuff, Alexis. Sticking to the list and buying the store brand are the ways I try to save too. :)
Alexis says
Thanks, Ashley!! Sticking to a list is always a safe bet :) Or else I buy everything in sight…eeeek!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Does Whole Foods have some expensive products? Absolutely! But so do all other grocery stores. The idea that Whole Foods is the most expensive is BY FAR not true. I find SO many items at Whole Foods that are much cheaper than my local grocery store chain. I’m sure your tour and tasting are going to be awesome. I wish I could attend! :)
Alexis says
I so agree. People just automatically assume that if something is healthy then it’s expensive! SO not true. You’ll be there in spirit!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
I just found extra firm organic tofu at trader joes for 1.99 and was so stoked! Never seen it that cheap anywhere else… except apparentlyl whole foods haha.
Alexis says
Haha isn’t it such a bargain?! I have some pressing right this minute!
Emily @ Glitz Glam Gluten-Free says
This is such a great post! I mostly shop at Sprouts now but I do love Whole Foods– I had no idea that frozen organic spinach was so cheap! I go through the fresh stuff crazy quickly and it definitely adds up! And same for their peanut butter– can’t wait to check these out and use your tips!
Alexis says
I’ve never been to Sprouts! Frozen spinach will totally change your life. You never have to worry about it going bad!
Diane @ Life of Di. says
I totally agree with you regarding the 365 product line + veggies + grains :) If a person eats a heavy meat + dairy diet – of course they will ultimately be spending more. I actually worked in Whole Body at the U.A. location for a few months when they first opened. I LOVED working there but I was working another job full time and couldn’t balance the two. Boo. Wish I could go back now that I’m a stay at home mama!
Alexis says
How amazing that you worked there! I’m a little jealous :) Another full job would NOT be easy to balance!
Kelly @ Eat the Gains says
Love the bulk section! I do the same with spices and they legit come out to like 12 cents!! They also have the best customer service, which makes the experience there even better. Good look on your tasting, sounds like fun!
Alexis says
Hahah nothing like spices for less than a quarter! I agree–everyone who works there is always so nice!
Mary @ Fit and Fed says
I didn’t even realize Whole Foods had a bulk section. I have an abundance of natural grocery choices near my home (gotta love Seattle) and Whole Foods is far away so I only go there for the occasional special item. But the co-op near my house has similar issues– it can be a bit pricey. But why? It’s a union store, they give back to the community, and only stock really high quality stuff. And– they have a fantastic bulk section with great prices. LOVE buying things in bulk there like spices, Holmquist hazelnuts, chia seeds, black beluga lentils, etc.
Alexis says
The bulk section is the best!!Those hazelnuts sounds delish.
Miss Polkadot says
… and here I was feeling crazy for knowing the price differences of my staples at different stores ;). Thanks for making me feel less weird. More often than not we’re really not just talking a few cents so hey, I can totally save using my grocery shopping skills. Hm … maybe I should turn that into a book and sell it …
We don’t have Whole Foods over here – my jealousy knows no limits – but your #1, 3 and 5 are applicable for pretty much every [health food] store over here, too. I wish some people would stop assuming you had to be made of money to afford eating healthy or include some organic foods in your diet.
Alexis says
You are not alone, my love! I would totally buy your book by the way.
Hollie says
I really enjoyed this post. Eating healthy does not have to be expensive at all. Like you, I stick to a list. It makes it so much easier to stay in budget.
Alexis says
I’m thrilled it spoke to you, Hollie!
Halsted says
I always try to buy in bulk and I have learned the hard way about making a list and sticking to it. Great tips for saving money!
Alexis says
Buying in bulk is key, fo sho.