Do you still love Whole Foods or has the Amazon takeover curbed your appetite? Fall back in love with Whole Foods by finding new favorites.
The Whole Foods Revolution
Whole Foods revolutionized groceries. They widened our food horizons by vastly expanding the variety and availability of products, and they made us stop to think about where our food comes from. They brought the term “fair trade” into our vocabulary while also bringing international flavors to our palates.
Consider the many things that didn’t exist in your grocery store until Whole Foods set the bar:
- Whole Foods had essential oils before oils were cool.
- They sold organic when organic still meant something.
- They sold arugula at a time when most of us thought romaine was exotic.
- They had a salad bar that made you want to eat salad.
- They put appealing pre-prepared foods on the map.
- They were the first to provide real options for people who have dietary restrictions.
- Perhaps most important on this list — they brought sushi to grocery stores.
From Whole Foods to Whole Paycheck
Whole Foods started in Austin so they are a local Texas brand. Their mission to provide healthier, more wholesome and sustainable food choices to the communities they serve made us feel good about spending our money. But after the honeymoon wore off, we realized that we were spending more than ever before on our weekly grocery run and Whole Foods became affectionately known as Whole Paycheck.
The Amazon Effect
For those who have been loyal customers of Whole Foods for many years, you have your go-to items. Cult favorites like Berry Chantilly cake, Seeduction bread, 365 strawberry yogurt and Rao’s spaghetti sauce are already in your kitchen. You know your store so well that you can practically navigate it blindfolded. But does shopping at Whole Foods still bring you joy? Or has the Amazon takeover of Whole Foods started to erode the experience?
There are some clear benefits to the Amazon acquisition. The ability to return your Prime purchases without packaging or labels is uber convenient. And while Whole Foods got into the online grocery game before many others, it was their relationship with Amazon that took it to another level so even if you live far away from a store, you can experience at least a percentage of the joy of shopping at Whole Foods with a few clicks on your phone.
The Amazon effect, unfortunately, has also resulted in a true watering-down of the secret ingredient that made Whole Foods special. There are fewer Whole people. We’re not slighting any of the hard-working and genuinely dedicated people who work at Whole Foods, but the days of having a human physically stationed in every department who could answer questions or make recommendations are long gone.
The Whole Story
This wasn’t supposed to happen. If you read “The Whole Story” by Whole Foods founder John Mackey, you’ll learn that the initial meetings between Whole Foods and Jeff Bezos’ team were extremely promising. It was a coming together of like-minded entrepreneurs, and Mackey was optimistic that Amazon not only understood what made Whole Foods special, but intended to honor it. Now the ink on the deal has dried and the influence of Amazon has slowly but surely tarnished the once-sparkly brand.
Reigniting the Fire
If you’ve fallen out of love with Whole Foods, we’re hoping there is still a little spark in your heart so we can stoke it back into a flame. While it’s not the sexy supermarket it once was, there are still plenty of redeemable reasons to shop there.
Whole Foods still retains a commitment to selling better products. The company has a list of over 300 ingredients that it does not allow in the products it sells. From additives to dyes to processed sugars, Whole Foods has done the hard work of researching all of the strange things that make up the bulk of typical ingredient lists and has banned them from the stores.
While the system will never be perfect, you can at least shop freely at Whole Foods knowing that most products you buy are made from food and not chemicals. The cleaning products won’t ruin the planet. The bags won’t clog our oceans (though they also don’t hold groceries very well so that’s an issue).
Maybe all you need to reignite your love affair with Whole Foods is a few new products. We can help. We’ve surveyed our crunchiest, pickiest and food-snobbiest friends to find out what Whole Foods products they love and how they use them. Your taste buds won’t be the only thing pleasantly surprised — some of these products are cheaper than popular alternatives.
13 Products to Buy at Whole Foods and How to Use Them:
- Ellenos Greek Yogurt – Don’t like yogurt? Wait until you try this brand. It’s as close to a morning in Santorini as you get without making the actual trip. Our favorite flavors are mango, lemon curd and vanilla bean. Eat it alone or stir in your favorite granola.
Price Comparison: Individual serving sizes of this brand (5.3 oz) are currently $2.99 at Whole Foods. Other stores price this brand anywhere from $3.19 to $3.99. While this is a lot more than the 365 brand ($0.99), it’s also a much better yogurt.
- Go Raw Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt – These addictive snack seeds are great for gut health because they are made to mimic the natural germination process as you digest them. Make a salad of chopped cucumbers and diced avocado, drizzle with good olive oil and a liberal squeeze of lime juice. Top with fresh goat cheese and a generous handful of these sprouted pumpkin seeds for a satisfying lunch or as a side for your salmon at dinner.
Price Comparison: A 12 oz bag at Whole Foods is $10.19 ($9.19 with Prime). Target sells a 6-pack (10 oz each) for $70.76, which equates to $14 per 12 oz, which makes Whole Foods a good deal.
- WTRMLN Water – Everyone wants to stay hydrated, but you can only drink so much water. Electrolyte powders come in tasty flavors but they are expensive and require mixing. WTRMLN Water is instant hydration in a refreshing just-enough watermelon way. No complicated ingredient list here. If you find them on the shelf, buy a few because they sell out fast. They also last much longer than other bottled juices.
Price Comparison: A 12 oz bottle at Whole Foods is $4.69 and the 33.8 oz is $9.99. Google shop shows prices as low as $3.99 for the smaller size and $11.49 for large but there really aren’t any other local stores selling it. By way of comparison, your favorite Suja juice is $3.99 for 12 oz.
- Lightlife Tempeh – Tempeh is a product Whole Foods had before we even knew what tofu was. If you have never tried tempeh, it’s key to have the right recipe so the tempeh doesn’t taste bitter.
Price Comparison: The 8 oz package of plain Lightlife tempeh is $3.89 at Whole Foods. We couldn’t find it priced less than $4.19 anywhere else, and economy packages were as much as $5.30 for the same 8 oz portion.
How to use tempeh: Try these Tempeh Nachos: Sauté crumbled tempeh in coconut oil, season well with taco seasoning and squeeze the juice of 1 whole lime over the top. Layer nacho chips on a baking sheet, add a generous amount of shredded Mexican cheese and the cooked tempeh. Bake at 400℉ for 10 minutes. Top with pico de gallo (grab some from the Whole Foods salad bar), dollops of sour cream, sliced jalapeño, diced avocado and cilantro.
- Luna Bay Booch Co. Hard Kombucha – The perfect beverage to pair with tempeh nachos is the grapefruit jalapeño flavored Luna Bay hard kombucha. You’ll have to buy their combo pack to get it, but the Watermelon Sea Salt and Huckleberry Basil flavors that come in the pack are also delicious. Many hard kombuchas are too sticky-sweet, but this brand has nailed the balance. Best pary? Luna Bay Booch Co. is a woman-owned business.
Price Comparison: A 6-pack of Luna Bay is $16.99 which is roughly the same as other hard kombucha brands, though prices may be cheaper at liquor stores.
- Whole Foods Zucchini and Rapini Wood-Fired Pizza – We are super-impressed with the quality and flavor of this frozen pizza. It has a white garlic sauce base topped with sauteéd zucchini and rapini (bitter broccoli) and just enough crushed red pepper to spice it up. The size is just enough for one person (think girl dinner). Skip the selection of mediocre cauliflower-crusted pies when you want pizza and indulge with this instead.
Price Comparison: The wood-fired pizza is $7.29 compared to the popular Amy’s brand which costs $9.99 for the same size. Caulipower pizza is $7.99 and Banza’s chickpea crust is $8.99 and both are smaller in size.
- Cocojune Labneh – This is probably the biggest game changer on our list. If you’ve been to a Lebanese restaurant, you’ve probably had labneh but may not have known what it was. Labneh is the condiment you didn’t know you needed and are about to become obsessed with. It’s essentially a cross between goat cheese and Greek yogurt. Cocojune happens to be a dairy-free version which is another reason to love it. If you can’t find it (it flies off the shelves) try Cedar’s or Yaza Foods. Once you’re addicted, you’ll find that labneh comes in various other flavors that you can experiment with.
Price Comparison: A 12 oz container of Yaza labneh is $6.99 while the smaller 8 oz Cocojune is around $5.99. Good luck finding labneh anywhere other than Whole Foods.
Three Ways to Use Labneh:
- Use labneh as a condiment for a veggie tray or grilled bread, or try it as a spread on sandwiches to add a little cheesy moisture.
- Roast diced eggplant until it’s super-gooey. During the last 15 minutes of the roasting time, add a pint of cherry tomatoes to the pan (toss the eggplant and tomatoes in olive oil and season well with salt and pepper before roasting, consider a few garlic cloves too). Spread a thick layer of labneh on a plate and top with the eggplant and tomatoes. Garnish with hand-torn fresh basil. A piece of toasted artisanal bread goes perfectly on the side to bulk it up. You can add ½ cup of cooked couscous for additional protein as well.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon of honey, season with salt and pepper. Make a bowl of fresh couscous (it takes 5 minutes) and top with sliced strawberries and snap peas sliced lengthwise. Drizzle the lime mixture on top, add a dollop of labneh on the side. Garnish with fresh mint. A piece of seared Aphrodite halloumi cheese is a great way to add protein.
8. Delice De Bourgogne – It’s always a good idea to talk to the cheesemonger at a Whole Foods, especially if they have a beard. They are the last remnant of the OG Whole Foods people culture. It was upon hearty recommendation of a local cheeseman that we discovered Delice De Bourgogne, possibly the sexiest cheese on the planet.
This cow’s milk cheese is elegant with a creamy texture that isn’t at all gluey or sticky. It’s very rich, almost like you’re eating straight butter. For the ultimate girl dinner, pair this with a package of Le Panzanella Croccantini Mini Sea Salt crackers, a glass of rosé and a night of Netflix binge-watching.
Price Comparison: This splurge-worthy treat is $19.99 per pound (sold in 5 oz portions for about $6). Compare to brie which is around $10 per pound or Point Reyes bleu cheese at $23.99 per pound.
9. Mary’s Gone Crackers Super Seed Seaweed + Black Sesame – These crackers are a cult favorite, yet we are surprised how few people have tried this flavor. Maybe they get scared off by the seaweed part. That’s fine. More for us. A couple of Mary’s Seaweed + Black Sesame crackers with a slice of Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar on top is the perfect midday snack (just try to stop before you eat the whole box). They are also perfect vehicles for scooping your favorite hummus.
Price Comparison: A 5 oz package of Mary’s is $3.98 ($3.58 with Prime) compared to $4.19 for a similar-sized box of Carr’s water crackers or $6.99 for Firehook. Target lists a 6-pack of Mary’s for $54.49 which would be $9 per box. Walmart’s price is $4.36.
10. Little Sesame Hummus – Speaking of hummus, here’s a brand that you need to try. We find the 365 brand a little too loose for our liking. Same with Cedar’s. Sabra seems to always have a recall going on, but Little Sesame is consistently available. You know it’s a quality product because it doesn’t last for more than a week once you open it. With hummus, that’s a good thing. Look at the ingredient list and compare it to the other brands. It contains only identifiable foods with no gums or acids.
Price Comparison: This product’s price rings higher than its competitors. An 8 oz container of Little Sesame is $5.29 compared to Cedar’s at $4.29 or the 365 brand at $3.99, but you’re getting a much higher quality and healthier product.
11. Fillo’s Cuban Black Beans Sofrito – When the Whole Foods hot bar has juicy roast pork, get a big box and then grab a package of heat-and-eat Fillo’s Cuban black beans. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes, or use the pork and bean combo as a killer taco filling. Fillo’s is a minority-owned small business which makes the beans taste even better.
Price Comparison: The 10 oz heat and eat package is $3.99 compared to a similar package of Uncle Ben’s at $2.99 or a box of Near East rice pilaf for $2.79.
12. Big Spoon Roasters Vanilla Caramel Almond & Cashew Butter – If you’ve been reaching for the same jar of peanut butter for years, it’s time to reach for something new. Big Spoon roasters uses fair labor cashews and bee-friendly almonds for a more pleasing alternative to peanut butter. This vanilla caramel version made with maple syrup and coconut nectar is simply delicious. Spread it onto your morning banana for a protein-filled breakfast or make an open-faced whole grain toast with a little butter, almond/cashew butter, sliced bananas and a generous drizzle of honey.
Price Comparison: If you’re already splurging on Justin’s almond butter ($12.99 for 6 oz), Big Spoon Roasters is an equal trade off. Yes, it’s a lot more than a jar of Jiff. But this is big-girl nut butter and you’re totally worth it.
13. Chuao Oh My S’mores Chocolate Bar – Whole Foods has no shortage of super-expensive fancy chocolate bars to choose from. We’ve sampled pretty much all of them, and this is a hands-down winner. Chuao (pronounced “chew-wow”) Chocolatier is a small-batch brand that hails from Carlsbad, California (if you find yourself in Carlsbad, visit their Joy Factory). They specialize in handcrafted chocolate bars with one-of-a-kind recipes.
Oh My S’Mores is utter magic — a paper-thin layer of graham cracker coated in chocolate and dotted with real mini-marshmallows. There is just the tiniest hint of sea salt for the perfect bite. Not all of Chuao’s flavors are available in Texas stores, but if you like this one you’ll want to check out Firecracker made with pop-rocks or Potato Chip (yup, made with potato chips).
Price Comparison: A 2.8 oz bar will cost you $5.99. That said, one bite of this rich and satisfying bar goes a long way.
Next time you go into Whole Foods, take a different route. Take a little extra time to see what’s new. Keep an eye out for sales and last-chance deals. Talk to the cheesemonger. If you live in Texas, buy some local products (Oak Cliff Coffee, Mill-King creamery milk, Cuvée Nitro Cold Brew coffee, Melt ice cream, Thunderbird Real Food Bars). If don’t live in Texas, research your local products and buy those.
When it comes to a lasting relationship with a retailer, think of it like marriage. Every day can’t be a honeymoon. Some days she looks better than others. There are recurring frustrations. Things ebb and flow like the rhythm of the ocean. Seasons change, but spring always follows winter. Whole Foods is still a local business, Texas-born, and they (still) deserve our love.
