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FeedWhole Foods weekly tours for budget-minded shoppers
Let’s be honest, we’re a culture of “designer tastes on Tar-jay budgets.” Eating well is a sign of success, stability and security so it’s no surprise that, with grocery shopping, we want to have our cake and eat it too. We want high-quality foods at reasonable prices. Until recently, many of us were willing to motor around town to Whole Foods, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Costco, etc., taking advantage of everyone’s specials.
A recent survey conducted by Whole Foods Market found “that, despite rising food prices, 80% of U.S. adults say they do not want to compromise on the quality of the food they buy; 70% say that are buying the same amount of natural and/or organic foods they always have.” The survey also found that many of us are “preparing more meals at home (43%), using more coupons (40%), or going out of their way to look for lower-cost items (37%) as a result of higher food costs.”
In response to these results, Whole Foods Market has launched several initiatives to show customers “how to shop Whole Foods on a budget.” Chris Wecks, “value guru” at the San Ramon store, conducted the tour. Wecks conducts weekly tours for any interested customer, generally on Wednesdays at noon.
The hour–long tour was a good investment of time and we left with some new views. For example, we found it interesting to hear Weck say, “sampling is highly encouraged throughout the store.”
You can’t find nitrites, nitrates, growth hormones, antibiotics or parabens in the Whole Foods’ abundance of goods, but we discovered you can find some high-quality foods at high-value prices there. To schedule a value tour, call Chris or contact the WFM location closest to you. In the meantime, shop on.
Whole Foods Market, wholefoodsmarket.com
100 Sunset Drive, San Ramon, 925-355-9000. Hours: 8 am – 9 pm seven days a week
1333 Newell Avenue, Walnut Creek, 925-274-9700 Hours: 8 am – 9 pm seven days a week
230 Bay Place, Oakland, 510-834-9800 Hours: 8 am – 10 pm seven days a week
Posted at 12:34 AM in Diablo Dish | Permalink
Reader Comments:
Great article! I love Whole Foods, and I have found that if I shop carefully there -- which means buying the WF label when I can -- I can keep to my budget just as easily as if I shopped at another grocery store like Farmer Joe's or the Berkeley Bowl. Of course, if you shop at Whole for convenience items or luxury foods, your bill can be staggering. But I've found that if I take my time (like last night when I comparison shopped for the perfect hummous for 20 minutes), I can avoid spending the "whole paycheck" there.