365 products, olive oil

Funny, Olive Oil was what I was the first thing that came to my mind. Also, Seeduction bread, and cheese - any cheese you like, they'll probably have it.

Sally

After one trip to Whole Foods, your only regret will be that you can't pop in any day of the week you choose.. I just love being in that store...I don't care if I buy one thing...just warms my heart to see all the magnificent foods. Have fun.

June

Thanks!! I'll probably check in again tonight...we're taking the laptop and have access to Wifi.

Later! Time to log off and hit the road!

Deanna

There is so much there that is so good. My advice would be to shop for items that you can't get near you. Specialty olive oils, vinegars, mustard, etc. Depends on what type of food you normally have easy access to.

The cheese selection is amazing. The best I have ever seen. So if you are in the market for a special cheese I'd check out the cheese.

I wouldn't bother with the produce and meats unless you see something you normally can't get. Very good but very pricey.

There fish and seafood is excellent both in quality and choice but it's expensive. However if you see something that you otherwise can't get and love, may be worth the $$$.

The breads are really good if you don't bake your own...or even if you do. The Ethiopian Honey Bread is a favorite. And yes - 365 Olive Oil. Check out the holiday wine specials if you like wine. And I love the organic Yukon Gold and baking potatoes.

Teresa

365 balsamic vinegar and 365 ketcup....it doesn't have HFC and is VERY thick.

Ditto on the ketchup! Not tried the EVOO, but their 365 shredded mozzarella cheese is excellent!

elery and I usually end up buying their spinach and feta salmon cakes, but they are so thick we slice them in half and put them on the grill. They have a lot of grains/seeds/nuts in their bulk food section and it's the only place I've ever actually found whole wheat pastry flour.

I get Bragg's Amino Acids there too...

Annie

Sorry, I'm not a Whole Foods fan. When our Harry's Farmers Mkt was still owned by Harry, it was 100 times better than it is now that it's owned by WF. Still has the excellent produce section and, yes, the cheese is the best selection you'll find. But some of the 365 products are just trash to me. Don't bother with their basmati rice - it's just plain old rice. Or their specialty mixes from unknown brands... Tried a few and was sorry, especially at those prices. The problem is they try to come off as 'healthy' and charge way too much, and they just aren't as good.

That being said, stick with items you normally use but are hard to get. Like the seafood, cheese, fresh produce, spices. And if they have samples out, try them!

I went to a WF when I was in Orlando back in Sept. - sorry, but I'm not impressed either. WAY too expensive. I think the only thing I bought was a pastry from the bakery and then I hesitated because they wanted $4 for a scone! Just ONE!

Guess I'm just a hick from a small town....

dirtgirl, Whole Foods has often been referred to here as "Whole Paycheck". Some things are very expensive.

The one in Ann Arbor is directly across the street from Trader Joe's, maybe that keeps the prices down a bit, but I bought King Arthur Flour for exactly what it cost at Trader Joe's, when TJ's still carried it.

Their fish and seafood was about the same as everyone else around in price but their meat department was exorbitant. I stood next to a very "well kept" lady checking out the bison burger, she in her expensive stuff, me in my Carhartt coat, LOL. She gave me "the look" (I'm surprised that she could see me well enough to give me that look, her nose was so high in the air) and made some remark about the superior quality of more expensive organic beef. I just smiled and told her I ONLY ate local grassfed organic beef, I'd never consider beef that was "only" organic. That's the truth, I just didn't mention that I raised my own. (grin)

They were also competitive in price with their bulk grains, their Bragg's and some of the gluten free products which we buy for Elery's daughter, who is celiac.

Annie

Good info. Thanks!
I am pretty spoiled where I'm at. I have my own grass-fed beef in the freezer. My brother just gave me salmon and halibut that he caught in Alaska for Christmas!! Wahoo!!!
I've got my own chickens, raised from day old, fed and butchered by me. I live within 45 minutes of fresh shrimp, crab and other seafood. I think meat is out. LOL
I bake my own bread when I have time. I have access to soft wheat grown locally (I buy for whole berries and grind my own pastry flour for $.75/lb.).

Cheeses, olive oil, olives (I love them), balsamic and the ketchup sound like good things to check out. Just getting to pop in there will be fun!

The Container Store is accross the street and I'm going there to check out the magnetic spice containers. My local kitchen store is waaaayyy expensive!

I'm certainly not looking to spend a "Whole Paycheck"! LOL
Updates tomorrow on what I actually buy....

Deanna

So, it's not tomorrow, but my camera batteries died...what can I say?
Here's my loot from Whole Foods:

And I completely forgot about ketchup.

Not pictured: Parmigiano-Reggiano, a hard goat cheese and a fantastic caved-aged whole milk gouda! YUM!! Can't remember the brand, but geez, I could have spent all day tasting and reading about the different cheeses! DH had other ideas. :-)

We there at 8:45 in the morning, so much of their hot foods and deli items weren't even out yet.

Thanks for all the advice. I would stop again just for the cheese. It's "right on the way" to my mom's house so would be a fun place to pick up some special things for visiting/gifting!

Deanna (who's glad they aren't closer...I think.)

Good shopping!!! I love the Bragg's vinegar, ginger chips and who knew that they carried 6-in-One tomatoes?

Annie, you are right on target! You should see the reactions I get at the meat counter when I ask for only 3 slices of the smoked applewood bacon (for my collard greens).

BTW, those shots of Alton Brown in the produce section are filmed either at this Harry's/WF's or the one in Marietta. I haven't run into him but my mother has.

Beth

Beth, I'm laughing out loud at the thought of buying three slices of bacon, I'll bet they LOVE that. (grin) Elery and I smoked our own bacon using Brian Polcyn's recipe from "Charcuterie". I'm hopelessly spoiled now, I'll never look back. From now on I'm smoking my own!

I think the next batch will be crusted with black peppercorns, yum.

I do like to check out the meat counters at WF, though, for ideas. They have burgers wrapped with bacon, burgers mixed with feta and greens, burgers surrounding cheese, all kinds of things. So, I steal their ideas, LOL.

Annie