Mistakes Costing You Money At Whole Foods

One minute, you have a dinner party's worth of charcuterie supplies in your shopping cart, and the next, you're buying enough burrata and smoked olives to feed a small nation. Call this phenomenon the "Whole Foods Effect," or the moment when an otherwise reasonable grocery shopper forgets their savvy, price-conscious ways in the face of fine foodstuffs.

There's just something about Whole Foods that seems to trick the brain of some shoppers into wanting to pile the cart high with hot-bar cartons of frozen tofu scrambles. Maybe being surrounded by so much organic produce makes grocery shoppers feel healthy and/or virtuous. Or, it could be the store's heer amount of upscale snack foods that dazzle the eye. Or, perhaps the presence of so many alternative milks that dizzy the mind. All we do know, though, is that walking into any Whole Foods ready to shop on an empty stomach, or even just without a list, is asking for trouble (or at least the full Beyond Meat product line).

You should only be spending a certain amount of your income on groceries, but a trip to Whole Foods may tempt even the most frugal soul into upping their limits. Whatever the reason that Whole Foods shopping can make its customers wild out, there are some key mistakes shoppers can stop making in order to start saving at the high-end grocer, dare we say, 365 days a year.

Not shopping the sales at a grocery store seems like a no-brainer way to waste money; at Whole Foods, though, strategic sales shopping can make a whole grocery order's worth of impact. Whole Foods has a reputation for being pricey as much as it does for providing good-for-you groceries. However, since Amazon acquired the company in 2017, savings potential has increased in some areas.

Prime members get an additional 10% off Whole Foods sale item prices, as well as access to other weekly deals. For example, Tuesdays and Fridays feature members-only deals on rotisserie chicken, sushi rolls, pizza, Prosecco, and Whole Foods Market Kitchens packaged soups. Even those without a Prime membership can save at Whole Foods, though. The Whole Foods app features its own special savings, as well as options to make grocery lists and order up in-store ready-made meal and snack items. Certain credit cards, when linked in the app, also achieve a percentage of savings. You can even link EBT as your payment method for many items. Even outside of the app, Whole Foods occasionally lists clearances and markdowns and also advertises in-store sales with yellow signs.

Optimizing in-app savings with Prime member deals, while keeping eagle eyes on Whole Foods' weekly sale paper works best when you plan your meals around those savings. Scour the sales for your shopping starting point (rather than a perk); that pro coupon-clipper energy will infuse even your most ambitious Whole Foods shopping trip.

Your mileage may vary when it comes to the Whole Foods hot and cold buffet bars. Still, it can be too tempting for many WF shoppers to resist plump olives stuffed with blue cheese at the cold bar or barbecued brisket at the hot bar. Treating yourself to a lunchtime nibble or grabbing a quick dinner while grocery shopping can quickly turn expensive if you're not "weight-conscious." No, we don't mean about your own weight, we mean the weight of your buffet-bar order.

When charged by weight, heavy food items can drive a seemingly cheap $8.99-per-pound meal into the stratosphere. This doesn't mean you only need to pack the lightest of lettuce leaves and flakiest of fish filets into your buffet-bar cartons, though. Instead, limit your spend from the outset by choosing the smaller container on option to fill with your meal choices. A smaller container may mean you get a smaller-yet-satisfying portion of veggies, starches, and proteins, all for a price closer to a deal for you, rather than a steal from you.

Perhaps because of Whole Foods' "Whole Paycheck" reputation, it can be easy to forget the store stocks a wide variety of cost-conscious products. The 365 line is Whole Foods' store brand. From spices to soups, oils to orange juice, deli meat to meat alternatives, and frozen pizzas to pumpkin-spice sandwich cookies, there is a relatively inexpensive 365 product for everyone. (It can even be worth comparing Whole Foods to Trader Joe's prices to find out which items are cheaper in this store-brand battle).

While Whole Foods stocks plenty of name brands that command industry-best respect, the store brand is a great starting point for grocery savings. Treating Whole Foods like it's only a 365 supplier will help keep the shopping bill down. Of course, don't forget to also take advantage of the store's freezer and bulk sections for savings that can stretch a dollar even further.

While shooting a bunch of bulk nuts into a bag thrills some and bores others, it's a surefire savings option at the store, even at Whole Foods. In addition to bulk legumes, grains, and coffee beans, you can also save on bulk meats; just ask the butcher for "family style" portions. Remember that a way to trap savings (and treats) for the future is through frozen food. Evaluate what from your grocery order can be frozen or be bought frozen, and adjust accordingly. For example, 365 frozen berries are just one way to keep summer going all winter — and for a song.