Many people refer to Whole Foods as Whole Paycheck, but along with their elite supermarket reputation, there are also some other things to know about Whole Foods that you may not know yet. Just because it can seem expensive to shop at Whole Foods doesn’t mean you can’t, or that you should avoid it. In fact, I find I can save money on many things the store carries, and I always feel better about what foods I buy there than anywhere else. Why so? This company is one of the first to contribute so many things to the environment, the planet and the people that shop there. There are so many amazing things to know about Whole Foods that I’d like to share with you so that next time you actually do spend your whole paycheck there, you can at least keep these things in the back of your mind!
If you’re not vegan, but still concerned about animal welfare when it comes to your food, then one of the most important things to know about Whole Foods is their stance on animal welfare. Whole Foods' meat products contain absolutely no antibiotics, nor are they fed anything that contains added hormones, antibiotics or growth enhancement drugs. They also work directly with farmers to ensure animals are treated fairly and routine inspections are priority. Whole Foods' seafood products undergo the strictest inspections of all other suppliers and even their farmed products are free of antibiotics, pesticides, hormones and anything artificial. Their seafood products were the first in the industry to also ever be certified by the Marine Council Stewardship, which advocates sustainable and humane sources of seafood.
Whole Foods takes animal welfare to a whole new level here and gives you safer food to eat. All foods and products carried by Whole Foods are not allowed to contain any added hormones, whatsoever. Even their dairy products, eggs and cheese products are not allowed to contain added hormones, along with their meats and seafood.
Another reason I love Whole Foods is their charitable contributions. Many of their products, such as their line of homemade bags, beauty products, foods and more, actually donate funds to producers. This allows producers of these products to have a job and provide for their families, along with provide consumers at Whole Foods with amazing products that are completely natural and eco-friendly. Whole Foods also contributes to multiple charities, including Fair-Trade companies.
Believe it or not, there are many ways to save money at Whole Foods, which I know can seem hard at times. For starters, always check their Whole Deals flyer, which contains deals of the week and coupons. The company also has weekly sales and one day saving features. My favorite way to save are the farmer’s markets that are hosted in the parking lot of Whole Foods each week, which provide funds to farmers directly and also lowers the cost of your bill. Other ways include buying their 365 brand of beauty products, which are extremely low in cost considering they have nothing artificial or harmful to your body. You can’t buy those high quality beauty products for the price of Whole Foods 365 brand anywhere else. Their shampoo and conditioner are favorites of mine! Whole Foods also allows you to save money at the checkout line. If you bring your own bags, they’ll give you a credit of 10 cents per bag, or allow you to donate the funds to one of their charities.
In 2018, Whole Foods Markets will be the first store to ever have GMO free labeling, which allows consumers to see what products contain GMOs and which ones do not. Currently the store sells more than 3,300 Non-GMO Project verified products from 250 different brands. This is more than any other supplier in North America. It gets even better, since Whole Foods is working with all providers and suppliers to eliminate any products with GMOs, enhancing stricter standards on the products the company carries. This is a huge step in the grocery industry and one of the reasons I love Whole Food’s mission to constantly be a leading provider of wellness in the grocery industry.
One thing I am incredibly impressed with is that Whole Foods has a strict list of ingredients that are not allowed to be included in any of their products. One of the most important ingredients is artificial flavors, which can be one of the top sources of food allergens and MSG. Artificial flavors have even been linked to some sources of cancer, autism and food allergies, so avoiding them is very important. You can be sure any product you buy at Whole Foods will not contain artificial flavors whatsoever.
Lastly, one thing you need to know about the nation’s most popular grocery store is their website rocks! Go online to wholefoodsmarket.com and check it out yourself. Here you can find out anything you want to know about the company, get amazing recipes, enter contests, read their blog, read all about their foods and where they come from, print coupons, view sales and view anything you want to know about products they carry or their company. I have it bookmarked in my browser and love checking out their coupons and recipes each month.
I know how expensive Whole Foods can seem, but there are many ways to save if you’re extremely savvy about it. While I don’t buy everything there, sometimes other products are worth the price and I know the quality of the company I’m buying from. Do you shop at Whole Foods?
Sources: wholefoodsmarket.com