Although the bright green signage of Whole Foods may bring back memories of achingly empty pockets, Bezos-sponsored times have changed. In these exorbitantly priced days, there are actually a couple of products you can pick up in the Prime-affiliated grocery chain that will save you money and almost always meet a pretty exceptional mark for quality. Plus, if you're into getting organic pantry staples, most of their offerings already check that box. Here's what users on Reddit shared as their go-to Whole Foods purchases.
Related: The best budget buys at Trader Joe's, according to Reddit
Prices are based on grocery costs in New York City. For this article, we compared Safeway's online prices to Whole Foods'.
Oatmeal
Whichever side you stand re: the oatmeal as a delicacy debate, those of us who have chosen an oat-filled life usually consume at a high volume. The best prices at WF usually come from the in-house brand, 'Whole Foods Market 365', and if you're looking to stock up on quick oats, this may be your new jam. A 42-ounce container of Quaker Oats whole grain quick oats typically costs $7.49 at Safeway, whereas the 365 counterpart goes for $6.29, and is organic as well.
Beans
You know how in college some people gain a reputation for doing crazy stuff at parties? I was the girl who would sometimes just eat a can of beans (sober) out of laziness and hunger. Vulnerability aside, Whole Foods' store-brand selection of organic canned beans is pretty unbeatable. A Safeway 'O' Organics can of black beans runs for $1.69 each, while the same thing at Whole Foods is $1.19. That price point stretches across a variety of legumes, including garbanzos, cannellini and pinto.
Some dried fruits
Once again, shouting out oatmeal lovers because you need to dress it up to keep it interesting. Certain kinds of dried fruits can be a good value, like pitted and dried prunes. An 8-ounce bag from Sunsweet at Safeway is $4.49, while the same product from the 365 brand is $4.29.
Greek yogurt
It's hard to find an organic greek yogurt at a better price point than the one offered by Whole Foods' store brand. A 32-ounce. container with 3% milkfat is priced at $5.79, while a similar Chobani container that isn't organic is $6.49 at Safeway.
Frozen fruit
I have spoken to the gospel of the smoothie before, and I will continue this crusade by sharing some great organic frozen fruit prices to encourage you to join this cult. 365 has a variety of 12-ounce bags, like blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, and strawberries, all of which are priced lower than Safeway's organic store brand bags, which are also only 10-ounce. For some, like blueberries, the price difference is about a dollar, and for others, less, but for the quality and quantity, Whole Foods' option is a better bet.
Now take those budget-friendly basics and use them in one of our simple weeknight meals:
- The viral feta pasta dish everyone's raving about is even better without pasta
- A chocolate sandwich tastes exactly as comforting as it sounds — and it's sublime
- This riff on a classic Southern pie is comfort in a bite — and the leftovers taste great for breakfast
- French-inspired lentils are the easiest cure for your winter blues — and they're impossible to mess up
