Posted by RobinMc on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Jan 2003 · 131 posts
And tell us your reasoning, please!
Posted by bookmama on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Oct 2006 · 1190 posts
Love my WF store. It's closer than Earthfare which would be my second favorite. The WF we go to is freakin' huge so we can find everything we want/need there, no need to go anywhere else.
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Posted by humboldt_honey on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Feb 2007 · 12529 posts
I haven't heard of Earth Fare. Is that an eastern US chain? I've been to a Wild Oats. It was okay. There wasn't much there. Back when I was an omni, I used to live nearby a Whole Foods, so I shopped there out of convenience. There's not so much there that I would make an hour's drive to shop at one (unless there were no closer HFSs). However, I read in Backpacker or Oudoor that the CEO of Whole Foods does a lot of hiking and listened to audio books with thru-trekking the AT - which is how I like to hike - so I have a soft spot for that market.
Nearby where I live there are non-chain HFSs and vegetarian supermarkets that I shop at that have more vegan options of whole foods and pre-made foods than Wild Oats or Whole Foods. Just call me spoiled.
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Posted by Anonymous on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
Certainly not mine.I'm going to try whole foods and trader joe's.
Posted by lauranc on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Sep 2006 · 195 posts
Sadly there are only 13 Earth Fares in the country. Thankfully one is on my way to work. I have to vote of Earth Fare because I love all the cooking classes they teach, the selection of products and variety of foods they have. Plus they are based out of North Carolina!
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Posted by Anonymous on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
Sunflower Market is my favorite! They have tons of wonderful things, cheap produce (both organic and non-organic), and lots of bulk bins (also cheap). I like Whole Foods, but I only go there for things I can't find at Sunflower (usually processed vegan stuff, like cheese, ice cream, etc. that I shouldn't be eating a lot of anyway...).
Posted by carmenmichelle on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Apr 2005 · 233 posts
wild oats is, because it's in (g)nashville!!!!!
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Posted by carmenmichelle on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Apr 2005 · 233 posts
Sadly there are only 13 Earth Fares in the country. Thankfully one is on my way to work. I have to vote of Earth Fare because I love all the cooking classes they teach, the selection of products and variety of foods they have. Plus they are based out of North Carolina!
i agree! i frequented earth fare when i lived in athens, ga. and they do offer some really amazing cooking classes as well as lifestyle classes, and they do great work for the community!
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Posted by hespedal on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Mar 2006 · 5259 posts
trader joe's. the produce section leaves something to be desired but it's pretty cheap.
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Posted by secondbase on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Dec 2005 · 5540 posts
Out of those, I've only been to whole foods and Trader Joe's. WF definitely takes the cake!
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Posted by Saskia on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Jan 2007 · 1976 posts
I don't have a preference. I've never heard of Earth Fares.
Trader Joe's has great selection and prices. Products are easy to find. I don't like that you kind buy some produce by the pound or individually, like one tomato, or one onion. It is more affordable though. Tofu, Tofutti and sorbet cost less than the competition. I like their semi-sweet chocolate chips, too.
Wild Oats has the addictive fresh-baked vegan blueberry muffins, vegan chocolate chip cookies, plus the vegan turkey salad in the deli section. Great selection on vegan friendly foods, baking supplies, both packaged and in bins. The produce usually costs more than the competition, though. It's also open later than Trader Joe's.
Whole Foods has the most extensive selection of natural foods, in bins and in packaged foods, as well as coffees, cleaning supplies, plants and other products. They offer samples, have booths inside the store to eat, and are usually very clean. I like their 365 brand chocolate chips.
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Posted by mirrya1 on Jun 26, 2007 · Member since Jan 2006 · 2210 posts
None of the three stores in your poll are anywhere near where I live. So my answer would be a small local store called Natural Health Center.
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Posted by Anonymous on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
I don't have a preference. I've never heard of Earth Fares.
Trader Joe's has great selection and prices. Products are easy to find. I don't like that you kind buy some produce by the pound or individually, like one tomato, or one onion. It is more affordable though. Tofu, Tofutti and sorbet cost less than the competition. I like their semi-sweet chocolate chips, too.
Wild Oats has the addictive fresh-baked vegan blueberry muffins, vegan chocolate chip cookies, plus the vegan turkey salad in the deli section. Great selection on vegan friendly foods, baking supplies, both packaged and in bins. The produce usually costs more than the competition, though. It's also open later than Trader Joe's.
Whole Foods has the most extensive selection of natural foods, in bins and in packaged foods, as well as coffees, cleaning supplies, plants and other products. They offer samples, have booths inside the store to eat, and are usually very clean. I like their 365 brand chocolate chips.
I agree but wild oats is kinda expensive and tjs is generally cheaper except their produce you cant buy anything by the pound each thind is either prepackaged or "1 apple cost blank $" whatever I can't finda at tjs i go to whole foods which i have to say i love "exploring" in the store being a new veggie i try to buy something new every time i go
Posted by little2ant on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Aug 2004 · 3055 posts
I think I just read somewhere that Whole Foods bought Wild Oats and will be turning them all into WFs so pretty soon it won't matter. I definitely prefer the smaller, family owned type to any large chains. In FL I shoped at Richard's whole foods (12 total). Here in NC I shop at a small store in town, and try to go to Coops are Farmer's Markets.
I don't endorse this site or anything.....just googled it and it was one that came up!
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Posted by Kbone on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Jun 2007 · 374 posts
I think I just read somewhere that Whole Foods bought Wild Oats and will be turning them all into WFs so pretty soon it won't matter. I definitely prefer the smaller, family owned type to any large chains. In FL I shoped at Richard's whole foods (12 total). Here in NC I shop at a small store in town, and try to go to Coops are Farmer's Markets.
I don't endorse this site or anything.....just googled it and it was one that came up!
It's true that Whole Foods and Wild Oats are merging. There is a problem with the merger currently and the FTC is going to have a hearing on whether or not to let it go through. Read about it here:
As far as the stores that are listed in the poll on this thread, I'm not going to vote because I have only shopped at Whole Foods, none of the others listed except "OTHER".
I have generally been pleased with my shopping experience there. One thing you need to watch out for at Whole Foods is expiration dates on products, especially long term dates on things that might be good for six months or a year. We bought some veggie broth in a box there that was five or six months out of date. They cheerfully gave us credit when we brought it back but it really should never have been on the shelf in the first place.
The Whole Foods Market I use now is in West Hartford, CT., about a 15 mile drive from where I live. Early in 2008 they are opening another store in Glastonbury, about five miles away. I have mixed feelings about this. It will be a lot more convenient to go there, obviously (not that 15 miles is so bad). However, there is a little Mom and Pop natural food store in Glastonbury called Garden of Light where I often shop as well. They have better prices on a lot of bulk stuff (nutritional yeast, wheat gluten) than WFM, plus they have a lot of unusual stuff that's hard to find anywhere else. I really doubt they will be able to survive once WFM opens a mile down the road. I hate to see these little stores that have beeen serving us with an alternative way to shop for years get crushed by big corporate owned stores, even if the corporation is a fairly conscientious one.
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Posted by asenath on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Nov 2005 · 167 posts
Yup, actually none of those stores are in B-lo either, though there are rumblings about a WF. I picked "Other" because I love my natural foods coop!
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Posted by NoIllusions on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Dec 2006 · 476 posts
Trader Joe's. Its small they have lots of cheap stuff (tofu, organic ketchup), nuts, frozen berries, frozen veggies and soymilk. There produce section isn't great though...maybe apples.
Whole foods overwelms me. All the sudden I see so many things I WANT, but should not have. But they do have eczekial tortillas, chocolate mint lara bars, organic grains and legumes, make homemade peanut butter AND dijon nayonaisse ...TRY THIS ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and organic maple syrup. Otherwise I avoid it...
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Posted by Lessthanjax on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Apr 2007 · 22 posts
My favorite food store is Wild By Nature. . I live in Long Island and they always have everything i need. They are the only store that ive seen carry tofu noodles....really great stuff. tastes and has the consistency of pasta without the carbs and calories.
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Posted by little2ant on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Aug 2004 · 3055 posts
My favorite food store is Wild By Nature. . I live in Long Island and they always have everything i need. They are the only store that ive seen carry tofu noodles....really great stuff. tastes and has the consistency of pasta without the carbs and calories.
I just bought some of these noodles. Can you give me any tips on preparing/serving?
thanks!
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Posted by katzenfreund on Jun 27, 2007 · Member since Oct 2006 · 245 posts
I used to shop at "Fresh Fields" in Annapolis MD, before they became WF, liked them a lot better before the merger. WF is ok, but more mainstream, catering to yuppies and the stores I've been to, never have much as far as organic FRUIT. Mostly conventionally grown. A store I used to shop at a lot was My Organic Market, a small local chain in the DC area, I loved the store and the prices were GREAT. Now we moved and it's a health food store wasteland. There is TJ, closest is 30 minutes, they are ok, but produce quality at the store near me isn't the greatest, still - better than nothing!
Love my WF store. It's closer than Earthfare which would be my second favorite. The WF we go to is freakin' huge so we can find everything we want/need there, no need to go anywhere else.
I haven't heard of Earth Fare. Is that an eastern US chain? I've been to a Wild Oats. It was okay. There wasn't much there. Back when I was an omni, I used to live nearby a Whole Foods, so I shopped there out of convenience. There's not so much there that I would make an hour's drive to shop at one (unless there were no closer HFSs). However, I read in Backpacker or Oudoor that the CEO of Whole Foods does a lot of hiking and listened to audio books with thru-trekking the AT - which is how I like to hike - so I have a soft spot for that market.
Nearby where I live there are non-chain HFSs and vegetarian supermarkets that I shop at that have more vegan options of whole foods and pre-made foods than Wild Oats or Whole Foods. Just call me spoiled.
Certainly not mine.I'm going to try whole foods and trader joe's.
Sadly there are only 13 Earth Fares in the country. Thankfully one is on my way to work. I have to vote of Earth Fare because I love all the cooking classes they teach, the selection of products and variety of foods they have. Plus they are based out of North Carolina!
Sunflower Market is my favorite! They have tons of wonderful things, cheap produce (both organic and non-organic), and lots of bulk bins (also cheap). I like Whole Foods, but I only go there for things I can't find at Sunflower (usually processed vegan stuff, like cheese, ice cream, etc. that I shouldn't be eating a lot of anyway...).
wild oats is, because it's in (g)nashville!!!!!
Sadly there are only 13 Earth Fares in the country. Thankfully one is on my way to work. I have to vote of Earth Fare because I love all the cooking classes they teach, the selection of products and variety of foods they have. Plus they are based out of North Carolina!
i agree! i frequented earth fare when i lived in athens, ga.
and they do offer some really amazing cooking classes as well as lifestyle classes,
and they do great work for the community!
trader joe's. the produce section leaves something to be desired but it's pretty cheap.
Out of those, I've only been to whole foods and Trader Joe's. WF definitely takes the cake!
I don't have a preference. I've never heard of Earth Fares.
Trader Joe's has great selection and prices. Products are easy to find. I don't like that you kind buy some produce by the pound or individually, like one tomato, or one onion. It is more affordable though. Tofu, Tofutti and sorbet cost less than the competition. I like their semi-sweet chocolate chips, too.
Wild Oats has the addictive fresh-baked vegan blueberry muffins, vegan chocolate chip cookies, plus the vegan turkey salad in the deli section. Great selection on vegan friendly foods, baking supplies, both packaged and in bins. The produce usually costs more than the competition, though. It's also open later than Trader Joe's.
Whole Foods has the most extensive selection of natural foods, in bins and in packaged foods, as well as coffees, cleaning supplies, plants and other products. They offer samples, have booths inside the store to eat, and are usually very clean. I like their 365 brand chocolate chips.
None of the three stores in your poll are anywhere near where I live. So my answer would be a small local store called Natural Health Center.
I don't have a preference. I've never heard of Earth Fares.
Trader Joe's has great selection and prices. Products are easy to find. I don't like that you kind buy some produce by the pound or individually, like one tomato, or one onion. It is more affordable though. Tofu, Tofutti and sorbet cost less than the competition. I like their semi-sweet chocolate chips, too.
Wild Oats has the addictive fresh-baked vegan blueberry muffins, vegan chocolate chip cookies, plus the vegan turkey salad in the deli section. Great selection on vegan friendly foods, baking supplies, both packaged and in bins. The produce usually costs more than the competition, though. It's also open later than Trader Joe's.
Whole Foods has the most extensive selection of natural foods, in bins and in packaged foods, as well as coffees, cleaning supplies, plants and other products. They offer samples, have booths inside the store to eat, and are usually very clean. I like their 365 brand chocolate chips.
I agree but wild oats is kinda expensive and tjs is generally cheaper except their produce you cant buy anything by the pound each thind is either prepackaged or "1 apple cost blank $" whatever I can't finda at tjs i go to whole foods which i have to say i love "exploring" in the store being a new veggie i try to buy something new every time i go
I think I just read somewhere that Whole Foods bought Wild Oats and will be turning them all into WFs so pretty soon it won't matter. I definitely prefer the smaller, family owned type to any large chains. In FL I shoped at Richard's whole foods (12 total). Here in NC I shop at a small store in town, and try to go to Coops are Farmer's Markets.
http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/2007/02/whole_foods_acq.html
I don't endorse this site or anything.....just googled it and it was one that came up!
I think I just read somewhere that Whole Foods bought Wild Oats and will be turning them all into WFs so pretty soon it won't matter. I definitely prefer the smaller, family owned type to any large chains. In FL I shoped at Richard's whole foods (12 total). Here in NC I shop at a small store in town, and try to go to Coops are Farmer's Markets.
http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/2007/02/whole_foods_acq.html
I don't endorse this site or anything.....just googled it and it was one that came up!
It's true that Whole Foods and Wild Oats are merging. There is a problem with the merger currently and the FTC is going to have a hearing on whether or not to let it go through. Read about it here:
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070612/20070612006336.html?.v=1
As far as the stores that are listed in the poll on this thread, I'm not going to vote because I have only shopped at Whole Foods, none of the others listed except "OTHER".
I have generally been pleased with my shopping experience there. One thing you need to watch out for at Whole Foods is expiration dates on products, especially long term dates on things that might be good for six months or a year. We bought some veggie broth in a box there that was five or six months out of date. They cheerfully gave us credit when we brought it back but it really should never have been on the shelf in the first place.
The Whole Foods Market I use now is in West Hartford, CT., about a 15 mile drive from where I live. Early in 2008 they are opening another store in Glastonbury, about five miles away. I have mixed feelings about this. It will be a lot more convenient to go there, obviously (not that 15 miles is so bad). However, there is a little Mom and Pop natural food store in Glastonbury called Garden of Light where I often shop as well. They have better prices on a lot of bulk stuff (nutritional yeast, wheat gluten) than WFM, plus they have a lot of unusual stuff that's hard to find anywhere else. I really doubt they will be able to survive once WFM opens a mile down the road. I hate to see these little stores that have beeen serving us with an alternative way to shop for years get crushed by big corporate owned stores, even if the corporation is a fairly conscientious one.
Yup, actually none of those stores are in B-lo either, though there are rumblings about a WF. I picked "Other" because I love my natural foods coop!
Trader Joe's. Its small they have lots of cheap stuff (tofu, organic ketchup), nuts, frozen berries, frozen veggies and soymilk. There produce section isn't great though...maybe apples.
Whole foods overwelms me. All the sudden I see so many things I WANT, but should not have. But they do have eczekial tortillas, chocolate mint lara bars, organic grains and legumes, make homemade peanut butter AND dijon nayonaisse ...TRY THIS ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and organic maple syrup. Otherwise I avoid it...
My favorite food store is Wild By Nature. . I live in Long Island and they always have everything i need. They are the only store that ive seen carry tofu noodles....really great stuff. tastes and has the consistency of pasta without the carbs and calories.
My favorite food store is Wild By Nature. . I live in Long Island and they always have everything i need. They are the only store that ive seen carry tofu noodles....really great stuff. tastes and has the consistency of pasta without the carbs and calories.
I just bought some of these noodles. Can you give me any tips on preparing/serving?
thanks!
I used to shop at "Fresh Fields" in Annapolis MD, before they became WF, liked them a lot better before the merger. WF is ok, but more mainstream, catering to yuppies and the stores I've been to, never have much as far as organic FRUIT. Mostly conventionally grown. A store I used to shop at a lot was My Organic Market, a small local chain in the DC area, I loved the store and the prices were GREAT. Now we moved and it's a health food store wasteland. There is TJ, closest is 30 minutes, they are ok, but produce quality at the store near me isn't the greatest, still - better than nothing!