There’s a lot to love about Whole Foods: The specialty groceries! The fresh food! The Amazon drop-off points! But one thing we have to admit we don’t always love about the Amazon-owned grocery store is their prices. If you’re like us, you prefer to keep your grocery budget as tight as possible. Although you may be able to find some great deals at Whole Foods from time to time, and there are plenty of smart ways to save money there, there are a lot of products you should probably pick up at Trader Joe’s or your local supermarket if you’re looking for a lower price.
Of course, some things can be impossible to find elsewhere, and while you’re picking something up at Whole Foods, you may find yourself saying: “I’m already here, so…” while you throw all your groceries for the week into your cart. However, shopping experts warn that there are a few specific items that are nearly always a better deal at another store. Below, we’ve rounded up 5 items you should make an extra stop for if you’re shopping on a budget, from meat to cereal.
1. Beef
If you're looking to stock up on beef—or any meat, for that matter—you'll probably be better off getting it somewhere besides Whole Foods. Teri Gault, CEO of TheGroceryGame.com, told CBS News that Whole Foods meat prices, organic or not, are almost always higher than regular supermarket prices, even when Whole Foods is running a sale. If you buy non-organic beef from Whole Foods, you're likely to be paying more than USDA-grade varieties at other stores.
2. Organic Chicken
If chicken is more your thing than beef, that's good news for your heart, but it's not much better news for your wallet. As far as Whole Food's meat prices go, organic chicken is another item you'll definitely want to avoid. These days, organic boneless, skinless chicken breast will cost you about $7 per pound from Trader Joe's. Meanwhile, Whole Foods will charge around $9 for the same thing. And that price difference can really add up in large quantities!
3. Specialty Cheese
Who doesn't love a tasty imported cheese?! Whether you're putting together a charcuterie board or loading up for sandwiches, there's always something delicious looking at Whole Foods. However, your wallet likely won't love their specialty cheese selection as much as your taste buds will. Trader Joe's has an equally great selection with much better prices.
4. Coffee
Coffee addict? We feel you. And we also see the appeal of investing in organic, high-quality beans. However, while Whole Foods does offer some great coffees, you'll find better deals on similar products elsewhere. Take their French Roast, for example which sells for $13 for 12oz in New York. At Trader Joe's, you can grab 26oz of French Roast for just $15. That's more than double the coffee for just $2 extra! (P.S., Trader Joe's oftentimes has delicious, single-origin coffees on shelves.)
5. Cereal
Health experts will tell you that you should probably be skipping breakfast cereal altogether, but that's beside the point. If you love to get your cereal fix, we recommend getting it somewhere besides Whole Foods. You'll be able to find all your name-brand faves at supermarkets for lower prices. And as far as the store's own 365 Brand cereals go, you can find similar, generic options for lower prices at other stores—like Trader Joe's, where a box of Joe's O's is just $2, compared to Organic Morning O's from Whole Foods, which will cost you over $3 in New York.
