By admin
I’m not gonna lie. I never used to shop at Whole Foods. I’m a die-hard farmers market/Trader Joe’s/Costco/Berkeley Bowl/occasionally Sprouts kinda gal. My grocery routine usually involves going to at least two to three of these locations per week and scouting out the deals.
Then the pandemic happened. And quite honestly that meant that Whole Foods had a shorter line. Seriously. My Trader Joe’s still has a 30-minute wait. At my Whole Foods, you can walk right in. This is appealing because I can’t stand waiting in those long grocery store lines, especially because if I had a dollar for everyone wearing a mask as a chin guard I’d be rich.
But rich enough to shop at the infamous Whole Paycheck? That’s actually what I want to talk about. With a little due diligence, I’ve been able to scout out some meals at Whole Foods that give Trader Joe’s a run for its money. Each of these gems is less than $5 per serving.
Before you keep scrolling, a couple of notes:
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Across the board, the Whole Foods 365 brand was the best bang for my buck. I tried to find a variety of different brands to highlight, but Whole Foods’ own brand seemed to beat all of the other prices. Intentional? Probably.
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Frozen fruit and veggies didn’t necessarily seem that much cheaper than their fresh counterparts, which is why I didn’t use frozen produce. I’ll stick to Costco for frozen produce in bulk and Trader Joe’s for the frozen produce in smaller sizes. Besides, if you shop in season, fresh produce is often comparable to prices I may find at my local grocer.
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It is still very much possible to spend your whole paycheck here, so always go with a plan for exactly what you want to buy. There are things that I noticed were more expensive at Whole Foods than at other stores (for example, fresh bread). And there were items that were pretty much on par with my local prices (beans, some produce, oatmeal, frozen TV dinners, eggs, yogurt, pasta, etc).
Okay, here are the meals:
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1 Baked Salmon, Boxed Mac and Cheese, Sautéed Kale
We used to have boxed mac and cheese all the time growing up, but I quickly forgot about it in adulthood. Then the pandemic hit. And boxed mac and cheese was sometimes all I could find on the shelves. I love the Whole Foods version because it’s cheap but doesn’t taste as artificial as some others I’ve tried. It’s also really quick to make and pairs well with the baked salmon and kale. This whole meal took less than 15 minutes to make from start to finish. Follow the instructions on the box to make the mac and cheese. To bake the salmon, I used this method. Coat the salmon with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper, then top with (optional) lemon slices. Turn up the heat to 475 degrees F and bake for 5–6 minutes, then broil for 1 minute.
To sauté the kale, simple wash, chop, and heat in olive oil for 4–5 minutes or until the kale is wilted but still bright. I usually start cooking on medium heat and then reduce to a lower heat after 3 minutes to prevent overcooking. Season with salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste.
Ingredients
Frozen Alaskan Sockeye Wild Caught Salmon: $10.99 for 3 fillets
Whole Foods Organic Mac and Cheese Shells: $1.49
Bunch of organic dinosaur kale: $1.99Servings: 3
Cost per serving: $4.82
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2 Fried Eggs, Baked Potatoes, Sautéed Rainbow Chard With Avocado
My fried eggs may not look the sexiest but they taste darn good. If I’m wanting something hearty for breakfast, I’ll often buy this exact combination to enjoy throughout the week. If you’re looking for a good fried egg tutorial, we have one here. In the mood for a scramble? Here’s how I do it. Want to switch it up? Try these breakfast tacos using a mix of whatever ingredients you have on hand. To cook the chard, simply sauté on medium heat in 1 teaspoon of olive oil for 3–5 minutes until it’s wilted but still bright.
Ingredients
365 brand cage-free eggs (dozen): $3.39
Organic Swiss chard: $2.49
3 large russet potatoes: $1.79
Large Hass avocado $1.99Servings: 5
Cost per serving:: $1.93
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3 Pesto Pasta With Chickpeas and Roasted Cauliflower
I posted a version of this pasta here, and it was a crowd favorite. I switched things up by using rigatoni instead of elbow pasta and added roasted cauliflower instead of my usual kale. Delish!
To cook, simply prepare the pasta according to the package directions (boil water then add pasta and cook for 14 minutes). To roast the cauliflower, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Chop the cauliflower and rub in olive oil and your favorite seasonings (I used salt, pepper, and red chili flakes). Roast until golden, for 10 minutes on each side. When everything is done cooking, mix the pasta, pesto, and chickpeas, then serve with roasted cauliflower on the side.
Ingredients
365 Whole Foods Brand traditional pesto: $3.99
Rummo rigatoni pasta: $2.99
Canned low-sodium garbanzo beans: $0.79
Head of cauliflower: $2.99Servings: 4
Cost per serving:: $2.69
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4 Homemade Vegetable Mozzarella Pizza
My husband and I cook a version of this pizza at least once a week. It’s fun because he loves to prep the dough while I chop the toppings. If you don’t want to prep your own toppings, Whole Foods has individually packed portions of the pizza toppings in its refrigerated fresh food section. You can buy everything from cheese, sauce, pepperoni, roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, barbecued chicken, and more. The prices were reasonable too.
Ingredients
Terranova Bakery New York Style pizza dough: $2.99
Pizza sauce (fresh-packed): $1.53
Shredded mozzarella cheese: $1.60
Green bell pepper: $0.61
Red bell pepper: $1.55Servings: 3
Cost per serving: $2.76
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5 Buttermilk Pancakes With Greek Yogurt and Fresh Strawberries
I like to call this my “strawberry shortcut” because it basically tastes like strawberry shortcake, albeit less sweet and more filling, and it’s ready in under 3 minutes. The fresh strawberries are a nice touch here, but if they are out of season, frozen can work well too. To make them, all you do is cook the pancakes in the microwave for 15–60 seconds, then spread yogurt over each pancake. Top with strawberries and optional sweetener. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Strawberries: $3.99
365 Whole Foods Market Frozen Buttermilk Pancakes: $2.99
Plain 2% Wallaby Aussie Style Yogurt: $2.50 (for two)
Optional: Sweetener (whipped cream, maple syrup, honey, jam)Servings: 4
Cost per serving: $2.37
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6 Rotisserie Chicken Bowl With Rice and Lentils
I’ve been recommending rotisserie chicken to my patients for years. It’s such a meal prep staple because it can be remixed into a variety of dishes, and requires virtually no prep. I got this Whole Foods rotisserie chicken for my husband’s lunch and he loved it. To make, tear off a few pieces of the chicken and serve it with the fluffy rice mixture (which you just cook in the microwave for 90 seconds), and a bag salad. Top the salad with whatever additional veggies or herbs you have in the fridge (we used cherry tomatoes and green onions). Drizzle the bowl with your favorite dressing and you are good to go!
Ingredients
Free-range rotisserie chicken: $7.99
365 Everyday Value 7 Grain & Lentil Blend: $2.99 x 2
Romaine bag salad $2.89
Large avocado $1.53Servings: 4
Cost per serving: $4.59
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7 Easy Vegetarian Lox Bagel
I’m a big fan of bagels. They’re quick, easy, and filling—especially if you top them right. This veggie lox bagel is one of my favorite lazy meals. It’s packed with flavor but takes literally no time to throw together. If you need a tutorial, I have one here. In a nutshell, all you do is toast the bagel, spread on the cream cheese, then add the sliced tomato, onion, and capers. Lastly, drizzle with a bit of olive oil on top and sprinkle with fresh cracked salt and pepper.
Ingredients 365 Everything Bagel (pack of 6) $2.89
365 Soft Cream Cheese $2.19
1 large Heirloom tomato $2.49
Onion $0.42
Capers $2.69Servings: 6
Cost per serving: $1.78
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8 Beans and Rice Wet Burrito With Avocado
The 365 Whole Foods burritos are hands down my absolute favorite frozen burritos. I like to get about eight of them at the beginning of the month and enjoy them as a backup meal when I don’t have the time to throw anything else together. To make this delicious “wet” burrito, simply add a slice of cheddar cheese on top of the cooked burrito and then melt in the microwave for 15–30 seconds. Top with ¼ cup of salsa and avocado slices.
Ingredients
Whole Foods 365 Bean and Rice Burrito: $1.69
Whole Foods Market Thick & Chunky Mild Cantina Style Salsa: $2.99
Whole Foods 365 Sharp Cheddar: 3.99 for 10 slices
Large avocado $1.53Servings: Up to 10, depending on how many burritos you buy
Cost per serving: $3.01
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9 Vegan Donut
Dessert is a meal, okay! Before I wrote this article, I polled our community on Instagram, asking about their favorite Whole Foods finds (on a budget, of course). Want to know what was recommended the most consistently? THE WHOLE FOODS VEGAN DONUT. I was shocked because I thought I was the only one who knew about this gem, but apparently it’s infamous. I’m obsessed with their glazed donuts (especially the ones topped with maple and blueberry). But those were sold out. Go figure. This crumb donut is a close second. It was firm but still flaky. It was sweet but not too. Next time you go to Whole Foods, don’t leave without trying a vegan donut; find them in the bakery section!
Servings: 1
Cost per serving: $2
