“New weekly sales start on Wednesday and run through the following Wednesday, so there are actually double sales every Wednesday! Stores regularly have one-day or weekend sales on specific items— from packaged goods to fresh produce to wine and beer.”
Money Matters: How To Save Money At Whole Foods
There are some really great ways of saving money when shopping at the Davis Whole Foods, for example did you know that Wednesday is the best day to shop there? According to Business Insider’s article How to Save Money at Whole Foods:
Know the “dirty dozen.”
If you’re worried about eating organic, take heed: there are only some foods you need to buy organic. On Cook Smarts, Dang advises readers and clients to buy the “dirty dozen” organic — and not to worry about the rest. (Not everything needs to be organic!) These include apples, cherries, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, celery, lettuce, spinach, kale, and collards, sweet bell peppers, and potatoes. Items like onions, cabbage, corn, and mushrooms — amongst other fruits and vegetables — known as the “clean fifteen” — will be fine if they’re not organic because they have little to no pesticide traces as they are. Given the mark-up of food with the organic stamp, that will save you a lot of money!
Buy in bulk.
Buying non-perishables in bulk can go a long way. Dang advises us to buy “pantry staples” in bulk — like nuts, dried beans, and grains. It’s worth it compared to a name-brand.
She also notes that buying in bulk can help you if you don’t want a lot of something. “Then you have much more control over the amounts you want, whether you want to buy a lot or a buy a little,” she noted. ” People buy bulk for both reasons.”
Similarly, Siegler noted the perks of buying in bulk for packaged goods. “Whole Foods Market offers case discounts on most items for those times when you need a plethora of snacks for the soccer team or multiple bottles of wine for entertaining,” she informed Business Insider. “Usually, customers will receive about 10% off when buying an entire case of something.” So that justifies your case of wine, doesn’t it?
Stick with the 365 brand — especially when buying things like beans.
It’s “a really great brand and it’s very affordable,” Dang said. “If you actually really shop how much they have in their store brand, [you’ll see] that their prices are very comparable to some of the […] more budget-friendly stores.” And for the health-conscious, Siegler clarified all of the products are organic or non-GMO.
Go frozen instead of fresh.
Frozen fish is a great freezer staple that will save you money in the long run — but what about in the short-term? Isn’t it better to buy fresh? Not always! It can often behoove you to just go with the frozen, because, as Dang pointed out, many — but not all — of the “fresh” fish on display are just unfrozen. “The premium you’re paying for was for them to defrost it for you.” So here’s a hack: check the label to see if it says “previously frozen!” If not, it’s up to you, but, “if it’s many multipliers more expensive, then I would always just go with frozen,” Dang said.
Stay frozen.
In season vegetables are usually at a sweeter price point than their out-of-season counterparts, but what if you’re craving out of season vegetables? Buy them frozen; they’re cheaper. For those who think this cheaper option is less nutritious, think again. “Fresh vegetables are great but there really actually isn’t much of a nutritional difference between fresh and frozen especially because the frozen stuff is picked at peak […] it retains the same nutrition amount,” Dang said. It’s especially smart to buy out-of-season produce frozen if you really like a particular item.
Dang also advises people — especially those who are shopping for one or two — to think about freezing their grains, too. “I think people don’t realize that starches freeze really, really well,” she said. If you never go through a loaf of bread in a week, it would benefit you to freeze it (or pick it up in the freezer aisle). It’ll save you buying many loaves of bread down the line.