Sprouts is the healthy and affordable grocery chain of your dreams. If Trader Joe's prices were to meet Whole Foods Market's products, we would have a store very similar to Sprouts Farmer's Market. There are many aspects of this new grocery store that make it pretty dang unique.
1. The Bulk Section.
One of the first things you notice when you walk into the very open and bright store is the center section advertising over 200 bulk items. These products range anywhere from roasted corn to dark chocolate espresso beans to okra chips. They have specific isles for nuts, those where you can buy flours and oats by weight, and even an isle just for chocolate covered goodies. The best part, there was granola. Sprouts offered several different types of granola in their bulk section with the nutrition label and ingredients readily available.
I found this whole section an amazing way to be able to try out some foods I had never had before. Also, it was a great way to get an individual portion of chocolate or a handful of honey roasted pecans, without having to buy a whole bag.
2. The Sales Overlap on Wednesdays.
Unlike any other health food store such as Whole Foods or Fresh Market, Sprouts has a weekly ad similar in size to a regular grocery store. They have a huge selection of items on sale each week and that makes many of their products very affordable.
Even better, their weekly specials overlap on Wednesdays. So whatever was on sale last week will also be on sale in addition to the new week's specials. If you ask me, this is pretty freaking cool. I am always here for the deals.
3. There's a juice bar.
A healthy grocery store is not complete without a juice bar. And surprisingly, Sprouts' juice bar is not that expensive. You can get a juice for as little as $4.99. They had a decent size menu and seemed to offer specials on certain days of the week.
4. Large Variety of Health & Beauty Products
I find it difficult to locate places that offer a large selection of organic or plant-based beauty and bath products. Sprouts offers a wide array of these products in addition to a huge selection of vitamins and supplements. You will definitely be able to find the all natural shampoos you've been looking for at Sprouts.
5. There's a Bakery, Deli & Seafood Counter.
Although most health food stores are much smaller than a regular grocery store, this one still has every stop you will need when doing your weekly shopping. The bakery offers freshly baked goodies, the deli offers high-end meats, and the seafood/meat counter offers a wide variety of fresh entrees. One thing really important to me is where seafood comes from, and I really appreciate how Sprouts has several options for seafood caught in the United States. In addition, they offer several selections that are pre-seasoned and only need to be cooked and served.
6. It's an allergy-friendly food warehouse.
No matter what diet you are trying or how many allergies or sensitivities you suffer from, Sprouts has some sort of product that will help you enjoy those foods you might normally miss out on. I saw many allergy-friendly products here I have never seen before, and let me tell you, I'm pretty familiar with most diet-friendly foods. From a large assortment of non-dairy ice creams to grain-free cereals to gluten-free breads, you will surely find something tasty and doable with your restrictions.
7. There's a lot of wine.
Enough said. JK. But, Sprouts does have a large selection of alcoholic beverages for those of us twenty-one year olds. My store in Greenville had a wide variety of wine and IPA beer. They also seemed to have really good weekly specials on alcohol, so you can definitely make it affordable on your college budget.
If you haven't heard about a Sprouts Farmer's Market opening in your area, you should def check their store locator to make sure you aren't missing out. I promise you'll be glad you did.