Lifestyle
All of The Best Items at Whole Foods
All of The Best Items at Whole Foods
If you like purpose-driven grocery stores that sell high quality, fresh, trendy, sustainable, and nourishing products, Whole Foods Market is the store for you. As a college student, affording great food can be a bit difficult at times. This ranking of products will highlight Whole Foods Market's must-have-products, while also providing descriptions and prices for the products. So without further ado, in no particular order, here are all of the best items at Whole Foods Market.
365 Brand Ice Cream
Starting off strong with the frozen section, we have Whole Foods' own 365 brand ice cream pints. If you're reading this, chances are you've graced the frozen isles of your local Whole Foods once or twice; so you know just how many different brands and varieties of frozen desserts they have to offer. While virtually all of their ice creams are very tasty, some of them are a bit pricey. With single pints costing around an average of $5.99 at this market, 365 brand single pints are only $3.99. In comparison to their most expensive single pint brand selling for a whopping $8.99. 365 offers dairy and nondairy pints in multiple different flavors. With options like chocolate chip peanut butter swirl, coffee & donut, and berry Chantilly cake, they're near impossible to not finish in one sitting.
Brazi Bites
Go a little further down the freezer isle, and you'll find these Brazilian cheese bites. They're the size of ping-pong balls, and after heating them up in your (toaster) oven, they puff up and become crispy, gooey goodness. They have a variety of different flavors like cheddar, pizza, garlic & asiago, cinnamon churro, and even chicken & cheese empanadas. For $5.79, you can take home a bag of these gluten-free cheesy bread bites.
Pretzilla Soft Pretzel Bread
Why not continue our ranking of the best items at Whole Foods with another tasty bread? These addictive soft preztels come in bite size, hamburger bun size, and even hotdog bun size. If you aren't sold yet, let me give you some Pretzilla inspo: donut holes, salted honey pretzilla bites, vegan french toast, pizza monkey bread, fried chicken sandwich, and sliders. For only $3.39, you can forget about boring old buns, and grab a few bags of Pretzillas.
Tuscany Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
As an avid connoisseur of bow-tie pasta (aka farfalle), I can confidently say that Cucina Antica's Tuscany Pumpkin is my absolute favorite pasta sauce option. This sauce pairs well with harvest veggies and your favorite noodle (as pictured above). It would also be amazing with gnocchi, or maybe some fettuccine noodles with some fresh parmesan. Prime members can purchase a 24oz jar of this seasonal sauce for only $4.99.
Annie's Homegrown Pasta
Continuing with even more carbs, we have Annie's Homegrown pasta. You know, the boxed mac & cheese with a cute little bunny on front? Not only is their packaging on point, but their pasta is even tastier! They offer a variety of different pasta shapes like shells, elbow noodles, peace signs, and even bumble bees! Additionally, they have tons of different organic sauces like white cheddar, cheddar, alfredo, and much more. They even have vegan and gluten-free friendly options. Boxes range in prices starting around $2.19, and they're worth every penny.
Sir Kensington’s Ketchup
Speaking of mac & cheese, have you ever heard met someone that likes putting ketchup on their pasta? Let's put a pin in that conversation and save it for a later food debate. If you're typically not into ketchup because it's too sweet and sugary, I advise that you give this brand a try. It's more tangy than it is sweet, so your average ketchup brands don't even compare to Sir Kensington’s. A 20oz bottle begins at a price of $4.99, but I find that it is frequently on sale for less than $3.00. Warning- after trying, you might never go back to Heinz!
Justin's
Speaking of condiments, would you consider nut butter to be apart of that category? Well, whatever you categorize it as, Justin's really goes above and beyond in regards to this spreadable goodness. With so many different varieties, it's impossible to just try one. At Whole Foods Market, Justin's offers a variety of cashew butters, peanut butters, almond butters, and hazelnut butters. Now, I'll be the first to mention that this stuff isn't cheap (for example, a 16 oz jar of almond butter is $11.99) but Justin's doesn’t just pocket the money; this money goes toward mitigating the environmental impact of producing and packaging their products, as well as insuring that their practices are entirely sustainable. They also offer 16 oz peanut butters for $4.99-$6.99, 16 oz hazelnut butters for $11.99, and 1.15 oz packets of cashew butters for $0.57-$1.39 if you're not into almonds.
365 Trail Mixes
Trail-mix is such an easy and clean snack (compared to cheese puffs and chips with dip, anyways) that comes in so many different varieties and combinations. With choices ranging from chocolatey, to tropical, to peanut buttery, there's truly a blend for each craving. Essentially, there are more dessert-like options and more healthy options. The nuts and dark chocolate provide your brain with healthy fats and increased dopamine production that can fuel your study session. Additionally, the fruits provide you with antioxidants and vitamins to keep you alert and focused. With prices ranging from $6.99 for a 14oz bag, to $11.99 for a 32oz bag, and about a dozen different flavors to choose from, you'll have a hard time deciding which mix to buy first! I highly recommend The Midnight Double Feature, because it's loaded with peanut butter cups, dark chocolate, dried cherries, cashews, and almonds.
Prepared Foods
The hot bar area has deals for combos and meals all the time. Their menu is constantly being switched up, so you're sure to see something new pretty much every time you go. The best time to find good comfort food in the prepared foods section is during the holiday season! As shown in the picture above, there are tons of delicious and nutritious foods for you to bring home for your family for your holiday meals. You can find meals for one, two, a family of four, or even order catering services. There's also a sushi section, and a pizza section which are always offered. Due to the pandemic, everything is prepackaged and prepared for your convenience and safety. Prices vary depending on what entrées, sides, and combos you put together. Don't miss out- be sure to check out the prepared foods section each time you go!
Dessert Case
Time to switch gears over to the sweet section of Whole Foods. The pastry section of Whole Foods is truly magical, with treats like macarons, mousses, tarts, cannolis, cakes and many more lavish desserts. This beautiful display above is known as "the most delicious thing you've ever seen", according to Buzzfeed. Be sure to set aside some time to stare at this case longingly, because it will take you a while to decide which sweet treat you want to try first. To give you a taste of what you've been missing out on, here's a few specific things that might catch your eye: Tiramisu, Chantilly cake, vegan mousse, cookies and creme cupcakes, key lime tart, and pistachio cannolis. If those weren't enough to draw you in, that's ok! There are tons of other things to choose from; check it out for yourself to see what draws you in!
Better Bites
Finishing strong with more sweets, we have this allergen friendly brand. They make yummy little gluten and nut free, vegan treats. Some products they offer are dō bites, cake bites, cakes, and cupcakes in varying flavors. Better Bites does a very good job making their products taste good, while also keeping them guilt-free. The fact that they're gluten free and plant based does not negatively impact their flavor or texture, rest assured. A pack of dō bites or mini cupcakes, or a single large cupcake are all $6.99 each. At Whole Foods, the dō bites come in chocolate chip, birthday cake, or snickerdoodle, and the cupcakes are chocolate with coconut creme filling and coated in chocolate ganache. The Better Bites company takes pride in being free of the top eight allergens, while maintaining quality made desserts.