What would U buy @ Whole Foods for the first time as a raw foodie

[Susan123]

Okay- I'm not a raw foodie (as I've only gotten 6 days of eating raw under my belt), but still!! ;) I've shopped at WF occasionally (it's an hour away from me) as a Vegan so I know all the awesome food there is there...

So far on my shopping list--
Raw Buckwheat (thanks to Springtimes suggestion)
Nama Shoyshu (sp?) Raw soy sauce
Oat Groats
Some Raw crackers and/or granola

Obviously produce is good there, but I belong to a great organic foods co-op (and my fridge is about full) so I don't need a lot of produce at this point. What else do should I fill my cart with?? :confused: :confused: TIA for your help!!

[Colorawdo girl]

OOOOOO I love shopping at Whole Foods. Thankx for asking us to go! Oh and welcome too!

coconut oil.
goji berries
org bananas
Extra virgin olive oil
Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
Young coconut if you dont have them
and have room in the fridge
Raw Honey or Raw Agave
Nuts if truly raw(think they have some in raw section)
Raw Cacao powder
Vanilla
Cinnamon
Cayenne
Shredded coconut

Ok I will be by to pick up my order...hahaha Have a blast. I love shopping for fun stuff like these. Especially since grocery shopping used to be such a chore. Happy shopping!!!

[rkk]

In addition to the things already posted...

raw almond butter
raw tahini paste
raw sauerkraut/kimchi
flaxseed
flax oil with DHA
hempseed
a good greens powder
Larabars
raw kombucha

Just pick and choose what you think you'll actually eat. Otherwise if you randomly buy all the stuff, your bill might be $200-300. However, having a lot of this stuff on hand will really help you transition to raw foods. You might also really enjoy trying some stuff you never knew you liked. Just don't be too nervous if your bill is quite large this time.

[Colorawdo girl]

I like your list better..yum!!!

[Susan123]

RKK- Can you elaborate on these things below. I don't know what they are--




a good greens powder


raw kombucha

Just pick and choose what you think you'll actually eat. Otherwise if you randomly buy all the stuff, your bill might be $200-300. However, having a lot of this stuff on hand will really help you transition to raw foods. You might also really enjoy trying some stuff you never knew you liked. Just don't be too nervous if your bill is quite large this time.

I've done the "grab and go" and been surprised at the register before. :cool: I can get quite a few raw things at a great little NFS in my town, but going to WF is always a fun outing!!

[Jehote]

last week they had Amazing Grass greens superfood on sale from 28 down to 19!!! i bought one even though i didnt need it yet. just to good to pass up!

and! Peanut Butter Cookie Larabars....i cant buy them because i eat to many...but maybe you can eat them for me? :p
Matthew

[rkk]

Hi Susan,

Kombucha is a fermented drink that comes in various flavors. It has minimal alcohol content (less than 1%), but a great source of probiotics that is good for keeping a healthy balance in our colon. Since most of us here are raw vegans and don't eat things like yogurt .... raw kombucha and raw fermented veggies (like sauerkraut), miso etc are great ways for us to get our probiotics in. Kombucha is made from a tea in which some kind of culture is added. Some of the brands that are sold in WF are labeled as raw.

As far as the greens powder goes, I didn't specify a brand. But there are a few brands you can find either at WF or at another health food store. One of the most common brands that people seem to like is a greens powder called Vitamineral Green. However, recently I haven't seen this at WF, and they have another brand called 'Amazing Grass: Greens Superfood'. (I am currently using this brand, and it tastes quite good blended into fruit smoothies.) There is a 3rd brand called Barlean's Greens, though I have never tried that brand and do not know if it is raw. Green powders are a good way to get in additional minerals and enzymes.

[Susan123]

last week they had Amazing Grass greens superfood on sale from 28 down to 19!!! i bought one even though i didnt need it yet. just to good to pass up!

and! Peanut Butter Cookie Larabars....i cant buy them because i eat to many...but maybe you can eat them for me? :p
Matthew

Matthew- I seem to have the same problem with Larabars!! I need to limit myself to only one per day, but some days that's HARD!!


Hi Susan,

Kombucha is a fermented drink that comes in various flavors. It has minimal alcohol content (less than 1%), but a great source of probiotics that is good for keeping a healthy balance in our colon. Since most of us here are raw vegans and don't eat things like yogurt .... raw kombucha and raw fermented veggies (like sauerkraut), miso etc are great ways for us to get our probiotics in. Kombucha is made from a tea in which some kind of culture is added. Some of the brands that are sold in WF are labeled as raw.

As far as the greens powder goes, I didn't specify a brand. But there are a few brands you can find either at WF or at another health food store. One of the most common brands that people seem to like is a greens powder called Vitamineral Green. However, recently I haven't seen this at WF, and they have another brand called 'Amazing Grass: Greens Superfood'. (I am currently using this brand, and it tastes quite good blended into fruit smoothies.) There is a 3rd brand called Barlean's Greens, though I have never tried that brand and do not know if it is raw. Green powders are a good way to get in additional minerals and enzymes.

Wow!! thanks for all the information, rkk! I used to buy some Vegan Probiotic chocolate bars here and there and I'm sure I need to get back into Probiotics as I haven't had yogurt (or anything fermented in a LONG time!!). I spent some time in Korea while I was in the Air Force and I really liked Kimchi while I was there. I hope they have some raw kimchi at WF!!

[pixie_333]

guys... whole foods is a total rip off!!!!!!!!! they are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooo expensive!!! seriously... even if you're rich i'd avoid buying most stuff there.

vanilla beans cost 5 bucks for one or two beans. go to ebay and you can get 10-20 beans for about that price!!

flax seed oil and all super foods is over priced. for spirulina it cost 60 there for less than a pounds worth... go online and can get it for 25 approx for a pound!
flaxseed oil i've seen cheaper in some healthfood stores by a few bucks.

the herbs there cost 1-4 dollars more than other stores.

i went there just over a month ago and all i bought was cold pressed olive oil, whole foods brand of sun dried tomatos, over priced dill weed, cooked grape seed oil (by mistake) and seeds and other stuff in bins. OH and a bunch of seeds to plant my own herbs and veggies!!!
but i heard the seeds may not be raw there.... oh and i got very ill in the stomach from eating their raw pumkin seeds!!!! i made a post about that here.

coconut oil if found on sale is a good deal... and regular prices are average.

save some money! ;)

[pixie_333]

btw... "Nama Shoyshu (sp?) Raw soy sauce" it isn't raw!

[Colorawdo girl]

Whole foods-paying for the ambience perhaps?

Fun fun fun..all about the fun and WF is soooo much fun.....I feel grateful to have a whole foods to go to and so grateful to be making the best food choices there....sooooooooooooooo I see the whole food trip as PURE JOY!

Where do you live? I will come shop with you and get you all set up...woohhhhhoooo...ooops I cant today.Off to NYC for MORE PURE JOY at Bonobos for a four course meal and amazing program on abundance!!! (going to need it for more WF shopping..heeheee)

Hoppy day to you..it is hip hop hapnin for you!!!

[sprouts2go]

When I first went raw I went to WFS and tossed all kinds of stuff in the cart. Only to find out I had no idea what to do with some of it. Don't go overboard. Know what you plan to make and start simple. I am still only 2 months into it and have been more careful about what I buy. That being said I would start with:
Kale for smoothies and crisps

Collard greens for wraps and crisps

parsly for drinks and meals

greens for your salads

Strawberries because your regular store will have pesticdes on them unless they sell organic

organic apples

fruits for smoothies and desserts.

mangos are a must but check the regualr store prices first
dried unsulphured mango( you need both to make a nice mango pudding or ice cream):D

sprouts for your salads and smoothies until you start making your own

mejool dates!!!! for adding to almond milks,puddings and sauces (remove pits first)

tomatoes whole and unsulphered dried

some nuts but hey don't don't go crazy here nuts cost a lot and do go bad. If you plan to make lots of nut milks then buy enough for the week.

maple syrup I get grade B because it has more nutrition to it

raw honey local if possible

and ginger

okay that's all I can think of.
But again if you don't know what you are gonna do with it buy it next time after you find a recipe or idea. Buying ahead means it might go bad before you use it :p

[RawHeaven]

I were shopping @ WF I'd buy lots of organic avocados, greens, fruits. They actually do have great avos and citrus fruits. Their oranges are usually very sweet, fresh and yummy.

[T-Bird]

I buy almost nothing at whole foods.....do buy some conventional stuff for the teens.


I am thankful to have found 2 small grocers who stock organic produce at a fraction of the WF prices. I have to drive around a bit, but still - i have to drive to wf anywya too!

DO NOT buy their bulk nuts = they are not raw.

sunflower and flax seeds I have successfully sprouted......

Yeah - that's what I buy at whole foods......organic flax seed and sunflower seeds from the bulk section. Those prices seem ok to me.



raw almond butter
raw tahini paste
raw sauerkraut/kimchi

These I make myself. get the almond and sesame online from a raw food site and just grind in the fp carefully - make sure you don't cook it!

Sauer kraut is pretty easy. I haven't seen organic cabbage in a while but hopefully soon.

[kaybee]

um yeah guys thats why we used to call it "whole paycheck" in college.. :cool: , lol


i used to go there for the stuff that was on sale and for a specific olive oil that appeared raw (napa valley naturals but now there is controversy over whether it is actually raw)... i found that the standard greens, parsley, cilantro etc were the same price as the coop, and i woudl have rather spent my money at the coop but when the stuff at WF was fresher, i would get it from there. I think their prices are OK on regular greens and on other stuff thats on special, but the rest of their produce, especially their fruit is way overpriced, and alot of it is conventional anyway and you could get it for far cheaper at a regular grocery store.

That said, are still a few items i would go to wholefoods for--ours carried artisana coconut BUTTER which is truly raw and much better than the coconut oils. The Artisana Cacao bliss is worth getting too. also, i used to get miso there (not raw but live and in alot of RF recipes), and nutritional yeast in bulk (again not raw but in alot of RF recipes.) their bulk seeds are OK, and grains, if they are raw, but other than these things I have found better prices and i would rather give my money to Natural Zing or The Date People or Mountain Rose Herbs anyway. Or to the local coop.

I would be careful about "raw" nut butters... even if they saw "raw" they probably arent. Artisana coconut butter , cacao bliss, and amazon bliss and i think tahini is truly raw, but i dont know about the others. Most other tahinis arent raw and most almond butter will have been made with pasteurized almonds. so just beware.

The thing I found WF best for was eating my way through the store for lunch, with all the free samples (although some stuff wasnt raw)

[pixie_333]

rawheaven... i never shopped at your store but did frequently in san diego and other southern cali stores starting in the 90's and there was a cool vibe to it. i'd only buy certain things because it was super expensive as it is still to day.
all the money one can save by not shopping there or just selective things... you can buy yourself a plane ticket to visit another country and eat their fruits there!
whole foods are a bunch of money hungry cons. i don't care to support people like that and small businesses need us more and often have a better vibe to it. depending where you go.

they opened a WF's in mason ohio outside of cincinnati and it's a total bad vibe. they won't sell herbs and spices in bins/jars there and the store they bought off did.
i don't plan to go back unless i want to get seeds in the bins. my mom taught me well on how to save money at grocery stores etc. sure i buy expensive things... but it's totaly degrading and insulting for what whole foods does except for those who don't mind it what they do.

[Aasyah]

I have never been to Whole Foods, just the website :rolleyes::p there is one in my area quite a drive, maybe will make a trip when i am in that area again. sounds like a interesting place to shop. MMMMM on my official first visit (lol lol lol) i would purchase:

Agave Nectar
Wheatgreass
Mejool dates
Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseeds
Larabars (i am hooked on them):eek: lol lol

Peace & Love

[Blazin'Jane]

I have mixed feelings aabout WF, which I go to every time we drive the 2 hours to St. Louis. On the one hand, they have a broad selection of many things. I like to shop for cosmetics and body care things there, just because there's such a good variety. I like to browse through the books, and I buy some bulk items and young coconuts that I can't get at home.
On the other hand, many of their produce is not organic, is is expensive. I can't get raw carob there, which is very annoying, andthier raw almond buter is outrageously priced.
Moral --be careful. If you have a cozy little hfs in your area, they probably work hard to get things in that folks want and appreciate. I'm slow to lobby for a big conglomerate to come in and wipe them out. (Witness the demise of som many fine book stors in the lasst few years.)
I agree -- a trip to WF is fun, but I think of it more as a place to get some fun ideas to suggest to my local merchant, whom I very much appreciate and want to keep in business!

[Susan123]

I went on Saturday and it was a nice trip. On my way there I stopped at my local NFS and spent $70 so I hadn't planned on doing any BIG spending at WF!!

After we finished our lunch (pizza for the kids, salad for me) they had a kids craft decorating cupcakes (they weren't Vegan I'm sure so my kids got to eat my MD gift). Then on to the shopping... Some things I bought were actually less expensive at WF rather than my NFS. Raw soy sauce (which may or not be raw, but I'm not splitting hairs over soy sauce) was $2 less and mung beans were avail in bulk WAY less than the packaged variety.

I was also able to get some raw soup, crackers and "cookies" so that alone was worth it!! That and I stocked up on my Larabars!! :D

[pixie_333]

cool glad it worked out for you.

[sprouts2go]

Our WFS does not have any premade raw foods. They did ask me what they could get as they had a few inquires. I am to new to answer those questions.
I would like raw sauerkraut for the B12 vitamin. Right it is in fermented foods right?