IT IS OFFICIAL! We have begun our switch to a more clean and wholesome diet. So of course we started with Whole Foods Market, being in the Austin area it would be a bit weird not to start there, right? This was a test run and getting ideas on prices what they had to offer, and boy did they have a lot!
After doing some pre-emptive research we decided to stick to Non-GMO Project brands as well as brands we were familiar with and approved of. When it came to fresh produce and meats we stuck by what we normally keep on hand, that way we can see, well more like taste, the difference. Well we did splurge a little on two treats that we do not get often or ever.
We did not visit the original Whole Foods Market, but one that was more north. It was small but not crowded, so we were relieved. Our initial reaction was we loved how the produce was in your face as soon as you entered the doors, at least on the side we chose to enter. It was well set-up and very well marked so no guessing as to what was or the pricing. Did we mention it smelled so fresh? SO FRESH! In the produce section we ended up getting:
(all organic and mostly local)
1. Mushrooms
2. Baby Yellow Squash
3. Cucumbers
4. Tomatoes
5. Potatoes
6. Yellow Onions
7. Rainbow Carrots (just for fun)
8. Bananas
Moving our way through the store the next stop was the meat section. However before deciding on anything we took a stroll through the food aisles to see what those had to offer. We are still stocked well on dry ingredients since we are making a slow switch over, but it was nice to see the aisles and plan ahead for when we do need to replenish our dry food stock. From the food aisles we got:
1. Celestial Seasonings Black Tea and Chamomile Tea
2. 365 Everyday Value Coconut Water
3. C2O Coconut Water
4. Knox Gelatin
We are doing a taste test with the coconut waters and so far i think 365 will win, but more on that later. As for the gelatin, we have looked even deeper into the brand and will most likely no longer be buying it. If you have any suggestions as to a better brand, please let us know! We love sing gelatin plus it has tons of health benefits.
After exploring the food aisles we made our way back to the meat department and got down to business. Whole Foods has a rating scale so you know how your meat was farmed and processed know as the "5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating Standards". You can find out more about it on their website here. Being as I am not much of a meat eater nor do I know how to navigate a real department properly, I left this area to Mr. Custom Taste and just watched. From the meat department we got
1. 1 Pasture Raised Whole Chicken
2. 1 lb Ground Beef 91%Lean/9% Fat
3. 1 lb Swordfish Steak
4. 1 lb Pork Belly (Mr. CT's biggest wish come true)
For those of you who might not know what pork belly is, well it is essentially bacon. Just a slab of bacon. We chose to get a whole chicken because it can go a long way compared to just getting pieces of the chicken and almost always it more fiscally sound.
After the meat department it was a quick stop through dairy before heading to checkout. In the dairy aisles we stayed with 365 Everyday Value brand since it is all over the Non-GMO Project website as well as it is a Whole Foods, so it is local! We got:
1. 365 Eggs
2. 365 Unsalted Butter
3. 365 Low- Fat Plain Yogurt
You might be wondering how in the world butter is clean eating, well we be explaining that in later posts and new pages.
At check-out we were greeted by 2 lovely young women who were super friendly! Not too mention when you bring your own bag you get .10 deducted for each bag they have to use, so bring your own bags! Save some money and help the environment.
We did not visit the original Whole Foods Market, but one that was more north. It was small but not crowded, so we were relieved. Our initial reaction was we loved how the produce was in your face as soon as you entered the doors, at least on the side we chose to enter. It was well set-up and very well marked so no guessing as to what was or the pricing. Did we mention it smelled so fresh? SO FRESH! In the produce section we ended up getting:
(all organic and mostly local)
1. Mushrooms
2. Baby Yellow Squash
3. Cucumbers
4. Tomatoes
5. Potatoes
6. Yellow Onions
7. Rainbow Carrots (just for fun)
8. Bananas
Moving our way through the store the next stop was the meat section. However before deciding on anything we took a stroll through the food aisles to see what those had to offer. We are still stocked well on dry ingredients since we are making a slow switch over, but it was nice to see the aisles and plan ahead for when we do need to replenish our dry food stock. From the food aisles we got:
1. Celestial Seasonings Black Tea and Chamomile Tea
2. 365 Everyday Value Coconut Water
3. C2O Coconut Water
4. Knox Gelatin
We are doing a taste test with the coconut waters and so far i think 365 will win, but more on that later. As for the gelatin, we have looked even deeper into the brand and will most likely no longer be buying it. If you have any suggestions as to a better brand, please let us know! We love sing gelatin plus it has tons of health benefits.
After exploring the food aisles we made our way back to the meat department and got down to business. Whole Foods has a rating scale so you know how your meat was farmed and processed know as the "5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating Standards". You can find out more about it on their website here. Being as I am not much of a meat eater nor do I know how to navigate a real department properly, I left this area to Mr. Custom Taste and just watched. From the meat department we got
1. 1 Pasture Raised Whole Chicken
2. 1 lb Ground Beef 91%Lean/9% Fat
3. 1 lb Swordfish Steak
4. 1 lb Pork Belly (Mr. CT's biggest wish come true)
For those of you who might not know what pork belly is, well it is essentially bacon. Just a slab of bacon. We chose to get a whole chicken because it can go a long way compared to just getting pieces of the chicken and almost always it more fiscally sound.
After the meat department it was a quick stop through dairy before heading to checkout. In the dairy aisles we stayed with 365 Everyday Value brand since it is all over the Non-GMO Project website as well as it is a Whole Foods, so it is local! We got:
1. 365 Eggs
2. 365 Unsalted Butter
3. 365 Low- Fat Plain Yogurt
You might be wondering how in the world butter is clean eating, well we be explaining that in later posts and new pages.
At check-out we were greeted by 2 lovely young women who were super friendly! Not too mention when you bring your own bag you get .10 deducted for each bag they have to use, so bring your own bags! Save some money and help the environment.
Our bounty
If you are looking to start a change in your diet check out your local grocery stores that support local farmers and organics, NOW. Starting sooner than later never hurt anyone.
Comments
Post a Comment
Let us know how we are doing or what you would like to see!