16 Things You Should And Shouldn't Buy At Whole Foods

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Boasting a bevy of organic bounty, Whole Foods Market bills itself as a "source for good" (via Whole Foods), a warm-and-fuzzy claim to environmental stewardship and sustainability. However, while there's no doubt you can get a brilliant array of delicious, good-for-you-items at Whole Foods, there are some significant pitfalls, too. For starters, it's easy to sink your "whole paycheck" into Whole Foods' coffers, paying top buck for pantry staples and foods you can easily get elsewhere.

Whole Foods' posh and progressive ethos was also rocked by an overpricing scandal (via Business Insider) less than a decade ago, leading shoppers to justifiably question how above-board the chain really was. If you've been a Whole Foods skeptic since the scandal or are unwilling to drain your bank account for no good reason, you've come to the right spot. So let's separate fact from fiction with a no-holds-barred look at what's really a goldmine at Whole Foods and what's just overpriced, prettily-packaged hype.

Although it might look tempting with its jewel-toned rows of fresh veggies and mouthwatering prepared goodies, you should never buy from the salad bar at Whole Foods. According to Spoon University, Whole Foods prices its make-your-own salads at a whopping $8.99 per pound, living up to its not-so-flattering moniker "whole paycheck" (via Urban Dictionary). The oblivious and super-starving are easy prey for Whole Foods' salad bar, but savvy shoppers know to steer clear. Instead, pick up some basics and throw together a healthy meal on your own. Your bank balance will thank you.

If you must indulge in Whole Food's cash-sapping honeypot, do so wisely. As Budget Bytes points out, loading up on light greens and more buoyant — and thereby less costly — fare can save you big bucks at checkout. Since adding salad dressing is one sure-fire way to bulk up your order and thin out your wallet, add it at home.

You'll pay top dollar for meats at Whole Foods, with protein staples like chicken breast costing well over twice as much more per pound (via Whole Foods) there than virtually anywhere else (via Statista). Red meat also comes with a sky-high premium, with rib-eye steak clocking in at roughly $20 a pound at Whole Foods and far less at other supermarkets (via Eat Like No One Else), so what gives?

Whole Foods claims that it sells humanely-killed meat, an assertion vigorously challenged by PETA (via the Washington Post). Even if its claim of cruelty-free meat products were totally accurate, the prices are still out of sync with the market. Those looking to get sirloin or pork chops without a side of guilt have plenty of other options, like local farmer's markets (via Humaneitarian). The lesson here is to support the smaller farmers and get actual humanely-raised meat rather than pay top dollar for Whole Foods.

According to Organic Authority, Whole Foods got spanked for playing fast and loose with pre-packaged food prices back in 2018. While the upcharging and mislabeling might not be as egregious today, you should still avoid Whole Foods' pre-packaged food section whenever possible. As compared to a fellow high-end grocer, Wegmans, Whole Foods consistently comes up short for both single-serving foods and larger family-style fare in nearly every category.

For example, Wegmans' pre-packaged sushi is several dollars less than a similar product at Whole Foods. Prepared family-style salmon is also cheaper per pound at Wegmans than at Whole Foods. According to Digital Initiative, Wegmans swims in the same high-end pond as Whole Foods, but its pricing structure is deliberately and distinctively more pedestrian. For sheer budgetary reasons alone, stores like Wegmans make far more sense when you're scooping up pre-packaged, convenience items, and you won't sacrifice quality either.

Skip Whole Foods for go-to breakfast faves like eggs, unless you want to shell out top dollar for a humble 12-pack. Whole Foods' eggs cost is best described as confounding, with the New York Times noting that its "whole paycheck" nickname is still well-deserved in the pantry staple department. Although Whole Foods' eggs are organic, it doesn't justify the price tag, which tops $10 in many cases (via Whole Foods).

If you're yearning for some organic yolks, try Target instead, where the prices are nearly half as expensive. Whole Food's egg prices might leave you wondering if they came from a golden goose, but sadly, it just appears to be a considerable markup instead. So unless you're looking for specialty or pasteurized eggs, save your Whole Foods budget for more cost-effective and arguably better fare, and leave those sky-high-priced eggs to chill in the cooler instead.

According to PR Newswire, America's appetite for gluten-free fare continues to rise, meaning that there's more competition out there than ever before for big-box supermarkets to jockey for their position in the marketplace. Unfortunately, Whole Foods is not rising to the wheat-free challenge. Although Whole Foods has comparable prices on gluten-free freezer staples as opposed to other major stores like Target, it really falls flat in the pantry staple department.

For example, Whole Foods' quinoa holds a much heftier price tag than Trader Joe's product, begging the question of why this pearly product from the Andes (via The Guardian) is so highly prized at Whole Foods. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Whole Foods' quinoa is all that much better, but that higher pricing on certain goods is just par for the gluten-free course (via the Wall Street Journal). Lucky for consumers, there is no shortage of other, more cost-effective options.

Don't let the name deceive you! 365 Veggie Chips are not a healthy alternative to potato chips. In fact, according to NBC Miami, these chips are jam-packed with tons of calories and fat, making them the nutritional equivalent of potato chips. NBC Miami also points out that veggie chips tend to be loaded with sodium, even more so than potato chips. So while those rust-colored and green hues might be reminiscent of a healthy vegetable snack, the real thing is a lot less diet-friendly.

Generally speaking, veggie chips are also costlier than regular old potato chips (via NBC Miami), so when it all comes down to it, you're far better off investing in a bag of Lay's. Leave the 365 Veggie Chips on the shelf and head to Whole Foods' actual produce department for some fresh stuff that you can serve with a hearty homemade dip.

At over $12, Whole Foods' rotisserie chickens are much more expensive than those from other supermarkets like Costco, BJs, Sam's Club, and Publix (via CNN). Compared to Costco's similar rotisserie chicken, Whole Foods' version tends to be pretty underwhelming, but you can at least pat yourself on the back for buying a cruelty-free bird — or can you?

According to ProPublica, Whole Foods' rotisserie chicken might not be as humane as you think. They concluded that Whole Foods' organic bird came from a processing plant that handled non-organic, conventionally slaughtered factory-farmed meat. What's more, Whole Foods worked with several different facilities, many of which had a crossover with chicken giants like Perdue. Without the humane guarantee, Whole Foods' rotisserie chicken and chicken selection, in general, seems a lot more unattractive. Since you can get your rotisserie bird for about three times less at Costco, it makes sense to avoid Whole Foods for this one.

Whole Foods has a lot of great options for the kiddos, and you'd be forgiven for scooping up a few boxes of Annie's Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese on your next visit, but beware. According to Whole Foods, boxes of this organic kid fuel cost over a dollar more than at Target. Depending on how many hungry mouths you have to feed, this massive increase could result in spending your whole paycheck on munchies.

Instead, save your Whole Foods budget for other items, like the bulk section, that are actually cost-effective. While we may never know why Annie's Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese is so astronomically more expensive at Whole Foods, we can say that it's a bad idea to go down the organic boxed meal convenience food route — especially when other stores give you a significantly better deal.