Sometimes, the little things in life can be the most frustrating. One thing that people find irritating is opening plastic bags at the grocery store. Whether it’s for meat, produce, or even regular grocery bags, it is still challenging to open them. So here’s the step-by-step guide on how to separate plastic grocery bags.
Here’s how to separate plastic grocery bags: Though finger-licking is a common approach to separate plastic grocery bags, it is very unhygienic. Instead, hold the top corners of the bag between your finger and then clap or rub your hands together.
However, you might also be interested in knowing what other tricks can be used to open a plastic grocery bag in a store. And why do they stick together in the first place?
There’s much more to know about opening plastic bags, and I’ll answer all of these questions and more.
Just keep reading!
How do you open a plastic grocery bag without licking your fingers?
Those little plastic bags can be a real pain to open.
And it seems like the only way to get them open is by using your damp fingertips to do so. If there’s no water nearby, you may be tempted to lick your fingers. Sometimes, it may even be an almost reflexive act because you’ve done it so often you may not even think about it when you do it.
Licking your fingers to open a plastic bag is also a great way to get sick and spread germs, isn’t it? You’ve been touching the grocery cart that hasn’t been cleaned in, for who knows how long. Touching the products that other people have touched repeatedly could be another menace.
Besides, you’ve been touching produce that hasn’t been washed yet. And then you’re going to go around touching other things people will purchase. And now you’ve picked out some beautiful apples, and you need to put them in the produce bag.
So what do you do?
Do not lick your fingers because we are going to introduce you to some feasible and hygienic tricks to open a plastic bag.
If you’re in produce and you see a nearby refrigerated case with a mister system, go for it! The moisture on the case is a lot better than licking your fingers.
But the tricks below will help you open plastic grocery bags. These methods will work for any plastic bag, whether it’s for produce, meat, or your groceries.
Yesterday I saw a man opening one of those plastic bag for vegetables by licking his finger. pic.twitter.com/tZX3GdQRhZ
Step-by-step guide on how to separate plastic grocery bags
The clap method
With the clap method, there is no finger-licking involved, but it can be a little tricky to master. So, if you don’t mind practicing and looking a little silly at first, this is a good one to try.
Hold the top corner of the bag in between your index finger and your middle finger. It should be a pretty good-sized corner – about 2 or 3 inches.
Shape the palm of your hand into a bowl shape.
Now clap, 2 or 3 times. This will force air into the bag and open up that corner. Just grab the open edge and give it a good shake or blow in it to fully open up the bag.
This is a pretty straightforward method, but as I said, you will look a little silly. You’ll also make a lot of noise, possibly disturbing other shoppers.
The rubbing method
Similar to the clap method, but less noisy, the rubbing method can also be a little tricky to master. But at least you won’t look silly, and you won’t disturb other shoppers.
Again, you’ll hold the top part of the bag between your index finger and middle finger. Pull it tight and hold in place between your ring finger and pinky.
Rub the opening of the bag 2 to 3 times to separate it from itself.
Viola. Open bag. Blow in it or give it a good shake to separate it and open it fully.
Pinch and rub
This method is the easiest, and the one I recommend. The best part is that it can be done with one hand. So you can open the bag without putting down those beautiful apples you picked out.
Hold the top of the bag between your thumb and a finger – I like to use my middle finger.
While pinching your fingers together, rub them together in opposite directions or tight circles. The friction will separate the bag from itself.
Easy peasy. This is my favorite because there’s no noise and it can be done with one hand.
At the grocery store.
Cant seperate the veggie plastic bag opening.
Lick fingers subconsciously to get grip.
Realise i just became a statistic. pic.twitter.com/9TmvqaGF9m
Have you ever tried rubbing a balloon against your hair? If you have, you know that it makes your hair stand up. This is due to static electricity. Your hair and the balloon possess opposite charges and are therefore attracted to one another.
Plastic bags stick together because of static electricity. (source) The bags pick up a small electrical charge. This is usually caused by rubbing against some other surface. In the case of plastic bags, it could be the conveyor belt or any other surface at the manufacturing plant. When they pick up opposite charges, they’ll attract.
More specifically, and most likely, it’s Van der Waals force causing the bags to stick together.
Van der Waals force is a type of static electrical energy that can cause neutral objects to stick together. Primarily, the plastic molecules are attracted to one another at close distances. Because of the large surface area in contact, the bags are most sticky when they are perfectly flattened or rolled together from the manufacturer.
You can use any one method I talked about in the above section. Make a bowl shape with your palms and clap your hands together while holding on to the corner of the produce bag.
You can also hold the bag taught at the open end, and rub your hands together.
Both of these methods may get you some unwanted attention at the grocery store. So among all the ways how to separate plastic grocery bags: a step-by-step guide, I would recommend the pinch and rub method unless you don’t mind getting some side-eye from other shoppers.
The easiest way to open produce bags is to use the pinch and rub method. Pinch the top of the bag, and rub your fingers together in opposing directions. You can opt to rub in circles if that’s your thing. This rubbing motion will create the friction necessary to separate the layers of the produce bag from itself.
While you are hanging out in the produce department, working on getting that bag open, consider how many departments are in a grocery store. You’d be surprised at all of the different departments!
Of course, there’s produce, but there’s also meat and seafood departments, the health and beauty department, and the bakery. Many grocery stores even have hot food with dine-in seating.
I wrote this recent article that gives details about all of the different departments. The produce department isn’t the only place with those pesky little bags. Many meat departments have them, too!
Just click on the link to read it on my website!
Because who likes meat juice on their produce? No one, right? Just click the link to read it on my site.
You can use any one method I talked about in the above section.
Also, you can clap your hands together while holding on to the corner of the produce bag. Besides, you can also hold the bag taught at the open end, and rub your hands together.
Both of these methods may get you some unwanted attention at the grocery store. So I would recommend the pinch and rub method unless you don’t mind getting some side-eye from other shoppers.
Just like with the produce bags, the easiest way is also the quickest way. That is the pinch and rub method. Pinch the top of the bag, and rub your fingers together in opposing directions. You can opt to rub in circles if that’s your thing.
Blow in it or give it a good shake to open it completely.
Final Thoughts
Plastic grocery bags, whether they are produce bags, meat bags, or the bags you bring your groceries home in, can be little devils. In this article, I talked about why they stick together. I also explained how to separate plastic grocery bags: a step-by-step guide using simple methods.
How do you prefer to open grocery bags?
Do you like to let everyone in the store know you are opening them by clapping? Or do you prefer being more discrete and use the pinch and rub method? Do not forget to blow in it to open it completely.
Ever wondered what makes a grocery store different from a supermarket? I wrote this recent article to answer this question. Just click the link to read it on my site.
Being a Shopper for Instacart or any other grocery delivery service has its pros and cons. The flexibility to work when and where you want is great. But one bad customer can sour that quickly. So both Shoppers and customers sometimes wonder can Instacart shoppers rate customers?
Can Instacart Shoppers rate customers? No. Instacart does not have an official rating system to allow their contracted employee Shoppers to rate customers. However, Instacart Shoppers can choose what customers and orders they want to take. They can also decline orders with a low tip.
Ultimately, though nothing is preventing an Instacart shopper from keeping track of both great or terrible customers. They just can’t place their opinions about that customer in the Instacart system.
But they can track that information personally and then use it to accept or decline future orders. So a friendly customer who tips 20% will almost assuredly have that Shopper wanting to work with them again.
But let’s dig in a little deeper and see exactly what Shoppers and customers alike can do to help each other make this more of a win-win.
Ready to apply with Instacart and see how much you could make?
CLICK HERE to fill out your application now on the Instacart website!
Do customers get rated on Instacart?
While there is no official way to rate a customer, shoppers have the right to identify good and bad customers from previous experiences.
Based on how frequent you deliver to a customer in your area, it should be reasonably easy for Instacart shoppers to rate the customers. While you’re likely going to remember the customer name of someone exceptionally awesome or outstandingly rude, a simple notepad app can help you keep track of them too.
Then, as I noted above, Instacart Shoppers do have the right to say yes or no to any order or any customer.
Since many customers place a tip directly in the app, Shoppers can also see the tip involved for an order and could also accept or decline an order based on a low or great tip also.
Can Instacart Shoppers choose what orders or customers they take?
Yes, is the short answer.
It would be unfair to pay a $3.50 tip to a Shopper who spent 45 minutes at the grocery store. If a customer lives five miles or more from the grocery store and only wants $70 worth of groceries, shoppers might feel it will not be worth the effort if the tip is only 5%.
Shoppers have up to 30 seconds to decide if they want to accept or decline any order. The Instacart agreement clearly states that a Shopper is free to do so.
Orders are not only declined for low tips but also tips that seem too good to be true.
Tip baiting is when customers place great tips in the Instacart app to attract a shopper. After delivery, the customer reduces the tip or eradicates it. What makes it more frustrating for Shoppers is that before June 2020, there was no minimum tip required.
There was a “none” option for giving tips. Instacart has since removed that option.
Want to know more about tipping a shopper? Here’s my recent article on how much it is reasonable to tip your shopper and why. I will also cover how you can tilt your shopper in the app if you want them to leave the delivery at the door.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Instacart has recently addressed the tip baiting, and they finalize the tips within 24 hours instead of three days. Three days to decide on a tip was ridiculous anyway.
They need a minimum of a 5% tip to confirm the order and proceed further. The Instacart algorithm does penalize Shoppers for turning down a request, though. Shoppers sometimes have to wait up to an hour for a new job to be available if they decline one.
Ultimately, This can cause them to have fewer hours than agreed on or prematurely end their shift.
@Instacart you only delivered half of our 24 pack! Only option I saw on your site to remedy the problem was rate the driver poorly 🙁 pic.twitter.com/HUXx9sObUn
Shoppers can complain about customers. But that doesn’t always mean Instacart is going to take action.
If a customer is extremely rude to a Shopper, then that warrants a complaint. Shoppers have families and are risking themselves to provide great convenience. They should not be forced to tolerate rudeness or harassment from customers.
But a gruff customer is not the same thing as one who harasses or misleads an Instacart Shopper.
Customers, who lie about missing items or falsely accuses you of stealing, will be reported. If a Shopper is a victim of tip baiting, then they have the right to refuse any other orders from that customer.
Instacart Shoppers should also provide feedback to Instacart Support, so they are aware of the fraud.
Low tips, however, are not valid for complaints. A customer has to pay a minimum of 5% of the total cost of their order. Customers who feel they weren’t satisfied with a shopper can decide to pay that 5% and no more.
Sometimes, the customers might not pay the Shopper more than the 5% if they weren’t satisfied with a substitute item or items were damaged.
As a customer, you know Instacart markups can be very high, depending on the store.
$80 worth of groceries can easily cost you well over $100 when all the taxes and fees are added. Here’s my recent article on why Instacart charges more than the store.
What really surprised me was which stores Instacart marks up by 25% compared to others. Just click that link to read it on my site.
What happens when an Instacart Shopper complains about you?
If there are constant, valid complaints about a customer, their account are flagged. If fraud such as tip baiting has occurred, then shoppers can submit a ticket to close the customer’s account. A representative would file another ticket to review later.
Actions are taken depending on what the offense is. Keep reading to get the details!
A customer can open another account, but using the same credentials will immediately send a red flag to Instacart. To avoid losing the convenience of Instacart, customers must be fair to Shoppers.
For Instacart Support to take any action, the shopper’s complaint must be valid.
The Shoppers must have proof like the receipts to show that all items requested were purchased. False claims against customers can have a Shopper’s account deactivated as well.
As a customer whose house or apartment is a health hazard to the Shopper, you can be blocked. Or, as we’ve discussed above, any activity from the customer that is intentionally deceptive or fraudulent could lead to a ban.
If the shopper feels harassed by the customer, he has the authority to request and block the customer.
In a Medium post, Instacart stated that customers who regularly deceive shoppers with tip baiting would be banned from the platform.
Got banned from using Instacart delivery?
If so, try Instacart Pickup. Although depending on your offense you may need to use a different email address. Not sure how to go about it? Check out my recent articlefor details on this. This is a great way to use e-coupons, and I’ll show you how!
Just click that link to read it on my site
Final Thoughts
In this article, you learned that Instacart shoppers couldn’t rate customers in the app, but they can decline any order they think is unreasonable.
If you’re a customer who has been paying only the 5% tip, you might want to consider adding a little more on delivery. Most Instacart Shoppers put in a lot of effort to provide you the best services.
And tips provide them with a huge chunk of their income.
I also talked about how and why can shoppers complain about a customer. You learned that tip baiting could get you blocked permanently from the service. As a customer, you should be fair when deciding on the tip. Consider the hassle the shopper will go through on your behalf.
Remember, you can always use Instacart Pickup if delivery is unsafe or unavailable in your area!
Walmart is among America’s cheapest grocery stores, but when using Instacart to do their delivery, the total cost becomes a little expensive. Depending on your area, you might have the option to save loads more with another grocery delivery service. Check out my recent article on Walmart deliveries through DoorDash.
The article is a must-read if you want to save money!
Ready to apply with Instacart and see how much you could make?
CLICK HERE to fill out your application now on the Instacart website!
The Grocery Store Guy, part of the Middle Class Dad family of websites, is reader-supported and when you make a purchase through some of my links, I may earn a small commission from the sale, which in no way increases the cost to you. Learn more HERE.
Whole Foods is a successful supermarket chain and the world’s largest retailer of organic foods. ShopRite is another US grocery chain that is preferred for its low prices and big sales. However, it raises a debate as to which is better – Whole Foods vs ShopRite?
When comparing Whole Foods vs ShopRite, Whole Foods is better for those seeking quality fresh organic produce, where quality is a priority over price. But for buyers on a budget, and the not so health-conscious, ShopRite wins as the better grocery chain.
However, there is more to this debate.
For instance, whether ShopRite sells organic products like Whole Foods? Or if they sell liquor and wines? Or whether ShopRite is actually cheaper than Whole Foods?
With over two decades as a food industry expert, I’ll share what my experience has revealed.
Read on to find out the details!
Is shopping at Whole Foods expensive?
Yes, Whole Foods is among the most expensive grocery stores. As a Whole Foods shopper, you already know that the quality of their products is reasonable for the price.
There are currently 500 locations and the brand is well known for its high-quality products. Besides, it has a variety of specialty food items that are not found in local convenience stores. It can be frustrating to find food for certain dietary needs at local grocery stores and they fill that gap. Let’s take a closer look at this!
Whole Foods has pesticide-free, organic produce that is purchased from local farmers.
They carry a wide selection of hard to find gluten-free and allergy-safe items. They promote healthy eating and ethical growth of produce. If all that isn’t worth the price, I don’t know what is. But wait, there’s more!
Why Whole Foods costs more is debatable. However, prices did drop significantly after Amazon bought them. Check out my recent article on exactly where Whole Foods is still more expensive AND where they are the most competitive.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Only one of these Dragon Fruits is USDA organic💪😍💖 Get our organic packs at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, Kroger, ShopRite, and more💖 #Pitaya#Organic#DragonFruit#PitayaFoods
Yes. ShopRite actually carries a variety of natural and organic products. You can find products like meat, dairy, and produce in their organic section.
ShopRite is the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States and has 318 locations.
ShopRite’s organic brand, Wholesome Pantry carries products that are USDA certified. Not all Wholesome Pantry products are organic but they are free from 110 artificial ingredients. They also have organic snack varieties like gluten-free popcorn.
ShopRite has pasture-fed beef, pork, and poultry available.
They have butchers that can dress your desired cut of meat. If you’re a meat-lover this recent article is a must-read!
I’ll share my expert view on the best steaks and the grocery stores that have them. You’ll learn to compare the price and quality of organic beef versus grain-fed. Let’s make your next steak purchase the best one!
However, the quality at Whole Foods vs ShopRite, tilts towards the former, as they have better hygiene practices in place.
In 2017, ShopRite locations in Philadelphia were approved to sell wines by the PA Liquor Control Board. Since then, many other locations have been able to sell wine. You can find popular types such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, and Pinot Noir.
Their website actually has a list of over 90 best-rated wines.
ShopRite also has a wine gift shop where you can get packages for special occasions. It’s worth mentioning that these packages are often out of stock close to Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day.
The packages are either wine and chocolate baskets or paired wine. They also give free advice on wine and food pairings. The website covers pasta, specialty foods, meat, seafood, and a few others. This is especially helpful if you’re new to wines.
Now while they may sell wine, only a handful also sell liquor.
If you’re curious, my recent articlegoes into detail on the states that allow grocery stores to sell liquor. You’ll be surprised at how much you didn’t know about liquor laws. I’ll go into detail on state-owned liquor stores, alcohol restrictions, and much more!
Whole Foods and ShopRite both have a large presence in the grocery industry but Whole Foods have a long-standing reputation of offering the best produce. Read on to find out more!
Even those who are loyal to ShopRite mention that their apples are sometimes bruised and have brown spots. Produce is not restocked consistently and at the right times so customers are sometimes forced to choose from the little that is left.
ShopRite is open 24 hours so you would expect them to at least restock during low traffic hours.
Produce at Whole Foods is always fresh and beautifully displayed. They have high standards for accepting produce from local farmers so customer satisfaction is guaranteed.
Customers rave about their organic produce. That’s worth the extra cost if you ask me. With the largest selection and best quality, I conclude that Whole Foods have better produce than ShopRite, hands down.
However, it’s worth noting that both Whole Foods Market and ShopRite made the 10 Healthiest Grocery Stores list in Women’s Health.
$30 of whole plant-based foods bought in Sacramento, CA. healthy eating isn’t expensive, you just have to be mindful❤️ pic.twitter.com/PKQjsisiya
The short answer is yes, ShopRite is cheaper. We’ll take a closer look at them below.
ShopRite has many brands that are inexpensive. Products with artificial ingredients will always be cheaper and ShopRite is not short on those. Unlike Whole Foods, the majority of ShopRite’s products are commonly found in your local grocery store.
Most items at ShopRite are not organic, not all-natural, and not non-GMO.
So again, which grocer is better depends on your wants, needs, and preferences. Whole Foods Market is the clear winner in the quality of food and ingredients. ShopRite is clearly geared towards the budget-conscious shopper who is less concerned about the quality of ingredients.
At Whole Foods, you can get manufacturers coupons but ShopRite’s Super Coupon offers a bigger saving.
Customers can also add their Super Coupon with a manufacturer coupon. ShopRite offers a 5% discount to seniors 62 years and older. Customers get their weekly coupon ads in the mail but the discount days vary by store. Customers that sign up for their Price Plus Card get further discounts that are tagged on items in the store.
The question to yourself should be whether a low price amounts to quality food. I think not.
By my reasoning, ShopRite is cheaper but certainly not better than Whole Foods. Now you might want to compare Whole Foods with another top competitor, such as Sprouts.
To briefly sum up what I discussed, ShopRite is a decent store for shoppers who are not very health conscious. And also for people on a budget.
Whole Foods, on the other hand, benefits anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle, with a wide variety of products. Besides, they promote the ethical growth of meat and produce and support local farmers.
Additionally, we took a peek at the wine selection at ShopRite and the special wine packages they offer. After a close examination, I learned that the prices at Whole Foods are worth paying when compared to exceptional products and services. Moreover, ShopRite has been lacking in maintaining hygiene and guaranteeing customer satisfaction.
The final choice between Whole Foods vs ShopRite lies with you, though.
Instacart is the #1 grocery store delivery company. The service is convenient and affordable, as they all kinds of groceries to your doorstep. But as a new customer, you might be wondering can Instacart deliver ice cream.
Yes, Instacart does deliver ice cream in addition to all other types of frozen and refrigerated food items. You can find a variety of brands and flavors on the Instacart app or choose a specific one from your favorite grocer. To prevent melting, Instacart uses coolers and insulated bags.
But despite their efforts, there are chances that the ice cream may still melt. So will that count as a damaged product and will you get a refund for this?
Keep reading to know more about this, and I’ll also compare Instacart with its counterparts.
If you live 5 miles from the store, getting ice cream delivered is probably not the best idea. Standard Instacart deliveries take more than an hour, so consider that before ordering.
Your shopper might take a while to find your items, but this isn’t a big concern. Instacart has a nifty feature in the app that lets you prioritize items. You can always make your shopper know to get the ice cream last, and maybe you won’t get ice cream ‘soup.’
However, if your shopper has more than one order to deliver, your ice cream could stay out longer. And while they do use coolers and insulated bags to help protect perishable items, these aren’t the same as your grocer’s freezer.
So melted ice cream is possible from Instacart.
Technology is amazing!! I was FT with my mom and she made a pie but my dad ran out of ice cream and said he was going to the store which obvi isn’t safe for a 73 year old man rn so I got an @Instacart delivery in less than an hour and now he has ice cream 🙌🏾😂 pic.twitter.com/YEkGpxIru9
— Innocent Until Proven Black (@assilanedyah) July 12, 2020
Does ice cream melt with Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Instacart delivery?
After comparing these three delivery services, my conclusion is that there’s a high chance that your ice cream will melt. But before you panic, they do try their best to deliver items in good condition. Let’s take a look at them separately.
DoorDash has partnered with a few well-known brands like Baskin Robbins and Dairy Queen.
The downside is that the shopper might have to wait on the order and then wait at other restaurants if you ordered more items. You also can’t order whipped cream on anything as it tends to melt fast.
A common question is if DoorDash delivers for Walmart.
The short answer is yes, but check out my recent article to know all the details. It covers all the benefits of using DoorDash to shop at Walmart.
Go check it out. It has lots of perks! Just click that link to read it on my site.
Uber Eats has ‘stashes’ of ice cream at gas stations and local convenience stores. This way, they can choose the stores closer to you, lowering the chance of melting.
The only downside is that this may not be available in every state. So, you must check their website for eligible deliveries. Uber Eats also has a large variety of restaurant partners, and they all provide insulated bags to keep items hot or cold.
Instacart also shares the above similarities, so it all depends on how far the shopper has to travel with the ice cream. But how many other deliveries they are making at the same time is a factor also.
Does Instacart use coolers & how do they keep food cold?
Yes. Instacart uses coolers. My research shows that Instacart places great emphasis on food safety. Let’s take a look at their food storage requirements below.
An essential requirement for Instacart Shoppers (their contracted employees) is to have an insulated bag.
Shoppers also use ice and frozen gel packs, depending on the required temperature for transportation. They are required to complete and pass a food safety test on their app.
They even get a badge, and this proves they are well educated on proper food storage. With several years of working in the food services industry, I understand the importance of this and appreciate the effort.
However, it’s worth noting that unlike a professional delivery service with branded delivery trucks, Instacart relies on the so-called gig economy.
This means that Instacart’s contracted employees simply drive their own vehicles. No one will have an actual refrigerated or frozen cooler in their vehicle the same way big delivery companies do in their trucks.
Don’t want to risk melted ice cream delivered to you and hour or more after you wanted it?
Don’t sweat it. You can still use Instacart to get ice cream without having to walk into a store! In my recent article on Instacart Pickup, I get into everything from finding available stores to e-coupons. But I also spell out exactly how the pickup process works.
Delivery charges may change depending on your state. Some Instacart stores have markups, and others don’t, so this does affect your overall cost.
Once you spend more than $35 and choose their regular delivery option, the fee will be $5.99. For delivery in an hour or less, the fee is $7.99.
If you are using the service often or have a family of 3 or more, I recommend getting the express membership for $149. The benefits are free delivery over $35, and you pay no extra fees while shopping from numerous stores.
Another thing worth mentioning is that there is a service fee listed on the website.
It is not a tip for your shopper. Instacart states it helps to operate the service. Tipping is different and 100% of the tip goes to the Instacart Shopper who delivers your order. And you can do it right from the app, although, there’s nothing wrong with giving them cash also.
But how much should you tip an Instacart Shopper who delivers your order?
They did save you gas, time, and money, right? Not to mention communicating with you regularly if your chosen items aren’t available. Here’s my recent article on tipping your Instacart shopper.
It has all you need to know about how much is fair to give and why. It also has information on how you can use the Instacart app to tip your shopper.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
@Instacart is this how you think ice cream should be delivered? Not to mention it’s vanilla instead of chocolate. Every frozen thing in my order was melted and every cold thing was warm including ice cream, milk and cheese. pic.twitter.com/zO9QDnFicg
Can you get refunded from Instacart if your ice cream is melted?
Yes, you can. Whether the food is spoiled, damaged, or otherwise unusable, Instacart will refund you.
This also applies to the missing items you were charged for. You’ll need to request a refund within seven days of delivery.
Let’s talk about how to get your money back. There are two ways to go about it. One, you can tell your shopper at the time of delivery to refund your Instacart account with credit.
This will go towards your next purchase.
If you use their service often, it shouldn’t be a problem. Simply give the shopper the melted ice cream to keep or toss. This saves you the time to contact the support team yourself. Be sure to follow up with them, though.
The other option is to have the money refunded to your bank.
The Instacart app has a great feature that allows you to give feedback on your order. You can then send a picture of the melted ice cream to them via email. The processing is prompt, but it can take up to two weeks to receive the money, depending on your bank.
Final Thoughts
Instacart saves you the hassle of going into the store and waiting in long queues for your favorite dessert.
Especially with so many people staying home with their families now, it provides great convenience. But apart from this information, you also learned what they charge and the benefits of their premium membership.
Also, they take good care of storage methods and try to prevent your ice cream from melting. I also compared their ice cream delivery to DoorDash and Uber Eats and went into detail on each of them.
I also looked at their refund policy and saw where you could add the money to your bank account or Instacart account.
But if you live close to the store, remember that sometimes Instacart marks up prices as much as 25%!
Sometimes it’s worth the convenience to pay a little more. But before you decide to sign up on Instacart, check out my recent articleon Instacart versus store charges.
It covers which stores don’t have Instacart markups and which ones have high markups. It also has information on Instacart’s pickup charge if you don’t want your items delivered.
The Grocery Store Guy, part of the Middle Class Dad family of websites, is reader-supported and when you make a purchase through some of my links, I may earn a small commission from the sale, which in no way increases the cost to you. Learn more HERE.
On a reduced or limited income, times can be tough without the support of SNAP and EBT cards. But home grocery delivery or pickup is often seen as a premium service. So Does Instacart take EBT?
Instacart does take EBT cards and SNAP benefits at Aldi, Food Lion, and Publix stores in select states. Simply add the valid EBT card information at checkout on Instacart.
But Instacart is not your only option, and EBT is not all about limitations. Therefore there’s much more you need to know about using government assistance with online grocery delivery services.
And before we dive in, I think it’s important to clarify some of the terms as things like food stamps, “government benefits” SNAP, and other terms often get thrown around interchangeably.
So the main terms are:
Food stamps – Another (older) term for The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides money for groceries to lower-income families
SNAP benefits – The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides money for groceries to lower-income families
EBT – A SNAP electronic payment system used by all SNAP beneficiaries. All other forms of food stamps were eliminated in 2004.
WIC – Similar, but different than SNAP. WIC stands for The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, providing food benefits to lower-income pregnant women, women who recently had a baby, breastfeeding women, and woman with infants and children up to age 5. (source)
Can I buy food online with EBT?
Online grocery shopping has taken off in the last few years.
Until recently, this time-saving option has not been available to folks that use EBT/SNAP benefits to purchase their groceries.
Fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that oversees the SNAP program launched the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot. This pilot program allows states to add online purchasing as an option for EBT cardholders.
Amazon and Walmart accept EBT payment online from just about every state. source
However, there are some rules when it comes to paying with EBT online. You can only purchase EBT eligible items. You can’t pay delivery fees, tips, or other associated charges with SNAP benefits. Those extra charges will have to be paid for with a different form of payment.
Unfortunately, Instacart recently joined the program, but currently only accept it at Aldi in select states.
If you are still interested in how Instacart pickup works, check out my recent article I get into all the details of how it works, how much to tip, and how quickly you can expect your groceries to be ready.
— Heather Schisler (@passion4savings) July 3, 2020
Can you use EBT for Aldi delivery?
Yes. Aldi will accept EBT payment through Instacart in select states. As The Instacart website does not note those states, check with Instacart or Aldi in your area to verify.
Like Walmart, Aldi uses Instacart for its delivery service. Thankfully, Instacart just joined the USDA pilot program that allows online purchasing for EBT customers.
So in many locations, you can now use your EBT card at Aldi through Instacart.
Ordering groceries to be delivered via Instacart is easy to do through the website or the mobile app. You’ll input some personal information, such as your zip code, to show which stores are available in your area. Instacart doesn’t work with every store, so just select the store that shows up on your app or the website.
Once you’ve picked your store, load up your virtual cart to place an order. In most cases, your Instacart order can be delivered within an hour.
Once the driver brings your groceries, and the transaction is complete, don’t forget to tip your driver.
Not sure how much to tip? Just read this recent article where I talk about how and how much you should tip your driver, especially if you plan to do it through the app itself instead of with cash.
Walmart’s grocery delivery using EBT is currently available only in New York State.
However, you may be able to use EBT/SNAP for Walmart Grocery Pickup, depending on the state you live in.
Just order your groceries at walmart.com or through the Walmart mobile app. Put all of your groceries in the cart and select the time you want to pick up your groceries.
During checkout, select the EBT Card as your payment method. When you pick up your groceries, the Walmart associate will be able to swipe your card at the pickup.
When you get to Walmart to pick up your groceries, the associate will know that you are paying with EBT. Any items that are not eligible for EBT can be paid for with another payment method like credit or debit.
While it’s not as convenient as having your groceries delivered, it will be much more comfortable for whoever may be driving you to the store. They won’t have to wait an hour or so while you do your shopping. And you won’t feel like you’re putting someone out so much.
However, using your EBT/SNAP benefits for pickup is not available in every state.
Currently, only the following are the states that offer the benefit:
I know that this information conflicts with the information above.
My best advice is just to try it out. Perhaps Walmart hasn’t updated their website yet. Put a few items in your cart and act like you are going to check out. See if the app or website gives you the option to pay with EBT.
It’s possible that the USDA has permitted other states, and it just hasn’t been implemented yet.
Californians!!!!
EBT SNAP CAN NOW BE USED ON AMAZON. YOU ALSO GET PRIME FOR HALF PRICE PLEASE PASS THIS ON pic.twitter.com/0xGDE2vNRK
Customers in “select states” can use SNAP EBT on Amazon groceries, Amazon Pantry, and Amazon Fresh. In fact, not only can you use EBT, but as an EBT cardholder, you can get a discount on Amazon Prime.
To use your EBT card on Amazon, you first need to register your card using this link.
Just follow the instructions on the screen. If you are not already an Amazon customer, you’ll need to create an account. Once you have created your account, you’ll enter your zip code and SNAP EBT cart information.
You can also add your EBT card during checkout as well.
In many states, you won’t need to have an Amazon Prime membership to shop Amazon Fresh with your EBT card. But as Amazon states, “Amazon accepts SNAP EBT in all states except: Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine and Montana. See FAQ for more information.”
The good news is that Amazon offers a 50% discounton Amazon Prime for EBT and Medicaid cardholders.
Shopping Amazon with EBT is probably a better deal than shopping with Instacart anyway, as Instacart’s prices are an average of 15% more than at the grocery store. This can add up if you have a lot of mouths to feed.
Just read this recent article to learn more about Instacart’s pricing. Just click the link to read it on my site.
NOW ORDER FOODS WITH YOUR EBT CARD
If you are low income this link gives you Amazon Prime for $5.99 a month!
Get prime movies, music and shopping for only $5.99https://t.co/gP77GFv1qdpic.twitter.com/EyE8sFhcAg
If you want to have groceries delivered from Walmart, using DoorDash may be an option.
DoorDash delivers for Walmart in 46 states, and they do not charge higher than store prices. Walmart recommends not tipping drivers.
I wrote this recent article about how DoorDash works with Walmart delivery.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
Unfortunately, DoorDash does not accept EBT as payment. DoorDash typically delivers food for restaurants, and you can’t use EBT to purchase hot, prepared foods. They are simply not a part of the USDA pilot program.
Final Thoughts
So now you know that Instacart doesn’t accept EBT for its delivery or pickup services except at select Aldi locations. You can also not use your EBT with DoorDash.
However, there are still many options out there for delivery and pickup services if you are using EBT for payment. For instance, Amazon and Walmart grocery pickup. You may even get a discount on an Amazon Prime membership with an EBT card.
The Grocery Store Guy, part of the Middle Class Dad family of websites, is reader-supported and when you make a purchase through some of my links, I may earn a small commission from the sale, which in no way increases the cost to you. Learn more HERE.
If you’re a Whole Foods shopper, you probably love natural, healthy foods. But you also know that they can be a bit pricey. You’ve heard about Sprouts and have heard that they may be cheaper. So is Sprouts better than Whole Foods?
Sprouts Farmers Market stores are not as good of a store as Whole Foods Market stores. While they may be cheaper on conventionally grown produce items, their overall selection & customer service is limited, and unlike Whole Foods Market, Sprouts does sell products with artificial ingredients.
But that’s just a quick answer. There are a lot of questions people have when comparing Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods Market.
Is Sprouts owned by Whole Foods? Are they really cheaper and do they sell all-natural or all organic foods?
I’ll answer all of these questions and more in this article.
Sprouts Farmers Market stores have a very similar look and feel of a Whole Foods Market store circa 1992. This can be reminiscent of a more traditional natural foods store. It can also make you wonder if Sprouts is owned by Whole Foods.
The first Sprouts Farmers Market was opened in 2002 by Stan and Shon Boney in Chandler, Arizona.
They are still a privately owned Arizona-based chain with locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas. They are, however, publically traded on the stock market under the letters SFM.
Whole Foods Market is based out of Austin, TX, and operates stores all over the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods was bought by Amazon in 2017. But founder John Mackey still ran the company as CEO up until September 2022.
Whole Foods and Sprouts are very similar stores.
They both sell mostly natural and organic products. And, both stores sell health products, like vitamins and supplements. Both Sprouts and Whole Foods have in-store dining areas and sell fresh salads and sandwiches.
Despite these similarities, Sprouts and Whole Foods are not affiliated. In fact, on their website, Sprouts makes a bit of a dig at Whole Foods.
Knowing that Whole Foods has gained the moniker “Whole Paycheck”, Sprouts says “…no more spending an entire paycheck for food from the honest effort of a farmer …” right on their About page.
Their goal is to sell farm-fresh produce and other healthy items at an affordable price. They want to create a grocery experience where shoppers don’t “have to be wealthy to eat healthy!”
I have shopped there, but overall, I’m not crazy about them. Here’s why.
Like Whole Foods, Sprouts sells a variety of health food products:
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Vitamins and supplements
General groceries for babies, pets, and the household
Sprouts has a large variety of natural, organic, and non-GMO items. They are also very affordable.
Just like Whole Foods, they have an in-house butcher, seafood, and a full-service deli. However, if you recall, in the above section, I mentioned they looked like a Whole Foods store circa 1992.
That’s not an accident.
Sprouts intentionally wanted to make their stores look and feel the way Whole Foods stores did before they went public and started trying to become the large multi-national corporation they are today.
So Sprouts went after all the old hippies and disgruntled shoppers who felt disenfranchised by Whole Foods going “corporate” (I know, I was there on the frontlines at Whole Foods then).
The problem is (at least with me) that it’s just a veneer.
If you look closely at some of the products at Sprouts (especially the candy in the bulk bins), you’ll see tons of artificial colors. The overall mix of products may be all-natural (they claim 90% on their FAQ page). But one of the big reasons people shop at Whole Foods is so they DON’T have to read the label.
They know everything at Whole Foods is all-natural or organically-grown.
But sometimes Whole Foods is more expensive on some items. Just read this recent article for more information about Whole Foods pricing. What really surprised me was how much money in fines Whole Foods has paid for incorrect pricing.
According to Cheatsheet.com Sprouts is one of the six cheapest grocery stores in the U.S. And, Sprouts focuses on bringing affordable, fresh produce to consumers.
They get produce shipments delivered frequently and focus on quality and freshness. As a result, they have an excellent selection of high-quality, reasonably priced produce.
Now that being said, what I usually notice when I shop there is non-organic items like onions front and center at a rock bottom price. But then as you go further into the Produce department, you don’t always see cheaper produce; especially on the organically-grown items.
So they put the cheap stuff up front to imply that the whole department is inexpensive. But that’s just not always true.
According to CNBC, since Amazon purchased Whole Foods, prices have dropped dramatically on several items. Particularly on natural and organic food.
Before the purchase of Whole Foods, products at Sprouts used to be about 20% less expensive than the same products at Whole Foods. Now Sprouts is 1.3% more expensive than Whole Foods.
There may be some areas, like produce and meat, that are more expensive at Whole Foods than they are at Sprouts. This is because Whole Foods really focuses on where their products are coming from. Whole Foods also works very closely with ranchers and farmers to ensure the wellbeing of animals that are being raised for meat.
Overall, the standards are just higher at Whole Foods Market. And with pricing changes thanks to Amazon’s buying of the company, the only reason to shop at Sprouts would be convenience; not price.
I think it’s worth paying a little extra if it means that cows are living their best life and being humanely slaughtered.
Right now I’m writing an angry email about the pick-up we did today to Sprouts because you’d think they wouldn’t sell bags of rotten apples and cuties to customers. They do have the frigging term “farmers market” in their name. All the citrus in this bag are damaged. pic.twitter.com/W4n7Vzze7Z
Sprouts may want consumers to believe that they are all organic or all-natural, but in truth, they sell many products with artificial ingredients.
As I mentioned above, they claim that about 90% of the products they carry are natural or organic. This means that there are items peppered throughout the store that contain artificial ingredients, colors, and sweeteners.
This can make it really difficult to ensure that the items you are purchasing don’t contain artificial ingredients. Especially if you are new to reading labels.
Many Americans don’t realize how much artificial stuff they are eating. And when you are new to shopping organically or naturally, it can be really time-consuming to read all of the labels and decipher what is or isn’t natural.
Whole Foods makes it easy to find those items because everything in the store is free from artificial ingredients, artificial colors, and artificial sweeteners.
As a shopper, it can be time-consuming to read labels, especially if you are new to purchasing foods without artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, and preservatives.
That’s why Sprouts just can’t compare and one of the things that make Whole Foods Market a better choice.
To read more about why Whole Foods is so popular, just read this recent article.
Meat is by far better at Whole Foods than it is at Sprouts.
Whole Foods has over 100 animal welfare standards that must be met before meat is sold in the store.
These standards don’t just apply to beef cattle. They also apply to:
Pork
Chicken
Lamb
Goat
Turkey
If an animal EVER gets an antibiotic treatment, it won’t be sold at Whole Foods. They also don’t permit added growth hormone or animal by-products. Whole Foods also ensures that animals are raised, transported, and slaughtered humanely.
Because there are such stringent standards to the meat that is sold at Whole Foods, you can rest assured that any meat you purchase will be healthy and free of nasty additives.
Animals fed right and treated humanely are not just for marketing. They simply make better tasting, healthier meat. As a bonus, you can feel good that the cow or pig or chicken lived it’s best life before it landed on its plate.
By comparison, while Sprouts does offer things like organically-grown chicken and grass-fed beef, their overall standards, as with the rest of the store, are just lower and vaguer.
As a result of these standards, you can bet that Whole Foods has the best steaks.
They have modeled their stores with the intent to bring farm-fresh produce to consumers at reasonable prices.
Sprouts may have some prices that are lower than Whole Foods, but it’s important to look at the overall big picture. In many instances, they are actually more expensive. And despite presenting themselves as an organic, natural food store, they sell many products with artificial ingredients.
If you’re looking for quality meat, Whole Foods Market is definitely the way to go. Unless you are buying directly from a rancher, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any grocery store that has better meat than Whole Foods.
That includes chicken, too. Check out this recent article about why Whole Foods has the best chicken.
Grocery shopping can be a hassle, especially if you have kids as my wife and I do. You can save yourself a lot of stress just ordering your groceries online. But if you’re a loyal shopper of Sprouts Farmers Market, you may have wondered does Sprouts have curbside pickup?
I decided to check it out at the location close to me and here’s what I learned:
Yes, Sprouts Farmers Market stores do have curbside pickup offered through Instacart. Instacart Pickup allows you to order your groceries online and set a time to pick them up curbside without ever having to leave your car.
If you’ve shopped at any grocery store that offers pickup and delivery services, you know how nice it is to have someone do the shopping for you.
Walmart and Food Lion offer curbside pickup, but what if you are a Sprouts shopper?
If you love Sprouts Farmers Market and aren’t really interested in changing grocery stores, you’ll be happy to learn that Sprouts does offer curbside pickup!
But how does it work? How do you order and pick up your groceries? Do they charge more for pickup?
I’ll answer those questions and more.
Just keep reading!
Ready to start ordering from Sprouts through Instacart?
Whether it’s because they’re homebound, or just too busy to hit the grocery store, more and more people are turning to the convenience of grocery store delivery and pickup.
If you’re a Sprouts Farmers Market shopper, you may be happy to know that they offer curbside pickup and delivery through Instacart.
Instacart Pickup allows you to order your groceries online and set a time to pick them up.
Instacart shoppers will shop for the best products just like you would. They are careful to check expiration dates and deals. They will also be sure to pick items that don’t have any damage whatsoever.
If you want something even more convenient than curbside pickup, Instacart also has a delivery service.
Just remember that Instacart drivers are providing a service. They are doing the shopping for you, so you don’t have to. Just like any other service provider, you should tip your Instacart driver.
To read more about how much you should tip your Instacart driver, and more about Instacart in general, check out this recent article.
Currently, Sprouts Farmers Market only offers pickup and delivery through Instacart(click to check out their website now and get started). This means that you must place your order by using Instacart’s website or app.
This is different from pickup services like Walmart provides. With Walmart, you place your order directly through their app.
Ordering groceries through Instacart is very easy. With Instacart Pickup, you can order your groceries online and set a time to pick them up at your convenience.
Instacart even has e-coupons you can apply to your order. Just place your order, select the time you want to pick up your groceries, and submit your payment.
You’ll receive a notification when it’s ready to be picked up, along with directions for where and how to pick up your groceries.
Instacart can be used with many other stores, too! It works with big chain stores as well as small mom and pop stores. It also works with pharmacies and wine shops, too.
To read more about Instacart and how pickup works with their service, check out this recent article.
— Tampa Bay Business Journal (@TBBJnewsroom) March 5, 2019
How much is Sprouts pick up?
Sprouts has partnered with Instacart to provide curbside pickup services.
This means that an Instacart shopper will do the shopping and bring your groceries out to your car.
The fee for bringing groceries out to your car, or even delivering them to your home, will vary depending on the city you live in. However, your first order over $35 will be free. Future pickup fees will depend on the order size and delivery time.
You may be charged “busy pricing” during high demand time. This allows Instacart to keep more delivery times open and available during the store’s busiest times of the day. Busy pricing will be clearly visible when you pick your pickup time.
In most cities, prices start at $1.99 per order. If you use the service frequently, it may be beneficial to become a premium member.
If you are a premium member, you don’t have to pay any additional fees, just the annual membership fee of $99. Remember, you can use the service at a wide range of stores, not just Sprouts. And they deliver, too.
So, you can have Instacart do your grocery shopping, pick up your prescriptions for you, and even deliver alcohol to you for $99 per year. Not only will this pay for itself in under 6 months, but it saves you a boatload of time.
Did you catch what I said about the alcohol? That’s right, they’ll deliver your booze in many states!
— Retail Tech Podcast (@RetailTechCast) May 8, 2018
How do you order groceries from Sprouts?
Currently, Sprouts Farmers Market doesn’t have an app or anything for you to order through. So, if you want to order groceries from Sprouts, you need to do it through Instacart.
If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one first.
Once you’ve created an account, you can shop at Sprouts from any device that has the app. In the app, you’ll be able to see in-store prices and sales. You’ll even be able to use e-coupons. Then you’ll select your pickup time and pay for your order.
You can pick up your groceries in as little as two hours through Instacart. Or you can schedule your pickup for several days out. Just pick a date and time that is most convenient for you.
When your order is ready, you’ll be notified via the app. You’ll be provided with instructions on how to pick up your groceries and where to go. Easy peasy.
Instacart charges more money for certain stores, but sometimes there isn’t any added markup fee at all.
In fact, there was a recent outrage because customers found out that Instacart charges an average markup of 15% at some stores.
However, according to Instacart’s pricing information, the retail partners set the prices of items on the Instacart marketplace. Sometimes those prices are different than in-store prices.
Additionally, a service fee may be added by the retailer to items to cover the cost of Instacart services.
You can view Sprout’s pricing policies on the Instacart app. Actually, you can view the pricing policies for any retailer on Instacart’s app.
Just go to the main page of the app or the website and select the retailer. Tap on the logo and scroll down to “Pricing.” From there, just scroll down to see the pricing information.
Unfortunately, you often won’t know the exact amount of markups until after you’ve already paid for your groceries.
To read more about Instacart’s pricing and advantages versus disadvantages, read this recent article. I even cover the specific stores guaranteed to not charge more for delivery or pickup than in-store prices.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
Did I cover everything you want to know about Sprouts curbside pickup?
Sprouts offers both curbside pickup and delivery through their partnership with Instacart.
Placing an order from Sprouts Farmers Market for either pickup or delivery is as easy as placing an order through Instacart’s app or website.
Simply place your order, pick your pick up time, and pay right in the Instacart app.
You’ll be notified when your order is ready. You’ll be given instructions on where and how to pick it up. And when you arrive at the store, someone will help you load your groceries in your car.
What will you do will all of that free time now that you don’t have to spend it grocery shopping anymore?
Ready to start ordering from Sprouts through Instacart?
Almost every person on the planet has to get a cake from the grocery store, at least a few times a year. But with so many options, I started to wonder which grocery store has the best cakes.
Which grocery store has the best cakes? For a child’s 1st birthday, the free smash cake option at Walmart is great. Costco is great for large gatherings & small budgets. Target has a lot of character-licensed cakes that are perfect for ages 5-10. But Whole Foods Market wins for overall quality, flavor & ingredients.
But that’s just a quick snapshot. Some people only care about flavor or texture. Others want a vegan cake, or a cake that’s non-GMO, or even all organic.
So “best” can be a little subjective.
Birthdays, Bah Mitzvahs, graduations, weddings. What do all of these celebrations have in common? It’s sweet, it’s moist, and it’s delicious.
It’s cake.
But sometimes, especially if you are in charge of planning the celebration, you might not have time to make a cake. You still want your celebration to be special, though and there are some grocery stores out there that make an excellent cake.
So which supermarket has the best cake? Just keep reading to find out!
Which supermarket does the best birthday cakes?
While we all know that homemade cake is the best, sometimes it’s just not feasible.
If you have a local bakery nearby, sometimes it can be even better than homemade. But if you don’t have a local bakery, supermarkets are all over the place. Chances are that your local supermarket sells cakes. Some even bake them in-house.
But again, “best” is subjective and it depends on who the cake is for.
As we’ll get more into below, a child’s first birthday is about the parents having fun; not the quality of the cake. For that, Walmart wins as they’ll give you a smash cake for free if you’re spending at least $15 bucks.
Target wins for kids ages 5-10 as they do a lot of licensed character cakes (who doesn’t want to hear a bunch of kids screaming “Let it Go”?). But not all locations have a bakery.
For a very large group (say a work party), it’s hard to beat Costco for the size and price. But if what you’re wanting is a really high-quality cake made from quality ingredients, it’s almost impossible to beat Whole Foods Market.
One thing you’ll see on some brands of store-bought cake is baking powder that contains aluminum.
Is aluminum baking powder bad? Why is it in some baking powder but not other brands? And are the rumors true linking aluminum consumption with things like Alzheimer’s?
If you are planning a kids’ birthday party, Walmart is definitely the one-stop-shop.
You can purchase your presents, party supplies, decorations, and yes, even your cake at Walmart.
Talk about convenient!
But how good are their cakes? “Good” is really subjective, but for clarity, I’m assuming we can agree that moist cakes are better than dry cakes. Let’s also assume that frosting that hurts your teeth is too sweet.
Walmart does not have a terribly wide selection of cake flavors. The following are available at most stores:
White cake
Chocolate cake
Marble cake
Yellow cake is available at “select” stores. (source)
I found several reviews of Walmart cakes that have similar themes. Reviewers say they do not have a wide selection of cakes, and they sometimes don’t look like they are supposed to. (source)
Generally speaking, I find the frosting is too sweet, but the cake itself is moist and tasty. As an added bonus, Walmart’s cakes are very affordable. Just like pretty much everything else at Walmart.
So if you aren’t looking for anything fancy, and just want inexpensive cake, Walmart is probably a good option.
If this is your child’s first birthday, they’ll even give you a free “smash” cake with a cake purchase of at least $15.
A smash cake is a cake specifically for the birthday boy or girl to smash and play in without getting their kid germs all over the big cake.
It’s actually pretty fun to watch your new 1-year-old dig into their very own cake! (source)
Does Walmart bake their own cakes?
Sadly, no.
Walmart’s sheet cakes come in frozen from Pillsbury. Their round cakes come from Best Brands based in Minnesota. (source)
So if you like Pillsbury products, including their boxed cake mix, you’ll probably like Walmart’s cakes. They’ll also do their best to customize it how you want it, and they’ll write pretty much anything on it, as long as it’s not offensive.
But don’t get too fancy. Walmart is all about cheap products and low labor costs. You’re not likely going to find a talented cake decorator on staff.
Fun fact – a Costco sheet cake fits perfectly into an IKEA shopping bag. It’s sacred geometry. pic.twitter.com/xBdtcxNMWL
Costco only has two flavors of cake – white or chocolate. The white cake comes with a cheesecake mousse filling. The chocolate cake is filled with chocolate mousse.
They have very few options when it comes to decorations. They have several floral selections, a few sports themes, and a few generic kids’ themes.
Of course, they’ll write on it for you, too.
The thing to keep in mind, though, is value. Costco cakes are huge and very affordable. At less than $20, their half sheet cake weighs a whopping nine and a half pounds and serves 48 people! (source)
Costco cakes are a great option if you are feeding a very large crowd and need a basic cake. And of course, Costco cakes are delicious!
While you are at Costco purchasing your cake, you may want to consider picking up a rotisserie chicken. They have big, delicious rotisserie chickens. At $4.99 each, you can buy several.
In fact, in this recent article, Costco won out for best rotisserie chickens, based on price and flavor.
There I talk about not only who has the best chicken, but the best brands of chicken to purchase, too. And if additives, hormones, and antibiotics are important for you too, I factor that in also in the rankings.
They have a light, delicate taste with a light mousse frosting and filling. Unlike a traditional frosting, the mousse is very light and not too sweet. Sometimes when the frosting is too rich, it can cause stomach problems. I also hate it when the frosting is too thick; I just end up scraping most of it off.
The light mousse frosting on Costco cakes won’t end in a stomach ache after one or even two pieces.
So Costco fares pretty well in that area too. But like Walmart, it doesn’t work for me personally due to the low ingredient standards.
Most of Costco’s cakes are from the company David’s.
They seem to have this spell on people that somehow encourages people to spend more money than they intended.
Not all Targets sell cakes, but the ones that do are generally well-received. Target has a lot of options when it comes to flavor combinations. they can make customized cakes to fit in with your celebration theme, too.
Admittedly, when my 2 older daughters were younger, they loved walking by the Target bakery case and looking at all the cakes.
But this was all based on appearance. Target uses a lot of what I could call props (plastic decorations) to enhance the appearance of their cakes. They also do a lot of character licensing. By that I mean they pay companies like Disney to be able to use an official picture of Elsa on a cake, etc.
But they do also have more normal cakes too.
It’s not right for me since they have the same ingredient issues that Costco & Walmart. But like with those cakes, you are likely to find the texture and flavor good. And if you’re planning a themed kid’s birthday party, I would opt for Target over the others too.
Just make sure your Target has a bakery as not all Target stores do.
Whole Foods has delicious cakes. And I say that with some bias since I worked there for more than 20 years.
The quality of Whole Foods cakes is superior to any other grocery store cake. They use real buttercream frosting. If you’ve ever noticed that buttercream frosting has a slightly greasy texture, it’s because it’s not real buttercream frosting. (source)
It’s “Bettercreme,” which is made of chemicals. Yuck. Bettercreme is a whipped, dairy-free topping that tastes like sweet cool whip.
Whole Foods has a policy not to sell items with artificial sweaters in any of the products sold in their aisles. This is a good thing.
Whole Foods has a ton of options when it comes to cakes. They even have vegan options!
All of their cakes can be decorated and customized to your liking. The best part is that they have a distinctly homemade taste and are relatively reasonably priced.
Every Whole Foods Market location has a “real” bakery with bakers and cake decorators on staff (or at least that was the case when I worked there which was up through 2013).
If your celebration includes grilling, you should definitely get steaks from Whole Foods, too.
Whole Foods won’t sell meat that has been treated with antibiotics, has added growth hormones, or animal by-products. They also ensure that animals are raised, transported, and slaughtered humanely.
To read more about where to purchase the best steaks, read this recent article.
Whole Foods prides itself on excellent customer service. Cakes are no exception.
As I mentioned, they have bakers and cake decorators on staff and can make just about anything. Want a red velvet cake (with no artificial color, but still red)? They got you covered!
A vegan chocolate cake? No problem! Maybe a stevia-sweetened vanilla cake? Also no problem.
To order your cake, just call your store to order or visit the store. Many stores offer online ordering as well.
They also offer catering. If you don’t want just one cake, but maybe you want a tray of sweet things, cheese, or other party platters, they’ll bring it to you!
If you aren’t sure what you want, many Whole Foods have an in-store concierge to answer all of your event-related questions.
Final thoughts
There really are some amazing options for cakes or celebrations in a range of sizes.
Your son’s first birthday may be great with a cake from Walmart and a matching smash cake. If you want something a little more grown-up, or a little more sophisticated, Whole Foods is your best bet.
And if you like to avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives as I do, Whole Foods (and other similar stores) is most certainly the way to go.
Two popular East coast grocers are Wegmans and ShopRite. But which is better?
People often use the term grocery store and supermarket interchangeably. But there are some things in one that aren’t in the other. So what’s the difference between a grocery store and a supermarket?
A grocery store is more specialized and not as large as a supermarket. Supermarkets have counters with butchers, hand-cut artisan cheeses, and deli meats & fresh seafood, but grocery stores are usually more focused on a specific category of food or a targeted demographic, with a more limited variety.
The terms supermarket & grocery store are used interchangeably.
But there’s much more to know about the differences in these two terms. There are even more terms to know – like superstore. What is a “superstore,” you ask?
Just keep reading to find out!
What is a supermarket example?
A supermarket is a type of grocery store that is typically larger in scale and carries a wider selection of items. They are almost the same thing, but supermarkets are usually very large.
Even so, most people say, “I’m going to run up to the grocery store to pick up a few things.” Even if they’re going to a supermarket. Or they may even just say they are going to the store or simply the store’s name, like Kroger or Fred Meyer’s.
Americans do most of our shopping in supermarkets, even though we typically call them grocery stores in everyday speech.
Supermarkets tend to have a wide selection.
Some of the best-known examples of supermarkets include:
Safeway
Kroger
Publix
You can spend days wandering around the store trying to decide what kind of jam or jelly to purchase. Even with so many choices, you may not be able to find everything you need. Thus, you may need to go to a smaller, more specialized grocery store that caters to specific cuisines or offer special ingredients.
For example, if you want to make an authentic Mexican dish, and you need fresh chorizo, you are more likely to find it at a small Mexican grocery store.
Supermarkets also have a lot more departments than a grocery store
They may have:
An in-house butcher
Floral department
Even a pharmacy
There are a lot of different departments and sections to both grocery stores and supermarkets.
In this recent article, I break them all down with a little insider insight to each one and why they get divided up that way.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
Whole Food Market is a supermarket, but it has that grocery store feel. That’s not by accident, either.
Whole Foods originally opened as a way to bridge the gap between tiny, sometimes dirty and poorly-run health food stores and mainstream supermarkets.
At the time, you couldn’t find healthy, organic food in supermarkets.
While you could find organic food at grocery stores, they were often one of many stops. These grocery stores could also be expensive and sometimes unpleasant to shop in.
These are just a few of the reasons why Whole Foods is such a popular supermarket.
To read more about the success of Whole Foods, and the reason they are so popular, just read this recent article. Since I worked there for more than 2 decades, having started at the very 1st location, I know a thing or 2 about it!
A grocery store is typically a smaller and more specialized store.
Continuing my Mexican grocery store example, you’ll be able to find chorizo, but they won’t have a pharmacy. They don’t sell the more general retail items like towels or bed sheets.
They only sell groceries. And included with that may be a meat department, produce department, a deli, or a bakery.
A grocery store would be more of the smaller “mom and pop” type stores. They have fewer employees and not near as many departments.
They’re also not typically chain stores, or if they are a chain, it’s a small chain with just a handful of stores as opposed to a nationwide chain.
Both a grocery store and a supermarket can be called a grocery store, but only one can be called a supermarket.
Grocery stores store sell most types of food and daily needed items. They’re often privately owned and operated. Whereas a supermarket that is part of a chain is usually very large and may offer many choices and brands.
The smaller grocery stores may offer only one or two brands of toilet paper and beans.
There’s usually a price difference between chain stores and private stores, too. Larger chain stores may sell cheaper items than small stores.
Supermarkets and grocery stores make their money by selling high volumes of inventory. Grocery stores simply don’t get the foot traffic that supermarkets do, so they have to sell their merchandise at a higher markup to be profitable.
You may find that grocery stores don’t have as many sales as supermarkets, either.
Grocery stores often have sales to get rid of excess inventory or items that are out-of-season. Because grocery stores just don’t have as much inventory as their “super” counterparts, their sales may be few and far between.
To read more about why grocery stores have sales, read this recent article.
It would seem logical to call Walmart a supermarket, but alas, Walmart is actually a superstore.
I know – another confusing term to know.
A superstore is a retail store, like a grocery store or bookstore, with a wide variety of product lines and a very large amount of space.
So what’s the difference between a supermarket and a superstore?
A supermarket sells mainly food. They will have fresh food departments, like produce, meat, deli, bakery, and even a floral department.
They may sell non-food items like health and beauty care, pet food, and household cleaning supplies. Their primary focus, however, is food.
A superstore will have a grocery section that sells these items, but they will also have other departments. These departments may include:
Clothing
Home decor
Gardening
Automotive department
In a superstore, food is not the focus. It’s just another department within the store.
If a superstore isn’t really a grocery store or supermarket, you may be surprised to learn that just like grocery stores and supermarkets, you are unlikely to find liquor for purchase.
To read about why grocery stores don’t sell liquor, read this recent article.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
I’m obsessed with pictures of old supermarkets & stores in the 60s/70s. If I were a time traveler, one of the first places I would go would be to go to the grocery store & stare agog at all of the groovy packaging & products that don’t exist anymore. Hey, we all have our things. pic.twitter.com/rf2stysB5f
— 📼 Julia Marchese 📼 (@juliacmarchese) June 8, 2020
What is the purpose of a supermarket?
A supermarket is meant to be a one-stop-shop to get everything you use daily.
Supermarkets offer shoppers convenience, a wide variety of choices, low prices, and uniformity in the quality of products.
By not having to make several stops on shopping day, you can save yourself an immense amount of time. No separate trip to the farmer’s market or meat market. You don’t even have to make a separate trip to the pharmacy.
Each supermarket has its own set of weaknesses and strengths, but for the most part, they all have a wide variety of groceries to choose from.
From organic foods to ethnic foods to specialty items, you are bound to find most everything you need at a supermarket.
Most shoppers have to shop within a budget. This is pretty easy to do as supermarkets often have lower prices and run frequent sales.
Finally, if you shop at a supermarket, you can rest assured that just about every store within that chain will carry the same items, and likely have similar layouts. So if you go out of town, and need to do some shopping, chances are that it will feel very much like shopping at home.
But what if the layout is different than your hometown supermarket? Why would they change it around?
To find out, just read this recent article on my site. You may be surprised to find out why grocery stores like to change it up sometimes!
Good. Some things are more important than a day’s profits.
Like Walmart, Target sells clothing, electronic devices, and clothing. Most Targets do have a grocery department in the store, but many don’t sell fresh produce, have a meat department, or even have a refrigerated department.
Walmart Neighborhood Market is considered a grocery store, though.
If you are shopping at a supermarket, you are probably like me and like to make as few stops as possible. You can avoid that trip to the meat market by purchasing your chicken at the supermarket.
But what grocery stores and supermarkets have the best chicken selection?
Luckily I wrote this recent article that answers this very question!
Just click the link to read about what grocery stores have the best chicken on my site.
So while all supermarkets can be called grocery stores, superstores (or hyper-stores) cannot be called supermarkets or grocery stores.
They do sell groceries, but they also sell many other things like jewelry and gym equipment.
Superstores and hypermarkets really are the one-stop-shop.
Grocery stores are bigger and managers want you to hang out for a while. They are typically cleaner and located near residential areas for convenience.
Convenience stores, on the other hand, have limited variety. They may sell some everyday items like food and even some household items.
You won’t find any fresh produce. There won’t be a bakery or a floral department or a fishmonger.
Typically, they sell snacks, soft drinks, toilet paper, newspapers, and magazines. Convenience stores may be inside of gas stations or stand-alone stores. Convenience store prices will typically be higher than in a grocery store.
The idea of a convenience store is that it is to supplement any items that you may not have gotten at the grocery store. Or maybe you are in between grocery trips and you just need one or two items quickly.
Convenience stores are open for long hours and often have only one or two people working at a time. They are usually located near busy streets and highways that are easily accessible for…you guessed it…convenience.
They are also known as corner stores, corner shops, and bodegas in Spanish speaking areas.
— Earth Accounting (@EarthAccounting) June 9, 2020
What is a hypermarket (and how are they different?)
Hypermarkets are another name for superstore. They are a combination of supermarket and department store.
At a hypermarket, you can buy food, hardware, clothes, electronic devices, and even appliances.
Target is an example of a hypermarket because it offers a variety of food products, clothing, electronics, books, toys, and furniture. Costco is another example of a hypermarket.
The biggest difference between a supermarket and a hypermarket, or superstore, is that hypermarkets are supermarkets that also sell big-ticket items like:
Furniture
Appliances
Televisions.
Supermarkets are large, hypermarkets are massive. In fact, hypermarkets are typically three to four times bigger than grocery stores.
Just like Walmart and Target, Costco sells electronics, clothes, groceries, and appliances. They have a bakery, deli, and sell fresh produce. But they do it on a much larger scale.
Hypermarkets, like supermarkets, are typically part of a large chain
As a result, profit margins and prices are lower.
Hypermarkets will generally have sparse decor. For example, if you walk into a Costco or Sam’s Club, you’ll notice that it’s pretty utilitarian when it comes to aesthetics.
Costco sells a lot of stuff at a steep discount. They can do this by saving money throughout the store. They don’t have permanent aisles, making it easy to rearrange them on a seasonal basis or as they get different inventory in.
Costco wants you to buy in bulk whereas supermarkets like Whole Foods, want you to linger.
In fact, they encourage lingering. The longer you stay in the store, the more likely you are to purchase more. Both supermarkets and hypermarkets save money in different ways, but they both understand how important it is that their consumers purchase in volume.
You’ll also notice that Costco doesn’t have a whole lot of front-end employees. They have cashiers, but nobody bags your groceries. In fact, they don’t have bags at all. This is another one of the ways they can keep prices down.
What’s interesting, is that even though their prices are low, and their decor is utilitarian, they still want you to hang out. They often have small restaurants and coffee shops inside with seating areas.
This goes back to the idea that the longer you are in the store, the more likely you are to spend money.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we talked about all of the differences between grocery stores and supermarkets.
We gave examples of the two and even talked about some of the conveniences of shopping at supermarkets versus just shopping at grocery stores.
And we talked about superstores, hypermarkets, and convenience stores. Then we talked about how all of them are different in different ways.
Chicken. It’s lean, healthy, and versatile. Millions of people eat it every day. It’s sold in grocery stores all over the world. But which grocery store has the best chicken?
For ingredient & additive quality standards and animal welfare policies, no grocery chain beats Whole Foods Market. No antibiotics are ever administered in the life of the chicken. They (and many chains) also offer organically grown chickens which, by definition, are also free-range.
But there’s a lot more to know about chicken and grocery stores than just that. So let’s keep going!
So in this article, we’re looking not only at what stores have the best chicken? But also, what does it mean when a chicken is raised without antibiotics or hormones?
What stores have the best rotisserie chicken? And what brands of chicken should be avoided?
We’re going to get into all of these questions and more.
Just keep reading!
What store has the best chicken?
There are tons of supermarkets out there, so this article is going to focus on a handful of well-known supermarkets.
Shopping for good chicken is a lot harder than shopping for a good steak. When shopping for steak, you should look for good marbling and a nice red color with no brown spots.
But for the most part, all chicken pretty much looks the same when you are purchasing it from the store.
So with chicken, you pretty much have to rely on the reputation of the store. You have to trust that the store is sourcing its chicken responsibly and being transparent with their policies.
Another factor in the quality of chicken is whether it is given growth hormones or antibiotics.
Animals fed right and treated humanely are not just for marketing. They make for better tasting, healthier meat. As a bonus, you can feel good that the bird lived it’s best life before it landed on your plate.
You can take that up a notch and look for chicken that is fed organically grown feed and free-range. Free-range simply means the chicken spends at least some of its life roaming the grounds of the farm somewhat freely rather than being kept in a cage.
Here are some of the best-known grocery chains in the US and how they stack up:
Publix
According to the Publix website, their GreenWise chicken is raised with no antibiotics or added hormones. They are also fed a 100% vegetarian diet. They contain no artificial ingredients or preservatives.
Publix also indicates that they use a special chilling technique that optimizes the taste and texture of the chicken. This special technique is said to result in chicken that is tender and juicy.
They also have their GreenWise Organic Chicken which is USDA-certified organic. (source)
Whole Foods Market
Meat sold at Whole Foods has over 100 animal welfare standards it must meet before it is sold in the store.
These standards don’t just apply to chicken. They also apply pork, beef, sheep, goats, and turkey.
If an animal ever gets an antibiotic treatment, it won’t be sold at Whole Foods. They also don’t permit added growth hormones. Animals are fed a 100% vegetarian diet with no animal by-products.
Sometimes chicken can be labeled free of antibiotics when, in fact, they were given to the animal earlier in their life, but none were present when the meat was tested at slaughter time.
So if you’re concerned about antibiotics in meat (and you should be) look for a label that says something like “Never ever given antibiotics.” Avoid products that simply say “antibiotic-free”, “No antibiotics added”, or “All Natural” as those have a lot more legal leeway and don’t necessarily tell you the whole story.
Whole Foods also ensures that animals are raised, transported, and slaughtered humanely.
Because there are such stringent standards to the meat that is sold at Whole Foods, you can rest assured that any meat you purchase will be healthy and free of nasty additives.
Whole Foods even ensures that the life of the chicken can be traced throughout the supply chain. Just look for the “Complete Traceability to Farms” phrase on the packaging. (source)
— Dorothy M. Neddermeyer (@DorothyNed) June 4, 2016
Kroger
Kroger is not as transparent about their meat policy.
They do offer antibiotic-free meat and their line of Simple Truth meat products that are free of growth hormones. And they do require that suppliers meet standards set by the National Chicken Council.
When talking about chicken, it’s natural to think about eggs. Kroger has made cage-free eggs an option. They have committed to providing a 100% cage-free egg supply chain by 2025. (source)
Trader Joe’s
Like Kroger, Trader Joe’s is not very transparent about their meat policy.
It is difficult to find detailed information about how their chickens are raised and what they are fed. However, I did find that they carry organic free-range chicken.
But their FAQ page does state “Trader Joe’s offers items from sources of a conventional nature (where antibiotics are likely used) and sources that do not use antibiotics (organic, all-natural or explicitly labeled as antibiotic-free [ABF]).”
Given we know the USDA doesn’t officially recognize the term “antibiotic-free” and that the poultry simply tested negative for antibiotics at the time of slaughter, their organic line would be the safe way to go there.
Wegman’s
Wegman’s policy is that animals should not be mistreated.
They work with trusted suppliers and visit facilities to ensure that the chickens are being treated humanely. But at the end of the day, they’re pretty vague (especially compared to Whole Foods) on exactly what that means.
Wegman’s Animal Welfare Policy page does at least note “no antibiotics ever” as an option for some of their chicken. They also sell organic and free-range chicken.
After Whole Foods, Wegmans is the clearest of the big chains I researched here in terms of clearly displaying their animal welfare and additive standards on their website.
Not all chicken brands are created equal. A Fancy label does not mean better tasting chicken.
But beware, some lesser brands actually inject a salt solution into the chicken.
It plumps it up, and, of course, adds to the weight (making it cost more). It also keeps the chicken fresher longer. Typically it’s a 2% sodium or potassium lactate solution that will be added. So make sure and check the label and see if it says that (they are required to disclose it by law). (source)
Your best bet would be to buy a couple of chickens, cook them up and taste them for yourself to find a brand that works for you and your family.
However, I found at Publix GreenWise chicken is delicious. It is tender and juicy and has a nice texture.
But, if you’re really concerned about how the chickens are raised and slaughtered, Whole Foods Market is the best choice. They have very strict standards for how, not just chickens, but all of their meat, is raised and slaughtered.
If an animal is ever given antibiotics, the meat will not be sold at Whole Foods. So you can rest assured that you will not be ingesting unnecessary antibiotics.
Chicken isn’t the only thing worth being picky about at the grocery store!
If you’re a steak lover, you won’t want to miss my recent article about which grocery stores have the best steaks.
I get into all of it; USDA grading, Prime, Kobe, Choice, Select, and which grocery stores stack up and which ones miss the mark.
Which grocery store has the best rotisserie chicken?
In this case, the term “best” could refer to the quality of the chicken and things like we’ve discussed (antibiotics & hormones). But “best” could also refer to the flavor.
So we’ll dive in a little bit to both.
Rotisserie chicken is delicious. And today you can find it in just about every grocery store you visit. However, they are not all created equally.
If you have a Costco nearby, they really have the best tasting rotisserie chicken. Their chicken is big enough to feed a family of four, and they are delicious. The meat is juicy, the skin is crispy, and at $4.99 each, the price is right.
However, their chicken is cheap in part due to lower quality meat. The following ingredients were, at the time of this writing, on their label: “salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose”.
But it’s not a surprise that stores would use lower quality chicken for their cooked products. They are, after all, in business to make money. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
So if you want flavor and a low price, Costco is the way to go.
Out of Publix, Whole Foods, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, and Wegmans, Publix has the best tasting rotisserie chicken. They have a wide variety of options, the price is reasonable, and it’s always hot and fresh.
The biggest problem with Publix rotisserie chicken is that many complain they tend to run out early. But if your top concern is animal welfare and artificial ingredients, Whole Foods Market still makes the top of the list.
There are three grades of poultry, Grade A, B, and C, that can be sold in stores.
Unlike beef, you can’t just look at the meat to see if it’s a good cut. With beef, you look at marbling and the color of the meat itself to determine the quality. Of course, the USDA also grades beef, but it’s not hard to get an idea of how it’s going to taste based on looks alone.
Most of the poultry you will find in your meat department will be Grade A.
Whole chickens, chicken breast, chicken thighs, etc. Chicken that is Grade B or C will be processed into cut-up, chopped, or ground poultry products.
There are three main factors in grading poultry:
Exposed flesh
Disjointed or broken bones
Missing parts
The table below summarizes each grade and the factors:
FACTOR
GRADE A
GRADE B
GRADE C
Exposed Flesh
The total length of cuts on breast or legs must be less than 1/4″ and the total length of cuts everywhere else must be less than 1 1/2″
1/3 of the flesh on a part may be exposed
More than 1/3 of the flesh on a part may be exposed
Disjointed or broken bones
None or one disjointed
Two disjointed OR One disjointed and one non-protruding broken OR One non-protruding broken
No limit
Missing parts
Wing tips and/or tail removed at the base
Wing(s) to 2nd joint AND/OR back area removed up to one-half way to the hip joint, not wider than the base of the tail
Back area not wider than the base of tail extending to the area beyond halfway to hip joints
What does chicken without antibiotics and hormones mean?
Food labels can be confusing. Chicken labels are no exception.
What does it mean when chicken is labeled “antibiotic-free” or “organic”? What about “no added hormones”? So, here’s the good news. No chicken that you buy in the store will ever be given added hormones or steroids.
By law, hormones are not allowed in raising poultry.
If the phrase “no hormones added” is on the label, it must be followed by a statement that says “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.” source
In other words, like labeling a bag of carrots “gluten-free”, it’s a marketing gimmick to make you think their products are somehow better or safer. The trouble is, shoppers became so confused, that now, almost everyone does it as they don’t want shoppers to their product has added hormones.
But even if the chicken isn’t labeled as being hormone-free, you can rest assured that it is in fact, free of hormones.
Just like people, chickens sometimes get sick. When they do, a veterinarian may administer an antibiotic. Once a chicken has been given an antibiotic, it may not be labeled as being “raised without antibiotics” or “no antibiotics ever.”
However, federal regulations require that chickens that have received antibiotics cannot leave the farm until it has cleared from their system.
So in that aspect, all of the chicken you buy is technically “antibiotic-free.” But if you want to make sure the animal was never, ever, given antibiotics, look for a label that says “no antibiotics ever”.
There are so many different kinds of chicken at the grocery store. So how do you know what to look for when shopping?
Firstly, check the “best by” date. Eating chicken that is out of date will make you sick.
Check out the color of the chicken. It should have a pinkish hue. Chicken will fade from pink to a dull gray color as it spoils. So if there is even a hint of gray coloring, leave it at the store.
If you are purchasing chicken with the skin on, make sure the skin covers each piece. You don’t want to short yourself any of that delicious crispy skin.
But there is more to look out for when it comes to labeling.
Some labels don’t really mean anything. These should be considered marketing schemes.
Organic
The first label to look for is organic. Look for the USDA Organic logo, not just the word “organic.” This ensures that the chicken was fed an organic feed and at least has access to the outdoors.
Hormone-free
We’ve established that the hormone-free label doesn’t really mean anything.
Antibiotic-free
But you still want to look out for the antibiotic-free label (and ideally no antibiotics ever). Yes, any antibiotics given to chickens has to be clear of its system before it leaves the farm. But you have to have a lot of trust in the farmer to really know that the antibiotic is actually out of the chicken.
Cage-free
Another term that doesn’t really mean much is cage-free. Sure, these chickens do not live in cages. Instead, they live in warehouses with concrete floors and no windows.
A slightly better option would be to look for free-range or free-roaming chicken.
According to the USDA, to be labeled as “free-range” or “free-roaming,” chickens must have access to the outdoors for some part of the day. (source)
However, there are no requirements for the length of time the chicken must spend outdoors, the size of the outdoor area, or the type of ground cover.
So, for example, there could be a small door at the end of a barn that is open for 10 minutes per day. Because the door is open, the chickens have access to the outside. This qualifies them as “free-range” chickens.
So are free-range chickens the happiest chickens? Do they have the freedom to run around, eat bugs, and live their best chicken life? I don’t know. And if they still end up slaughtered, does that even matter?
Another thing to understand is that not all free-range chicken is organic.
But all organic chicken is free-range. To receive free-range certification, the chickens must have access to the outdoors, among other things.
Like steak, but not sure if Prime is worth the money?
I recently conducted a blind taste test of USDA Choice, USDA Prime, Certified Angus, and Grass-fed ribeye steaks.
Prime is definitely the most expensive of those 4, but did it taste the best? Find out my results in this recent article and brief video where you’ll see it all unfold!
Are there some chicken brands to avoid at the grocery store?
Every chicken producer must meet USDA regulations to be sold in grocery stores.
So you can feel pretty confident that whatever chicken you purchase will be safe to eat.
That said, you shouldn’t just pick up any old chicken. You should still read the label and make sure that it meets your personal standards.
There are probably some types of chicken to avoid as well as some brands that I personally avoid.
Ground chicken for one. Ground chicken can be made up of several different birds from several different places. So you won’t know if it’s been previously frozen or the quality of the meat pre-grinding.
In that case, it’s better to buy your chicken breast and grind them at home. Then you know exactly what you are getting.
Brands to avoid is a very subjective phrase.
If the way chickens are raised and slaughtered matters, then there are some brands that you may want to avoid.
Personally, there are some companies out there that simply do not have a good reputation.
Tyson is one example. Tyson has been sued more than once. Not only for mislabeling its packaging as “natural” or “all-natural,” but they also have a history of mistreating animals. source
They also have a history of being environmentally irresponsible.
They’ve been known to dump millions of pounds of toxic pollutants into U.S. Waterways and wash products with hazardous chemical disinfectants. All while claiming to be environmentally responsible. source
Tyson certainly isn’t the only company that has some controversy.
Perdue Farms, one of the largest poultry companies in the US, has been known to push around farmers and take advantage of them. Farmers often have to kill several thousand chickens per flock, at the direction of Perdue, without compensation. source
So, if not polluting the environment, the way farmers are treated or the way chickens are treated matters to you, you may want to consider avoiding Tyson and/or Perdue brands.
Final Thoughts
We covered a lot of information in this article. It can be a lot to digest, I know. (See what I did there?)
We went over what grocery stores have the best chicken and how to buy chicken at the store. I also discussed the best and worst chicken to purchase at the store.
Then we talked about some common terms that you may have seen on the packaging. And we also talked about the different USDA Grades.
While not all chicken is created equal, it’s not too difficult to find quality chicken. Organic and cage-free chickens usually make for the best chicken.
Personally, I find chicken thighs to be the most flavorful and the juiciest.
Whether because they’re homebound, or just too busy to hit the grocery store, more and more people are turning to Instacart for grocery delivery or pickup. But if you’ve never used them, you’re probably wondering how does Instacart work?
Instacart Pickup allows you to order your groceries online on their website and set a time to pick them up at the grocery store you select. Instacart also has e-coupons you can apply to your order. Just set a time to pick up your order and you’ll receive a notification when it’s ready.
But there’s a lot more to know about grocery home delivery or pickup, including how far in advance you need to schedule and whether you should tip the Instacart employees.
So let’s keep going!
Grocery shopping can really be a hassle, especially if you have kids that need to come along. You can save yourself a lot of stress and hassle just by ordering your groceries. Instacart will deliver them to you or have them ready for you to pick up when you’re ready.
It can feel like a weight has been lifted when your grocery shopping is done for you.
But how does it work? Does Instacart charge for pickup and delivery? Should you tip the pickup person?
Instacart isn’t available in every area for delivery. However, Instacart Pickup may be an option for you.
Instacart Pickup allows you to order your groceries online and set a time to pick them up. Just go to the store when you are ready to get your groceries.
When you start looking for a grocer to order groceries from for pickup, you’ll search by zip code. From there, you’ll see a list of available grocers. Just pick your store and start shopping!
Instacart has e-coupons they can apply to your order and you can shop sales, too. Once you’ve filled your cart, select the time you want to pick up your order and submit payment.
When your order is ready for pickup, you’ll get a notification with directions for where and how to pick up your groceries.
The best way to stay in the loop about the progress of your order is to download the app to your phone.
This will also make it easier for you to notify your shopper when you are on the way to pick up your order and then when you arrive. This makes picking up your groceries quick and simple.
Depending on the store, you will either wait in your car for Instacart to bring it to you, or you will go inside to pick it up. Many stores have designated parking spaces for you to wait.
Make sure you pay attention to the text or push notification you get from Instacart for instructions on how to retrieve your groceries.
Yes. Instacart charges for both pickup and delivery. But how much does Instacart cost?
Instacart charges a 5% fee. But they sometimes charge higher prices on the food items too. You may also be charged more for peak times or rush delivery. However, Instacart Express customers always get free pick up or delivery with orders of $35 or more.
So if you can pick up your order at an off-peak time, you’ll save a little bit of money.
You may also get charged more if you want to pick up your order sooner rather than later. Just like with the delivery service. When getting groceries delivered, they will charge more to have groceries delivered in an hour. They charge less if you pick a delivery window that is more than an hour out.
However, Instacart Express customers always get free pickup with orders of $35 or more.
Instacart Express is Instacart’s membership program. It’ll cost you $99 per year or $9.99 per month. These rates are subject to change, and may even vary by location. Go to https://www.instacart.com/store/express to see what the rates are in your area.
$99 per year tacked on to your grocery bill can really be a lot, especially if you don’t use the service often. So, if you are going to pay for it, you should consider using the service consistently.
Sometimes you can find discounts for the service, too. Sign up for their mailing list or check out Groupon to see if you can get the membership for a lower rate.
Instacart shoppers are providing a service. They are making your life easier and saving you hours of shopping time. Certainly, that is worth something to you.
Like many other folks in the service industry, a large amount of their pay comes from tips.
Instacart shoppers make sure that the produce is fresh, search for the best expiration dates, and make sure you get the best deals.
They shop just like you would, so they really earn that tip!
Instacart recommends tipping drivers 5% when they deliver your groceries. But in some cases, you may want to tip a lot more than that. Luckily, I go into much greater detail on Instacart tipping in a recent article.
Just click the link to read it on my site.
Not only are they doing the shopping, but they are bringing you your groceries. In certain areas, they can even bring them to you in an hour or less!
Two grocery delivery services, one major price difference 💰 Why would the same groceries cost you more on Instacart?
Instacart charges more for certain stores, but sometimes there isn’t any added markup fee at all. It depends on which store you’re shopping at.
There was a recent outrage because customers found out that the average markup is just that: an average. Instacart holds the right to raise prices higher than the quoted percentage.
Keep in mind that it doesn’t affect all stores. However, it’s still something to remember when you’re considering using the service to replace your shopping altogether.
The best way to know whether or not you’ll be charged more at a specific store is by reviewing Instacart’s pricing information page.
According to that page, it’s the retailers themselves that set the prices charged through Instacart.
Don’t let the potentially higher prices steer you away from the app, though. Instacart is a thriving business for many reasons.
The convenience value alone is enough to make the markups well worth using the service. There’s certainly a line where it’s probably a better idea to do your own shopping. Still, it all depends on the markup percentage.
In some cases though, Instacart charges up to 25% more than the store!!
To read more about Instacart’s pricing, and see what stores have that kind of mark up, check out my recent article. I get into all the details on how to figure out which stores will charge you more through Instacart and which won’t.
Instacart: Same-day grocery delivery
With Instacart, you can shop online and get groceries delivered from stores in your neighborhood in as fast as 1 hour. Or you can choose to pick up your order at the store, where it’ll be waiting for you. https://t.co/jvDQ0mPmgApic.twitter.com/HGGEc7uOfb
Instacart serves zip codes all around the country and is one of the most widely available grocery delivery and pickup options.
You can check Instacart’s website to see if they’re available in your area. You can even sign up to be notified of any updates if the service isn’t available for your area or your favorite stores.
Instacart works with lots of stores. It works with big chain stores as well as small mom and pop stores. It works with places like CVS and wine shops, too.
However, if you are a Trader Joe’s fan, you’re going to have to go to the store yourself.
Trader Joe’s prides itself on providing value to their customers. Instacart’s pricing was causing Trader Joe’s to pass along unsustainable cost increases to their customers. As a result, they stopped making delivery and pick up available to their customers. (source)
Whole Foods Market also ceased working with Instacart when Amazon bought them. But they now have their own delivery and pick up system. (source)
Final Thoughts
Instacart grocery pickup is a really convenient service. It can save you hours of shopping, especially if you have a larger family.
In this article, I talked about the convenience of Instacart pickup as well as the cost.
I talked about how much Instacart charges for groceries, as well as their fees. I also talked about whether you should tip your shopper and at what stores the Instacart service can be used.
Most importantly, I answered the question: How does Instacart pick-up work.
Do you use Instacart? If not, are you going to start?
The Grocery Store Guy, part of the Middle Class Dad family of websites, is reader-supported and when you make a purchase through some of my links, I may earn a small commission from the sale, which in no way increases the cost to you. Learn more HERE.
Lots of people love steak. But let’s face it, not all meat is created equal. So many steak lovers have wondered which grocery store has the best steaks?
The best grade of beef is Prime, and organic grass-fed is premium in terms of meat quality, taste & health. Unfortunately prime beef is only available in small quantities to grocers like Wegmans or Whole Foods Market due to low demand due to its premium price. But the best nationwide grocer for steaks is Whole Foods.
However, it’s not quite that simple.
After all, there are so many different kinds of cuts, gradings, aging, and much more.
So, this article is going to be all about your favorite cut of meat! We’re going to talk about what makes one steak better than another.
We’re also going to talk about which supermarkets have the best quality meat and how to pick a steak at the grocery store. We will define USDA meat grades and grass-fed versus grain-fed organic beef.
What is steak and what part of the cow do they come from?
Steak is not just any piece of meat. Steak is generally defined as a cut of meat that is sliced across the muscle fibers.
There are many different kinds of steak, each coming from different areas of the cow. Each type of steak has different characteristics. Ribeyes come from the rib area. T-bones, porterhouse, filet mignon, and strip steaks come from the loin.
Some steaks, like skirt steak and flank steak, are cut with the muscle fibers. They come from the short plate and the flank. They also tend to be tougher than other steaks.
Arguably, one of the hardest things about cooking steak at home is picking and purchasing steak at the supermarket. It’s not surprising, either. There are a ton of choices!
Like steak, but not sure if Prime is worth the money?
I recently conducted a blind taste test of USDA Choice, USDA Prime, Certified Angus, and Grass-fed ribeye steaks.
Prime is definitely the most expensive of those 4, but did it taste the best? Find out my results in this recent article and brief video where you’ll see it all unfold!
We all have our own idea of what makes a steak “good.”
The same applies when we talk about “better” steaks. For this article, we’re going to assume that the better steak is super flavorful yet tender. We’re also going to assume that cost is not a factor.
Filet Mignon comes from the tenderloin portion of the cow.
It contains very little fat and comes from a non-weight-bearing muscle. This, along with it not containing much connective tissue makes it the most tender cut of meat. However, the lack of fat does not make it the most flavorful.
This is why it is usually served with some sort of sauce or wrapped in bacon.
Strip steaks, like the NY Strip, is a good balance of flavor and tenderness. It’s got some fat in it, making it more flavorful than the filet mignon. It’s also a well-worked muscle, making it less tender.
The Ribeye is the most flavorful cust of meat. Look for high marbling. This is the white swirling you’ll see in the steak. The more marbling, the more flavorful the steak. If cooked with care, it can also be very tender.
So, what makes one steak better than another steak? A good amount of fat (for flavor) and cut from an area that doesn’t do much work (for tenderness).
So some steaks are more expensive than others. But at the end of the day, are all steaks chewy?
Big steak tonight for dinner what sides can go with it. H-E-B best grocery store unless you hit the whole food markets I rock with that too pic.twitter.com/STGVViVEI6
There are tons of supermarkets out there, so this article is going to focus on a handful of well-known supermarkets.
When shopping for meat, you should look for good marbling and nice red color with no brown spots.
Another factor in the quality of meat is whether the cow is given growth hormones or antibiotics. Animals fed right and treated humanely are not just for marketing. They make for better tasting, healthier meat. As a bonus, you can feel good that the cow lived it’s best life before it landed on your plate.
Publix
According to the Publix website, their meat is raised with no antibiotics or added hormones. They are also fed a 100% vegetarian diet. However, they don’t specify whether they are grain-fed or grass-fed.
While Publix indicates that the GreenWise Angus is humanely raised to certain requirements, they don’t specify what those standards are. They also do not indicate whether these standards apply to any other cut of beef sold in the store.
It’s also worth pointing out that places like Whole Foods guarantee their meat and poultry has no added growth hormones or antibiotics EVER. Whereas many brands and stores simply guarantee that their meat and poultry tested free of those things at the time of slaughter.
That means in many cases, the animals or feed have been treated with those things earlier in their lifespan. (source)
Whole Foods Market
Meat sold at Whole Foods has over 100 animal welfare standards it must meet before it is sold in the store.
These standards don’t just apply to beef cattle. They also apply pork, chicken, sheep, goats, and turkey.
If an animal ever gets an antibiotic treatment, it won’t be sold at Whole Foods. They also don’t permit added growth hormones or animal by-products. They also ensure that animals are raised, transported, and slaughtered humanely.
Because there are such stringent standards to the meat that is sold at Whole Foods, you can rest assured that any meat you purchase will be healthy and free of nasty additives.
If you aren’t a fan, you may have wondered why is Whole Foods so popular?
I break down the company from top to bottom in a recent article. Since I worked for them for more than 20 years (not currently), I know a thing or 2 about them, including a lot of insider tips.
Kroger is not as transparent about their meat policy. They do offer antibiotic-free meat and their line of Simple Truth meat products that are free of growth hormones.
They do require that suppliers meet standards set by the North American Meat Institute as well as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Trader Joe’s
While Trader Joe’s has a lot of excellent products, meat is not their strong suit.
They do sell organic beef, but they do not have much of a selection. And, as you’d know if you shopped there, everything is prepackaged. They do not have butchers in the store and nothing is cut or packaged in the store.
They sell a lot of marinated meat, but if you are making steak, you will want to make your own marinade, if you marinate it at all. Sometimes meats that are lower quality get packaged in a marinade to mask the lower quality.
So it’s usually best to marinate it yourself.
Wegman’s
Wegman’s sells organic and grass-fed beef, but they do not have any standards as it relates to the humane treatment of cattle.
They are exclusively on the East Coast. With only 89 stores, some of you may have never seen one.
But they are overall a great grocery store. They combine the look and feel of Whole Foods, but in a much larger format with a more lenient set of product standards.
So unlike Whole Foods, you can probably buy that Captain Crunch cereal along with your dry-aged Prime tenderloin and house-made mozzarella.
As far as quality, organic meat does not necessarily mean it’s good meat. Organic meat could be fed grains, which are less healthy than grass-fed cattle. I discuss in more detail the differences between organic and grass-fed meat in the sections below.
How do you pick a steak at the grocery store?
While steak from the local meat market may be the better option for purchasing steak, sometimes is just not possible.
Meat markets (butcher shops) are becoming a rarity. If you do happen to have one nearby, it’s going to mean an extra trip and extra time shopping.
Sometimes it’s just more convenient to do all of your shopping, including meat, at the supermarket.
So, how do you pick a quality steak at the grocery store?
First, check the fat content
You want there to be good marbling, or fat, throughout the steak. Marbling ensures a juicy steak with a deep, rich flavor. Fat on the outer edge of the steak ensures juiciness while helping it retain its shape.
Next, look at the color of the meat
Grass-fed meat usually has a deeper red color with the marbling having a yellowish hue.
Grain-fed meat will be less red with a milky white or creamy-colored marbling.
Be sure to make sure there are no brown spots on the surface of the steak, either.
Color is also a marker for the freshness of the meat as well at its age. Fresh meat will be a lighter shade of red after it is cut. Meat that has been in cold storage for a long time will be a darker shade of red.
Younger meat will be brighter colored than older meat. Darker meat comes from an older animal, meaning it will likely be a tougher cut.
Size does matter!
You want to purchase a steak that is at least one-inch thick.
Thinner steaks cook much faster, making them easier to overcook. An overcooked steak will be chewy and dry. You also want the thickness to be consistent so it’s not done on one end and raw on the other.
Don’t confuse an overcooked steak with a well-done one. Even a well-done steak, when cooked properly, can be juicy and tender.
Finally, shop for your steaks just before you are about to checkout.
Refrigerate or freeze them as soon as you get home. This is more of a safety precaution than anything. You’d hate to cook a steak to perfection just to get sick from it! But, of course, for the best steak possible, cook it shortly after you buy it.
But let’s say you’ve bought the best steak you can afford. How can you make it as tender as possible?
What’s your beef? When you’re choosing meat to buy for #GrillingMonth do you know what the labels actually mean? Here’s USDA’s guide to understanding beef grades: pic.twitter.com/ihNTsTb87z
— USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service (@USDAFoodSafety) July 9, 2019
What are the USDA meat grades?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades meat at the request of the meatpacker.
The grading system determines the quality rating based on the amount of marbling in the muscle and the age of the beef.
There are generally three USDA grades of beef that you would buy from the supermarket. From highest to lowest, they are:
Prime
Choice
Select
The highest quality of meat is USDA Prime.
It is the most tender and flavorful cut of meat. It is also hard to find and usually reserved for high-end restaurants. You may be able to find it at the supermarket occasionally but at a premium price.
In short, the higher the ratio of marbling, and the younger the cow, the higher the grade.
The marbling determines the tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Younger beef produces a finer texture, making it more tender.
The second-highest grade is Choice.
It has less marbling and is generally less tender. Less marbling also means less flavor and juice.
USDA Select is the lowest grade of steak you’ll find at the supermarket.
It is very lean and tougher than other cuts.
USDA Cutter and Canner grades are meats that are typically found in convenience foods, like microwave burritos, pot pies, and other processed food products.
When shopping for steak, be sure to look for the USDA shield.
Many grocers will mark packages as “prime” or “choice,” but unless it has the USDA shield, it’s most likely a marketing ploy.
Organic beef does not necessarily mean it was grass-fed.
Organic means that the animal was not given added hormones or antibiotics or pesticides in the food. The feed can be grass, corn or soy (grains).
Grass-fed meat means that the animal was pasture-raised and was not fed corn or soy. Grass-fed meat is often organic, but organic does not necessarily mean grass-fed.
Because cattle that are fed grain are inherently less healthy, organic does not necessarily mean better. Studies show that grain-fed cattle have unhealthy omega 6 to omega 3 fats. They have higher saturated fat and tend to be pro-inflammatory. (source)
Grass-fed cattle have a much healthier omega 6 to omega 3 fat ratio.
They also tend to contain more vitamins, are less likely to have E. coli, less saturated fat, and fewer calories than commercial grain-fed meat.
So, if you are looking to purchase the healthiest steak, look for organic grass-fed beef with a USDA rating of at least Choice.
Are you a chicken lover too?
I have a recent article that breaks down which grocery stores have the best quality chicken. I also take the mystery out of the common terms like hormone and antibiotic-free.
I even explain how some claims you see on chicken packages are just marketing gimmicks and are really meaningless.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Come to Whole Foods in Louisville and you will see the best meat department in Louisville. pic.twitter.com/Xrqn3z2YoN
What grocery stores have full-service meat departments with a butcher?
Again, there are countless grocery stores, many of them with full-service meat departments. I’m going to focus on a handful of popular supermarkets.
Publix
Publix has a full-service meat department with a butcher on hand. Butchers are available during regular operating hours to custom cut meat, trim a cut, or repackage portions.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods has a full-service meat department with a butcher on hand.
But their meat department also has over 100 animal welfare standards it must meet before it is sold in the store. Some of these standards include no added hormones or antibiotics.
Cows must spend at least ⅔ of their life at pasture. Furthermore, Cows, among other animals, must be raised, transported, and slaughtered humanely.
Kroger
Some, but not all Kroger stores, have an in-house butcher. Check your location to be sure.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s does not have a meat department with a butcher. They sell meat in smaller, prepacked packages. Nothing is cut in the stores.
Safeway
Like Publix and Whole Foods, Safeway does have full-service meat departments with butchers on hand. Butchers are available to custom cut any order.
Final thoughts
In this article, we went over all the things you need to know about purchasing steak at the grocery store.
We went over what makes a great steak.
Then we talked about what supermarkets have the best quality meat and how to pick a steak at the grocery store. We also went over USDA meat grades and the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef.
Of course, we also talked about what makes one steak better than another.
Then we looked at which supermarkets have the best quality meat and how to pick a steak at the grocery store. We answered all the top questions too, about things like USDA meat grades and grass-fed versus grain-fed organic beef.
Ultimately we answered the question of which grocery store has the best steaks?
My pick for quality, consistency, price, and availability is Whole Foods Market. After all, they operate over 400 stores in multiple countries. While some place like Wegman’s on the East Coast also has great steaks, I can’t give them the win since they don’t operate in most parts of the country.
Small butcher shops, of course, could be well worth checking out too if you have one. But anywhere you can find USDA Prime or at least Choice beef, ideally organically grown and grass-fed, get it! You’ll have a great steak!
I would steer clear of buying meat from places that only sell USDA Select beef and also steer clear of places that don’t have butchers on staff who cut their meat fresh. Trader Joe’s and Aldi come to mind there.
Whole Foods didn’t get the moniker “Whole Paycheck” by accident. But for those who aren’t loyal shoppers, it’s not uncommon to wonder why is Whole Foods more expensive?
Whole Foods costs between 10% to 20% more than typical grocery stores. That increase is due to higher quality ingredients in the products, but you also are paying for beautiful decor, improved customer service, and better product knowledge.
But that only scratches the surface of what makes Whole Foods different, and yes, sometimes more expensive.
So in this article, we’re diving deep into Whole Foods Market. We’ll explore their pricing and why you might want to shop there despite some higher prices. But we’ll also look at just how much prices have gone down since Amazon bought them in 2017.
Want to learn more about what makes Whole Foods special?
Just keep reading!
How much does Whole Foods cost?
There have been several studies over the years showing that Whole Foods prices are an average of 10% to 20% higher than competitors. However, after the acquisition by Amazon, Whole Foods Market is now about 10-13% higher than other grocery chains.
But before I dive in further, it’s important to realize that since Amazon bought Whole Foods Market in 2017, there have been several actions taken by the company that has lowered prices, significantly in some cases.
I’ll get into that further below.
Price comparisons
In fact, a 2015 MarketWatch article showed that prices are substantially higher across the board and they routinely overcharged customers.
Their prices were so high at the time, that they were fined $800,000 for deliberately overcharging customers.
The article compared consumer staples like bananas and peanut butter.
Bananas at Whole Foods cost an average of $0.99 per pound. This is anywhere from $0.20 to $0.30 more expensive compared to competitors like Target and Trader Joe’s.
The house brand peanut butter costs almost twice as much at Whole Foods compared to Safeway. $2.79 at Whole Foods versus $1.79 at Safeway for a 16 oz. jar.
Accusations of overpricing
In June 2015, Whole Foods was accused of serious overpricing when the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs launched an investigation.
The commissioner described the situation as “the worst case of mislabeling” the inspectors had ever seen.
One part of the investigation assessed 80 different prepackaged products. Each item was weighed, and in every instance, the label on the package was inaccurate. In fact, 89% of the packages deviated so much from the actual weight that it violated federal regulations.
On top of this, Whole Foods had already been fined for things like charging tax on nontaxable items and having inaccurate checkout scanners.
But having worked for Whole Foods for more than 20 years, I can tell you that poorly calibrated scales or a data input person, applying the wrong tax code to an item are rare occasions, and certainly not deliberate.
I can also tell you those things probably happen in every store across the globe.
Currently, Whole Foods has more competition when it comes to the sale of organic and natural foods. Nearly every grocery chain has increased its organic offerings, including Walmart, Target, and Kroger.
This offering of a wider selection of organic produce, along with their lower prices has forced Whole Foods to rethink its pricing.
On average, their prices have dropped 2.5% since last year. (source)
https://t.co/IEaJD2Orts Today, I’m sharing a $56 Whole Foods haul! Also, why is food so expensive at Whole Foods?? We hadn’t been there in a while and it hasn’t changed from when we used to shop there regularly. Sadly, because our kids have gotten older and eat a lot more, we c… pic.twitter.com/tqGGsUWlw2
Is Whole Foods more expensive than Walmart, Trader Joes or Sprouts?
Whole Foods Market is more expensive compared to Walmart. But they do tend to be cheaper than Sprouts, and comparable to Trader Joes.
But, a study conducted by Bank of America Merrill concluded that Whole Foods is still the most expensive grocery chain in America. (source)
While Whole Foods did reduce the price of produce significantly, they did not reduce prices for the center of the store items. Items like pre-packaged foods, canned goods, and other cooking ingredients cost over 50% more than similar items found at Walmart.
Notice I said similar there.
We’re not talking about the exact same items at both stores. Since Whole Foods Market doesn’t allow artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or growth hormones, that can make some products cost more.
But many feel that a slight increase is worth it.
Walmart was generally deemed the cheapest grocery store to shop at. They did not include stores like Aldi in their assessment.
I did read a Business Insider article where a shopper visited stores in Oakland, California to compare prices.
He discovered that Whole Foods actually had lower prices than Sprouts. Particularly on staples like peanut butter, produce, and dish soap.
Trader Joe’s has a slightly different business model than Whole Foods.
They do claim that all of their store-branded items are free of artificial flavors, preservatives, and synthetic colors. They also do not contain GMOs. Whole Foods private label products are also guaranteed to be that way too.
However, Trader Joe’s buys directly from their suppliers for the lowest possible price.
They purchase in large volume and switch out products on a fairly regular basis. If an item does not sell as quickly as they want, they switch out the item for something else.
Because of that, while you can get great deals at TJs, it’s hard to do all your shopping there. So for many, they are willing to pay a few pennies more at Whole Foods for a more complete shopping experience.
Also, Trader Joe’s doesn’t run sales or accept coupons and most of the products on their shelves are private-label brands.
Yes. With the acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon introduced discounts for Amazon Prime members. Amazon Prime members get an extra 10% off on sale prices. They also have weekly specials targeted towards Amazon Prime members. And in some cities, they offer free delivery from Whole Foods within 2 hours.
Check out Amazon Prime if you don’t have it yet. You’ll not only save at Whole Foods, but you’ll get world-class streaming TV too!
Just CLICK HERE to check it out on Amazon’s website.
The Prime discount even applies to all of its Whole Foods Market 365 stores.
If you don’t already have a Prime membership, it may be worth looking into.
At $119 per year, you get access to:
Free two-day shipping
Amazon Prime streaming video and music services
Delivery services like Prime Now in certain cities.
Unlimited photo storage on a Kindle or Fire device
These services, along with the Whole Foods discount, are a great value for the price.
Yes. To overcome their “whole paycheck” reputation, Amazon announced they were cutting prices at Whole Foods an average of 20% in 2019.
Prices were lowered on peak-of-season produce, including greens, tomato, and mangoes.
Amazon had already cut prices on several products immediately after the acquisition of Whole Foods. Prices were cut on eggs, fish and produce. Just a few days after the acquisition, there were major noticeable differences in the price of apples, bananas, salmon, and beef.
However, they didn’t cut prices across the board.
And in fact, prices were raised several months before prices were dropped. While the higher prices affected things like ice cream, soap, and cookies, dropping prices on things like produce really just put them back to where they were before they raised prices.
So some things may be cheaper, but other things are more expensive. Competitors still have cheaper prices, generally, compared to Whole Foods.
But for those who want to shop with a glass of wine dancing to the beat of the latest Billie Eilish track, hitting every free sample tray along the way, there’s just no comparison.
Amazon and Whole Foods say customers will save an average of 20 percent on new reduced-priced items after a third round of price cuts beginning April 3 $AMZNpic.twitter.com/Eg4oAtHVnD
Whole Foods Market, like Starbucks, charges more for their products because they understand their customers are willing to pay for the atmosphere and ambiance and improved customer service. Most grocery stores have very slim profit margins and usually only make a profit by sacrificing customer service or price.
But let’s explore that last sentence in greater detail.
A smaller specialty store may have less inventory but sells it at higher prices and has more employees to provide a better customer experience with free samples and tastings.
Whereas a more conventional store is larger, with more inventory at lower prices, but customer service is a bare minimum.
These stores usually have fewer employees and fewer specialty departments. Right now, you should be thinking of Walmart with its excessively long lines and the inability to find help when you need it.
I wrote this recent article where I talk about all things profit margin related. There I talk about what profit margins actually are, and why they are so low.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Whole Foods’ pricing comes from its desire to nourish people and take care of the planet. They believe that there is no place for ingredients like artificial sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup in the food people eat.
They also have very stringent standards when it comes to animal welfare, environmental impact, and the products it sells to consumers.
Shopping at Whole Foods isn’t just grocery shopping. It’s an experience. One where people are willing and able to pay more for organic, natural foods.
Whole Foods has also strategically placed stores in affluent neighborhoods. This, along with their mission to sell high-quality foods, allows them to charge higher prices.
What makes the products at Whole Foods better or different?
Whole Foods is known for selling organically grown and all-natural products. They have a long list of banned ingredients such that customers feel comfortable not having to check labels for artificial ingredients and preservatives.
So why pay more? Let’s examine what sets Whole Foods apart in greater detail.
1. Quality Ingredient Standards
There are a lot of reasons people pay more to shop at Whole Foods Market. But not the least of those reasons is being able to shop without having to read the labels to look for bad ingredients.
Whole Foods has a long list of quality standards and banned ingredients. Many people, my family included, appreciate being able to have a higher level of trust with the products on their shelves.
These banned ingredients include, but are not limited to:
Hydrogenated fats
High-fructose corn syrup
Artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors
Preservatives
If a food contains any of these unacceptable ingredients, you won’t see it on its shelves.
Beyond ingredient standards for all the canned and boxed goods, Whole Foods also has strict standards not only for additives and hormones added to meat and dairy but also how the animals are treated.
They created a 5-step animal welfare rating system that they apply to all ranches and farmers they work with.
Some of these standards include things you would expect to see, such as:
No added growth hormones
Never any antibiotics used
No animal by-products in feed
But they also have requirements that cattle, sheep, and goats must spend at least two-thirds of their life on the pasture.
All of the meat sold in the meat department, except kosher turkey, is certified to meet animal welfare standards set by the Global Animal Partnership.
Again, if the care of livestock doesn’t meet their standards, Whole Foods won’t sell the meat in their stores.
3. Better environmental standards
Whole Foods cares about the environment, too.
They stopped using plastic grocery sacks in 2008, long before being eco-friendly was hip. But even beyond that, I recall swapping our trash compactor for a compost compactor way back in 2002.
These days, virtually all Whole Foods stores recycle or compost far more than they send to the landfill.
But the cleaning products they sell are eco-friendly too.
Of course, as you’d expect, they don’t sell anything tested on animals. But beyond that, they developed an “Eco-Scale” for cleaning products.
This scale, overseen by a neutral 3rd party, ranks products based on:
Environmental impact
Safety
Ingredients (formaldehyde, phosphates, etc)
Animal testing
Products are given a rating of green, yellow, orange or red. Whole Foods does not sell any products that fall in the red on the scale.
If you’re from the southeast, this may surprise you, as Publix is known for its high prices as well. But don’t be too surprised. They are very close in price to Whole Foods.
However, Publix does have great sales and is constantly running buy one get one (BOGO) free sales.
If you’re wondering how grocery stores pick which items go on sale, check out this recent article on my blog. There I go over why grocery stores have sales and how items are picked for sale prices. But you might be surprised at the science behind sales and how you are likely to actually spend more despite the discounts.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
A study done by Bank of America Merrill Lynch examined 10 studies from 8 different areas over a year. They analyzed prices at several chains, including:
Walmart
Target
Sprouts
Whole Foods
This study found that Whole Foods had the highest prices overall. Although Sprouts is more expensive in many areas.
However, even with these higher prices, Whole Foods has gained an almost cult-like following. They started out a small health food grocery store to make natural, organic food easily accessible.
They’ve mostly stuck by these roots, and have set very high standards for products they sell.
To read more about the history of Whole Foods, and to understand more about why the chain is so popular, head over to this recent article.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we took an in-depth look at why Whole Foods is so expensive.
We examined how they price their products, talked about past scandals regarding overpricing. But we also explored how Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods is leading to lower prices across the board.
We also took a look at what makes products, including produce and meat, better.
Ultimately we answered the question of why Whole Foods is more expensive.
If you’re a loyal shopper, you already know why people love Whole Foods Market. But if you aren’t a regular, you may have wondered why is Whole Foods so popular?
Whole Foods is the leader in natural & organic foods, but, like Starbucks, it creates stores that become destinations for friends to gather. The acquisition by Amazon has lowered prices and Prime members get even better deals. Despite a few Amazon speedbumps, the company continues to be a great place to work and shop.
But that’s just a brief snapshot of Whole Foods, why people love it despite the reputation of higher prices and the sometimes polarizing viewpoints of founder and CEO John Mackey.
So let’s keep going!
We’ll talk about all of that, and discuss a little bit of the history of Whole Foods.
Just keep reading!
When did Whole Foods become popular?
Whole Foods Market is the largest American chain of supermarkets specializing in natural and organic foods.
It’s based out of the town I grew up in, Austin, TX, and operates stores all over the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods was bought by Amazon in 2017.
But it wasn’t always a giant multi-national corporation. Whole Foods started with 1 tiny store (the one I originally worked at) in Austin, TX in 1980. That store was around 10,000 square feet which is not much bigger than a 7-11.
Now it did grow beyond 1 store fairly quickly. But even when I started with the company in 1998 it was a small chain of just 5 stores.
No Amazon, not publically traded. Just a bunch of hippies selling soy milk, raw milk, and patchouli incense (tongue slightly in cheek there).
Growth by buying other chains of natural food stores
Whole Foods’ early growth came mostly from buying up smaller chains of stores and a few stand-alone stores. Some of the biggest names they acquired were:
Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets (Los Angeles)
Bread & Circus (Massachusets)
Wellspring Grocery (North Carolina)
Fresh Fields (East Coast)
There are countless others, but those were the biggies that Whole Foods bought up early on which sped up their growth considerably.
Making natural and organic foods mainstream
Whole Foods started to gain traction in the early 90s when consumers were really starting to focus on high-quality, natural food. And they were willing to pay more for it.
As organically grown became more in demand, more and more mainstream grocery shoppers wanted it.
But mainstream shoppers didn’t always want to step into the tiny, sometimes dirty, and poorly-run health food stores than often dominated cities like Austin, Boulder, Santa Fe, and other places. Whole Foods filled this gap.
Whole Foods supermarkets were smaller than Kroger or Safeway.
Shoppers loved natural, whole foods. They loved not having to check the ingredient labels on products and just buy knowing they would be free of artificial ingredients, preservatives, colors, and flavors.
You also have to understand that in the ’90s, there were no Trader Joe’s, no Sprouts, or other big competitors other than Wild Oats. And mainstream grocery stores had little to no natural or organic offerings like they do today.
In 2013, they became the first grocery store chain to label all food made with GMOs. But they had banned them from their private label products years before that.
Whole Foods wanted to change the way people ate and make them healthier. All while promoting sustainable, fairly harvested foods and ethically sourced meat.
Read more about Whole Foods’ history on their site.
Is Whole Foods better and what’s special about it?
Whole Foods is known for selling organic and all-natural products. But beyond that, they ban all artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. They also have strict animal welfare standards in addition to greater attention to store decor, ambiance, and customer service.
But, lots of stores sell “organic” and “natural” products, so what makes Whole Foods so special?
Well, they actually care about their customers.
In fact, they care so much that they have gone above and beyond the standards set by the FDA. As there is no definition of “natural” food, Whole Foods has compiled its own list of unacceptable ingredients.
These unacceptable ingredients include, but are not limited to:
Hydrogenated fats
High-fructose corn syrup
Artificial sweeteners
Preservatives
Artificial colors and flavors
If a food contains any of these unacceptable ingredients, you won’t see it on its shelves.
I think that in itself makes Whole Foods pretty special. You can see all their quality standards on their site.
However, because they are so picky about ingredients, their prices are higher.
Top-notch products bring top-notch prices. You can read more about why the prices are so much higher in this recent article. What really surprised me was how little an impact Amazon buying them had on their prices.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Whole Foods’ humane animal standards
Whole Foods also published standards for the humane care and slaughter of animals.
They work with farmers and ranchers to develop a stringent set of standards regarding the treatment of animals. They even have standards regarding the slaughtering of animals.
Some of these standards include no antibiotics, no added growth hormones, and the requirement that cattle, sheep, and goats spend at least two-thirds of their lives on pasture.
All of the meat sold in the meat department, except kosher turkey, is certified to meet animal welfare standards set by the Global Animal Partnership.
These standards not only impact the life of the animal, but they also impact the final product.
Steak. I’m talking about steak. To read more about what grocery stores have the best steak, and why, head over to this recent article, where I talk about which grocery stores have the best steak.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
But, again, if the care of livestock doesn’t meet their standards, Whole Foods won’t sell the meat in their stores.
They stopped using plastic bags in 2008, before being eco-friendly was trendy.
The cleaning products they sell are eco-friendly. In fact, they prohibited their stores from selling any products that were tested on animals decades ago.
They even developed an “Eco-Scale” for cleaning products.
This scale evaluates products based on environmental impact, safety, source, and animal testing. Products are given a rating of green, yellow, orange, or red. Whole Foods does not sell any products that fall in the red on the scale.
— The Nerds of Programming (@of_programming) July 8, 2021
Does Jeff Bezos own Whole Foods?
Yes. Jeff Bezos owns Amazon & Amazon purchased Whole Foods Market in 2017 for 13.7 billion dollars. At the time, Whole Foods was publically traded with a number of shareholders owning a percentage of the company. The company has since been returned to being a private corporation, no longer traded on the stock market.
In fact, a lot of people thought this was a big mistake.
But, at the time, Whole Foods’ sales had been declining drastically. Lots of long-time key company leaders like Walter Robb, Ken Meyer, and David Lannon were leaving (some of their own accords, others not).
And a consulting firm had been hired to standardize stores.
The reason for the decline was that companies like Trader Joe’s and Aldi were also selling organic foods and natural food products at lower prices than Whole Foods. Plus, almost all large so-called conventional grocery stores like Safeway, Kroger, and Publix all had large sections for natural and organic items too.
It was the writing on the wall John Mackey should have seen years earlier.
Selling groceries can be very tricky and the profit margins can be slim. Amazon has tried the grocery business before with AmazonFresh, but it has yet to become a household name like Amazon Prime. That’s not to say they are failing at it. They are not. But that doesn’t make it easy, either.
Bezos has had his sights set on online grocery sales for a long time.
Bezos saw the acquisition of Whole Foods as a good stepping stone. They have a great reputation for selling quality products. They also have hundreds of stores turned distribution centers.
But, because groceries are perishable, there are also a lot of risks.
But if it’s one thing Bezos knows it’s ordering and delivery efficiency. And for long-time Whole Foods fans, luckily, John Mackey is still CEO of Whole Foods. Love him or hate him, he is the man who almost single-handedly made natural and organic groceries a household concept.
Also, Amazon has also given added sales and discounts to Prime members and cut prices across the board for everyone. We’ll get more into that in the next section.
But, if you want some insight as to how items get selected to go on sale, check out this recent article on my blog. What really surprised me was how cutting prices can actually boost a store’s profits.
The top changes that have been made at Whole Foods market since being acquired by Amazon include:
Changes in defining part-time and full-time employees
Reduced benefits for part-time employees
Overall employee hours were cut to offset wage increases enacted for Amazon employees
Prices were reduced by an average of 20% across the board
Amazon Prime members were given additional discounts
Complaints about the quality going down for fresh fruits and vegetables
Things have been a little uncertain since Amazon acquired Whole Foods in June of 2017. (source)
Before the acquisition, Whole Foods was well known for the way they treated their employees, their above-average pay, and benefits packages.
Let’s examine some of what I mentioned above in greater detail.
Cutbacks for employees
Since then, they’ve cut health care for part-time workers. Now employees have to work a minimum of 30 hours per week to get medical benefits.
They’ve also eliminated stock options for lower-level workers and restructured and streamlined the purchasing process.
This has prompted a few employees to attempt to unionize. Which Amazon has whole-heartedly fought against. But then Whole Foods has long been anti-union, so that’s not new behavior. It’s also not the first time that’s happened in Whole Foods history and it won’t be the last.
However, it’s pretty unlikely you will ever see Whole Foods as a company switch to being union.
The reason is that the vast majority of the 91,000 employees of Whole Foods are pretty happy, and fairly well paid. I can attest that when I was with the company, my pay was always pretty decent (and I started at $4.25/hr so I didn’t come in at some high level).
And my health insurance was never better or cheaper than it was when I was with them (I left in 2013).
The quality of fresh fruits and vegetables
Some shoppers have stopped shopping at Whole Foods, citing that the quality of the produce is not up to the standards they have come to expect.
Shoppers have complained that the produce is “bruised, discolored, tasteless, and rotten…” (source).
Many consumers simply don’t equate Amazon with quality. Rather, they associate Amazon with being just another big box store.
Whole Foods insists that nothing has changed. And in all honesty, as I do still shop there sometimes, I don’t see any major differences.
However, Amazon is huge. They have a ton of inventory and can afford to sell items at lower prices. This may attract a different kind of customer, but they can certainly afford the smaller profit margins.
To learn more about grocery store profits, and how different types of stores make more money than others, read this recent article on my blog.
It’s not all doom and gloom though and any transition this large is going to hit a few speedbumps.
On the plus side, Amazon Prime members (all 105 million of them – source), get big perks at Whole Foods Market.
They get:
An extra 10% off yellow sale items
Prime member deals exclusively for Amazon Prime members (up to 50% off)
Free 2-hour delivery
5% back at Whole Foods Market & Amazon.com if they use the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card
Not a Prime member?
No worries. Amazon buying Whole Foods has also meant lower prices across the board. On average, Whole Foods prices have gone down as much as 20% in some cases (source).
And if you combine those price cuts with a Prime membership, the savings can be pretty dramatic.
In 1978, John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy opened Safer Way Natural Foods in Austin, Texas.
By 1980, SaferWay Natural Foods merged with Clarksville Natural Grocery. Clarksville Natural Grocery was owned by my old pal Craig Weller and Mark Skiles.
This merger resulted in what is now known as Whole Foods Market. This first store was only 10,500 square feet and had 19 employees.
Mark didn’t hang around very long. But Craig stayed with the company for a long time, leaving the company in the late ’90s.
The original store was destroyed by the worst flood in 70 years in 1981. The store was drowned in water and sewage. Inventory was ruined and looters came and trashed the store.
With the help of the community, vendors, creditors, and investors, the store was able to reopen after only 28 days. Customers pitched in to help with clean up and employees worked for free to get the store back open.
I didn’t start working there for another 7 years. But, I still remember putting sandbags around the entrances every time it rained. Luckily, that store never saw that bad of a flood ever again.
Throughout its life, Whole Foods has grown from a small natural foods store to the international giant it is today.
In 1984, John Mackey assumed leadership of Whole Foods.
But even before then, Whole Foods began moving into Houston and then into Dallas. In 1989, Whole Foods expanded westward to Northern California and began to compete with more upscale grocers like Nob Hill and Andronico’s. In 2002, they expanded into Canada, and shortly thereafter, into the UK.
They acquired most of their stores by purchasing existing local food chains and rebranding them. As I mentioned above, some of these stores include Wellspring Grocery, Mrs. Gooch’s, and Fresh Fields, among others.
Starting and running a grocery store is no easy feat.
If you are considering being like John Mackey and starting your own grocery store, read this recent article where I talk about what it takes to run a grocery store. Grocery store managers don’t have to be an expert at cutting meat or be a certified cheesemonger.
But they do have to know a little bit about a whole lot of things. They also have to be quick-thinking and be able to prioritize needs quickly.
Whole Foods went public for $2.125 per share in January of 1992.
Today Whole Foods has more than 400 stores in the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom. They also have more than 91,000 employees. It is currently the biggest natural food chain in the United States.
Whole Foods was traded on the NASDAQ with a market capitalization of over 10 billion dollars and has been included in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Did you catch the word was traded? That’s because it’s not anymore.
When Amazon acquired Whole Foods, it became a privately-held enterprise. Whole Foods is totally owned by Amazon, which is itself, a publicly traded company. Thus, it was delisted from NASDAQ.
Their peak stock price before being removed from the NASDAQ reached over $60 per share in 2013.
However, they started getting beaten by the competition as eating organic, natural foods became more mainstream. People were able to buy organic, natural foods at Walmart and Kroger at much lower prices.
Trader Joe’s provided direct competition, and at-home kits like Blue Apron and Hello Chef also changed the way people shopped and ate healthily.
This book is so good. It taught me about a system I interact with but don’t know very much about. The history of grocery stores, the truths of shrimp farming and truckers’ lives, what’s actually going on at a Whole Foods fish counter, all here pic.twitter.com/lDc1eompx0
With Whole Foods, “organic,” “natural,” and “healthy” aren’t just buzz words or marketing. They actually stand for something.
1. Organic standards
In fact, back when Whole Foods Market started, there was no legal definition or standard for what “organic” meant.
I still recall walking the produce section on my shifts and seeing signs that said “transitional” “IPM” (integrated pest management) or “pesticide-free” all of which were terms commonly used back then for farms that were moving towards being organically grown.
The national organically-grown standards came into play in 1990 with Congress passing the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA). Those rules were updated in 2002. (source)
Whole Foods Market played a very large role in the drafting of those original standards, being the first national food retailer invited to join the USDA advisory board. Whole Foods is also a key member of the Organic Trade Association.
My friend Margaret Wittenberg, a long-time Whole Foods employee, has been spearheading that mission for decades.
Whole Foods had a mission to bring healthier, natural food into supermarkets. That mission is apparent in everything they do. From its high product standards to the requirement of farmers and ranchers to treat livestock humanely.
Now lots of people love the idea of organically grown food.
But many don’t want to pay the higher prices for that. But how much more does it really cost?
If you’ve ever wondered that, check out a recent article where I break down the exact price differences of all your favorite things. I also review the items you should definitely buy organic if you can’t afford to shop that way for everything.
Whole Foods’ competitive advantage comes from its strong brand identity and high-quality customer experience.
Think about being in a Whole Foods store.
You’ll hear songs you know over the speaker system. Soft lighting, beautiful stained concrete, reclaimed wood decor, and lots of friendly employees.
Now compare that to Target or Safeway.
The difference in “feel” is pretty striking and drastic. No one goes to Safeway just to hang out and meet up with friends. But at Whole Foods that is a daily occurrence.
3. Leading, not following
Whole Foods has long established itself as the leader in organic and natural food.
But as we’ve discussed above, they have also led the way in things like:
Animal welfare standards
Ingredient quality standards
Employee pay and benefits
Giving back to the community
Part of their success also comes from their work environment.
Whole Foods actively promotes growth and happiness among its employees. They offer a mentoring program to aid in training, generous employee discounts (20%), and wellness programs for employees as well.
4. Location, location, location
Geographical allocation is another success factor.
Strategic placement of stores increases accessibility and convenience when shopping. A typical store has about 200,000 people living within a 20-minute drive. They have a large number of college-educated residents and easy access to roadways. (source)
Now that’s not to say they haven’t picked a few dud locations over the years.
But generally speaking, they spend a lot of time, effort, and money picking their locations. And it’s paid off.
5. People
When I walk into a Walmart, I don’t have any expectations of finding an employee outside of the cash register area and the greeter at the front.
I also don’t have any expectations of walking down the wine aisle at most grocery stores and finding a sommelier (knowledgeable, and often certified wine steward) to help me select a great bottle of wine.
Lastly, if I approach the meat section at Trader Joe’s, I don’t have any expectation that I can find a butcher to cut me a steak to order.
But at Whole Foods Market, those things happen every day.
In fact, back when I was a leader for Whole Foods, I was sometimes criticized for making my top core value promoting team member (employees) happiness and excellence. At the time, when people ranked Whole Foods’ core values, it was common to put satisfy and delight the customers at the top of the list.
But I felt strongly (and still do) that you can’t satisfy and delight customers with unhappy employees.
So putting their needs first was always most important to me. And everything else fell into place once that happened.
Final Thoughts
In this article, I talked about the things that make Whole Foods stand out from other grocery stores.
I went over some of the histories, much of which I lived, discussed the acquisition by Amazon, and talked about what makes Whole Foods so successful.
I also talked about the standards set for the products Whole Foods sells. From the humane treatment of animals to the environmental impact of cleaning supplies.
Whole Foods really does try to be as socially and environmentally friendly as possible.
I began my career with Whole Foods Market in 1988 and left the company in 2013.
While certainly not without some faults or deserved criticisms, overall, I still love the company I called home for more than 2 decades.
Instacart is a delivery service that makes shopping much easier for people. But some people have noticed that Instacart charges customers more for items than the store does. So I’ve wondered why does Instacart charge more than the store.
Instacart doesn’t always charge more than the store price. Instacart is partnered with a few stores, while others are simply on their list of choices. They charge a higher markup when the customer isn’t going to one of their preferred grocers, but you get regular prices when shopping at a partner store.
If you’re a frequent Instacart user, you might realize that you’re not getting charged more during certain shopping trips compared to others.
Understanding which stores have a price increase and which don’t can be confusing, so let’s dive into the specifics below.
Aside from wondering about whether Instacart is charging you more than if you went to the store, another common question is about tipping.
The short answer is yes, but the percentage will really surprise you as will whether you should tip in cash or on the app. I cover it all in a recent article. So just click that link to read it on my site.
Does Instacart Charge More Than the Store?
Whether it’s your first time shopping through Instacart or you’ve used it many times before, you’re probably curious about the supposed price markup.
Instacart chargers more money for certain stores, but sometimes there isn’t any added markup fee at all. It depends on which stores you’re shopping at around town.
There was a recent outrage because customers found out that the average markup is just that: an average. Instacart holds the right to raise prices higher than the quoted percentage.
Keep in mind that it doesn’t affect all stores. However, it’s still something to remember when you’re considering using the service to replace your shopping altogether.
The best way to know whether or not you’ll be charged more at a specific store is by reviewing Instacart’s pricing information page.
According to that page, it’s the retailers themselves that set the prices charged through Instacart.
Don’t let the potentially higher prices steer you away from the app, though. Instacart is a thriving business for many reasons.
The convenience value alone is enough to make the markups well worth staying home. There’s certainly a line where it’s probably a better idea to go out instead. Still, it all depends on the markup percentage.
Sooo apparently our @Instacart shopper accidently left the receipt in the bag. Turns out they charge you more than what the actual store charges. This is in addition to any tip, delivery or membership fees you pay. Whipping cream is over $1 more, coffee was $3, chicken $2 pic.twitter.com/9QFhDv48W1
Instacart’s co-founder came out with a statement mentioning that they charge an average of 15% more money on stores that have a markup. Small purchases don’t get affected too much; it’s the big buyers who suffer.
A quick calculation shows us that what would normally be $50 at the store becomes $57.50 through Instacart (before the added fees).
It’s not too bad until you see that a $200 purchase is now $230 plus fees. Customers who intend to make big trips through Instacart might be worried about going to stores with such a big markup.
Supermarket News mentions that a shopper recently went to several major cities to test out the quoted average of Instacart.
The results were disappointing. They found that the 15% average quote actually came out to a whopping 23% across the multitude of stores that the shopper bought from through Instacart.
Another point to mention is that the markup is an average, which means that some of the stores have the full 15% tacked onto the final price tag.
The problem is that you often won’t know until you’ve already paid. In the end, it’s up to you to decide if the ability to stay at home and have someone else shop for you is worth the hidden fees and markups.
Even though you’re paying an average of 15% more at certain stores, some of them charge well over $100 on annual membership fees. You get to leave those costly membership fees behind by using Instacart.
Note: You’re not forced to buy through those specific shops in the first place. Instacart simply adds the markup to promote their partners, all of which you can choose as well.
But which stores do and don’t have a markup from Instacart?
You’d be surprised to see that even the most common brand names on the list.
It’s also worth noting that while Whole Foods had been an approved Instacart partner after Amazon bought Whole Foods they began to implement a plan to phase out Instacart in favor of their own free Prime delivery.
Here are a few stores that Instacart does NOT raise the prices on:
Petco
Safeway
Kroger
Publix
On the other hand, you’ll find that Costco, a brand name giant in the industry, has a significant markup through Instacart.
Does Instacart Mark Up Prices at Costco?
Yes, is the short answer.
As Instacart states, how much more seems to average out around 15%. Some customers have experienced markups as low as 10%, while others complained about the 23% mentioned above.
That being said, it doesn’t seem to have taken much of a toll on Instacart. After all, you don’t need to buy memberships to purchase from stores like Costco anymore if you’re going through Instacart.
Instacart employees already have the memberships purchased. That means you can avoid annual fees and memberships and simply pay for your purchases.
The reason that the Costco markup is so high is still unknown. It’s believed that it has something to do with the fact that the two companies haven’t worked out a deal yet.
Costco makes a lot of its money through customer memberships. When Instacart shops for a customer, Costco loses out on a potential subscription.
The membership fee is thought to be another reason that the markup is so high for Costco, as it tends to sit around $60 to $120 a year per customer.
The markup covers some of the cost of membership. However, the markup profits go to Instacart, not the Instacart employee who has the membership.
When you order something for $6 & @Instacart charges you $18. And then refuses to refund you the diff cuz it’s been more than 2 weeks. 😒 pic.twitter.com/9w2knx3mKh
However, you won’t typically see a large markup. In fact, many of the items are the same price as if you went there yourself.
The Aldi prices through Instacart aren’t always higher than shopping without the delivery service. If you’re worried about whether or not you’ll have to pay more, you can look through your order as you place items into the virtual cart.
To address concerns about over-payment, Instacart finally added a feature that shows whether or not you’re paying more.
The problem is that it won’t tell you that percentage. Instead, they only tell you if the price is the same as the store’s regular price. For prices that aren’t the same, you’d have to do your own calculations to find out.
Certain bulk items and gift cards aren’t available when you shop at Aldi via Instacart. Alcohol is also not able to be delivered in certain states as well.
You’ll receive a notification if an item isn’t eligible for delivery. In most cases, the vast majority of items are fine to purchase through Instacart.
Instacart also allows you to place your order and pick it up curbside at eligible stores.
If you’re a premium member, you don’t have to pay any additional fees. However, non-members must pay an average of $4.99.
The pickup fee can change from store to store, so make sure you review the details before you place a pickup order.
Want to become an Instacart premium member? That’s an annual fee of $99. So you’d need to use Instacart 20 times over the course of a year to make that worth it. But if you’re doing weekly grocery shopping, that fee will pay for itself in under 6 months.
Final Thoughts
Instacart offers fantastic convenient, but at a price. Check their website to see whether or not you’ll be charged a markup based on the store you’re shopping at.
In this article, we took an in-depth look at how their pricing works. From service fees, membership charges, and preferred partner stores.
But ultimately we answered the question of “Why Does Instacart Charge More Than the Store?” with the answer that they don’t always charge more.
In fact, they only charge more (an average increase of 15%) when you order from one of their non-partner stores.
So, with an average price increase of 15%, you might want to think about trying a partnered grocery retailer like Whole Foods if you’re using Instacart for grocery delivery.
New to Instacart and wondering how Instacart grocery pickup works?
I cover everything you need to know in a recent article.
I break down how to use it, what to expect, how long it takes, and even whether it’s possible to use coupons when you shop using Instacart.
Just click that link to read it on my site.
Of course, the big perk of grocery delivery or pickup is not having to fight the crowds down the aisles at your local grocery store.
But the biggest plus of not having to go to the store is the constant hassle of stores changing the store layout.
If you’ve ever wondered why grocery stores change the layout, I cover that in detail in a recent article. And the answer isn’t what you probably think.
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