Whole Foods

I have a very conflicted relationship with Whole Foods. On one hand, I love the shopping experience with all the fun discoveries and the beautiful displays. I do think most everything they sell is above average quality.

But I do have an issue with how they promote being local/community focused but one can rarely find any Canadian grown produce there. Their excessive high prices make their "eating like an idealist" more of "eating like an elitist".

But let's put food politics aside and focus on new things I learnt about Whole Foods today.


Learning 1: They have a rating system for all food sources (farms, produce growers, etc.) that (a) ensures a food source has some minimum quality and responsible practices to make it to the list and (b) ranks the sources into different quality responsibilities (though Canadian sources do not seem to make it to the list as much as American or Mexican ones do).

Learning 2: They will marinate your seafood or meats with any kind of marinade you like right there at the store. More intriguing is that they sell fresh oysters and that they will de-shell them for you if you'd like.

Learning 3: They produce freshly cold pressed juices right there at the store. They come in many fascinating flavour combinations and taste amazing (at a price of course).

Learning 4: They make fresh sausages at the store with many unique flavour varieties - all natural (those, methinks, are worth the price if not for the quality, then for their taste profiles).

Learning 5: You can mix and match different types of olives for the same price. All the olives are from small Italian groves (and those I bought, happily paying the price and enjoying the delicious varieties).

Learning 6: They have cinnamon buns with decadent toppings that vary daily. Not sure how all these calories fit with "eating like an idealist" but I guess we all need our little indulgences.

Learning 7: Whole Foods has a house brand, 365, with many products that come under that house brand banner (tempted to try).

Learning 8: They carry the most amazing tasting mandarins they call Sumo Mandarins. These show up once a year and glad I made the last batch (but beware, they are about $5.00 a piece but my investment was well worth it).

 Whole Foods Market

510 West 8th Avenue

Vancouver, BC

www.wholefoodsmarket.com