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“Since when did we become Whole Foods people?” I’ve asked this of my husband every other time we go to Whole Foods. It’s hard to believe that people like us can shop here when we have such a limited grocery budget. I’m also amazed because we live in Hawaii where the cost of living is high, which means Whole Foods was not a place we ever did our shopping.
Recently, we realized that we save more money shopping here than we do at our regular grocery stores! How is this possible, you may ask? Here are some ways we shop at Whole Foods on a budget:
Amazon Prime
If you have Amazon Prime, you get an extra 10% off sale items with the yellow signs. There are also weekly deals that only apply to prime members. These sales have blue signs and are up to 50% off. To get these deals, download the Whole Foods app and sign-in with your Amazon account. Then, show the QR code on the app at checkout for these savings to apply your purchase. Amazon Prime is the main reason why we can afford to shop at Whole Foods. We’ve found some great prices on beef and chicken that beat the cost at our regular grocery stores and warehouses. Because of these, we usually buy in bulk to put in our freezer for later use.
Some of our favorite Whole Foods haul include:
- Beef chuck roast (animal welfare certified): $3.99/lb
- Chicken drumsticks (animal welfare certified): $1.49/lb
- Bell peppers: $1.49/lb
- Organic canned beans: $0.79
- Organic pasta noodles: 1.49
- Organic Pasta sauce: $1.45
Sign up for Amazon prime via my affiliate link here!
Hot Bar
We only buy two things at the hot bar: brisket and wings. The hot bar is $11.99/lb which is much cheaper than our favorite BBQ places on the island which cost $11-13 for ½ lb of brisket. For chicken wings, we usually wait for it to be on sale. Recently, we’ve seen it at $3.99/lb, which is a steal for an affordable and quick dinner from Whole Foods.
Read the Circular
Because most products at Whole Foods are out of our price range, I take care to check the weekly circular to see what’s on sale. I’ve signed up for their weekly circular via email so I can easily see what to buy. It takes me no more than 15 minutes to scan the ad and determine our grocery list. Sticking to this grocery list helps us spend less money at Whole Foods because we come in shopping for what we need versus what we want.
In-Store Brand
We usually buy the in-store brand 365 Everyday Value because of the price. These products are the most affordable products at Whole Foods. It’s just as good as name-brand products and you can find a lot of organic items like pasta, beans, and carrots.
Read more about saving money on food: 10 Ways to Save Money on Groceries.
Pizza
I love Whole Foods pizza. I always thought it was too expensive for us but it’s actually affordable. You can buy two huge slices for $7 or get a whole pizza for around $14-18. It’s just as big as Costco or Sam’s Club pizza but with a better selection of healthy toppings. One way to afford their whole pizza is to snag the $8 cheese pizza deal on Thursdays but note that this is only for Amazon prime members.
Another way to get a good deal on their pizza is to check out their in-store specials. They sometimes have two pizzas on sale for $26 or specials on specific types of pizzas. I got a whole BBQ chicken pizza for $14 last month and I was able to make half of it vegan.
Bring Your Own Grocery Bags
If you bring your own bag, Whole Foods will give you $0.15 back. It’s not much but it’s environmentally friendly and you don’t have to pay for a bag every time you shop.
Get some cool reusable grocery bags here!
Ibotta Rebate App
After I shop at Whole Foods, I submit my receipt to Ibotta to earn cashback on my groceries. Ibotta is such an easy app to use. You just have to find your store, look for coupons for the things you plan to buy, go shopping, then submit the receipts on the app. You can use Ibotta to earn cashback online and at other retailers like Times Supermarket, Costco, and Target.
Sign up for Ibotta using my referral link here (use the code: toxripl)!
I’m glad that we can afford Whole Foods because we can now eat organic food without costing us a pair of shoes. It’s helping us develop healthier eating habits for ourselves and our son.
Comment below if you have other tips that help you shop at Whole Foods when on a budget.
