Trader Joe's and Whole Foods

We started at Trader Joe’s (TJ’s). When we pulled in the parking lot, we both groaned because the store looked so small. Never fear it still took us two hours to shop all of the isles in my new favorite store. Trader Joe’s was amazing.

So many tantalizing options. Here are a few things I picked up: Soy meatballs, greek cucumber dip, rice crisps (potato chips), Chicken potstickers, chili lime chicken burgers, Black bean and rice burritos (for John), TJ’s cereal (like cheerios), a few of their reusable grocery sacks, organic apples, ahi tuna steaks.

We were very careful to calculate the points per serving on everything before allowing it in our carts. I found TJ’s to be quite reasonable as far as prices go, but wonder if one of the other Michigan locations has more square footage. Oh, and the flowers….they had beautiful flowers that were quite cheap!

Whole Foods or as many people call it “Whole Paycheck” was next on our list. It was only about a mile from the Trader Joe’s and by the time we got there we were starving. Whole Foods has the most amazing hot bar buffet, along with a salad bar, and sushi bar and deli. You fix your plate with whatever you like, pay at the cash register and then eat it at the little area with café tables and a big screen TV.

The selection of hot food was amazing. Nothing you can get in our neck of the woods. I tried this baked polenta with mushroom gravy over it. I had never had polenta before and am now a big fan!!!! I also sampled the Orange ginger tofu stir-fry. OMG….I have always enjoyed tofu, I just don’t know how to cook it, well, I am going to figure out how they made that dish. I could eat it everyday. Oh and the samples…… they were everywhere! Cheese, truffles, hummus, fruit smoothies…..you name it, someone was passing it out to try.

I am also a big fan of Quiche Lorraine which is not very WW friendly but since I didn’t have to temp myself with a whole big pie, I did enjoy a slice of it. They also had organic homemade mac and cheese that was divine. Pretty pricey, my little plate of food came to over $10 but being able to sample so many different and exotic (for me anyway) foods was priceless.

We did find a big stash of Vitamuffins there and both bought a few boxes which for me was a mistake. I have already eaten way too many of them. They had a beautiful selection of organic fruits and veggies and their store was enormous.

I plan to go back to both stores on a regular basis, and I will always vote for eating lunch at Whole Foods but enjoyed shopping at TJ’s more.