I consider myself a grocery store extraordinaire. I get great pleasure from exploring new stores, noticing the details and forming opinions and personal rating systems. This is incredibly weird, I understand that, but brings me great joy nonetheless. When Shannon, the healthy eating specialist for the South Park and Lake Norman Whole Foods, stores offered me a tour, I excitedly accepted, figuring it would be fun even though I was pretty sure I’d seen everything that needed to be seen. Little did I know that there are so many details I overlooked!
For example…
First, every Whole Foods I’ve been has a few different elements that make it unique. The Lake Norman location has this Veggie Butchers station upon entry.
I’ll fully admit I thought this was a juice bar and was initially a little bummed when I found out it wasn’t. Though they have a squeeze-your-own-orange-juice station, a juice bar it is not. So…???
It’s a food prep station!
(Edited to add: In my initial tour I was under the impression that the food prep is complimentary. It is not. It is $7.99 per pound for whatever you would like them to prep.)
At this corner of the store they will prep any fruit or veggie you buy. For example, hate cutting onions? Go grab one, bring it over to them, specify your cut (minced, please!), continue your shopping and swing by later to pick it up. Cubed butternut squash, diced carrots, cored apples, shredded sweet potato… the possibilities are endless. A someone entering the world of baby led weaning, this is such a time saver.
Considering I was already giddy after our first stop, I was excited to learn more. We wandered into the produce section where I learned a few more fun facts. Like the number of organic and local items available each week are clearly defined on this sign.
‘Local’ constitutes anything coming from within 150 miles of that particular store and detailed information about the farmer hands below the produce item they provide.
And have you ever looked closely at the signs labeling the produce? I hadn’t looked beyond price and organic until yesterday, but check this out:
The produce signs contain an ANDI scale rating in the lower left corner, which is a ratio of calories to nutrient density on a scale from 1-1000.
Lake Norman also has a beautiful bulk bin section.
Years ago I was intimidated by such a set up, but now it’s true love. Grab a bag, pick your good, write the corresponding number on your bag and you’re good to go. There are even directions on how to prepare the item on it’s container, so you can write it down or save time and snap a picture with your phone.
I got a kick (and two tasty samples) from the nut butter bar. I loved the pecan variety and the peanut butter and chocolate combo is dangerously delicious.
Moving on to meat.
Everything that enters the store must at least be a 1 rating, meaning no crates, no cages and no crowding. The trucks going down the highway stuffed full of squawking chickens is never headed to Whole Foods.
I checked out the sausage I bought on Sunday for David’s breakfast sandwiches…
A 5 rating! Those happy pigs spent their entire lives on the same farm. Experts swear it makes a difference in the taste of the meat. I’d love the opportunity to do a taste test one day.
Another little label I hadn’t noticed was the GMO-free count on each aisle.
198 items are GMO-free verified on that aisle. By 2018, Whole Foods will be the first grocery store to be 100% GMO transparent, meaning every single item will clearly state whether it is GMO-free or not. Yay for transparency!
As you work your way around the store, you inevitably end up at what I call “the fun stuff.”
At Lake Norman there is the fresh pasta case…
the olive and pickles bars…
the growler bar and walk-in beer cooler…
and of course all the sandwich stations, pizza stations, sushi stations, bakery, hot and cold bars and smoothie and coffee bar.
Whew!
I really could have stayed much longer because there was still so much to learn, but my co-pilot has been a good sport for long enough and we had to go pick up her sister.
I had such a good time with Shannon and loved getting to hang with Julie.
I am just thrilled to have an option like this so close to me now. Plus, Shannon even hooked us up with a few goodies to take home. I’m not going to say no to that!
What a fun way to spend a morning.
If you were offered a grocery store tour would it excite or bore you?
What store would you most like to see the behind-the-scenes of?
Or do you just think I’m a little strange for digging grocery stores so much? Ha.
Bets says
If my Whole FOods offered a veggie chopping area I would use it all the time, what a time saver!
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
Complimentary food prep station? WFM is heaven.
Michelle @ Fit. Flexible. Fabulous. says
I love the free fruit/veggie prep counter. What a fantastic idea! That would incentivize me to shop there.
There’s a Whole Foods coming to Destin, FL (about an hour from us) in 2016. It’ll be quite a drive for grocery shopping, but I’m looking forward to checking it out.
Have a great week!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
I love seeing how different Whole Foods are from area to area. Yours looks awesome! I would be all about a grocery store tore!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
tour** haha
Lindsey @ Simply Lindsey says
Free veggie prep?! That’s a dream come true right there!!! I absolutely love going to the grocery store, so I would have totally enjoyed a tour of a Whole Foods or other specialty grocery store. I’ve always loved going to the grocery store ever since I was little. Probably because my Mom would let me pick out 1 cereal and 1 fruit snack a week haha!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Grocery store tour? Yes, I would love it. And I realize that is odd. But you and I are kind of the same brand of odd, Brittany, which keeps me coming back to your blog. 🙂
Food prep station?! YES please! This would have saved me last week when I almost cut off my finger prepping butternut squash. Eek!
I am ready for Trader Joe’s to open here. Plus some new store is popping up just down the street from me – Sprouts. Ever heard of that one? I will definitely be checking that out.
o says
We have sprouts in San Diego/Orange County and love it. People mainly go for fresh produce, bulk bins and a huge assortment of vitamins and natural remedies. They also have meat and seafood counter, great prices.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Oh, this makes me so excited! I can’t wait to check it out.
Joni says
I did not know that was a veggie prep station!! AHHHHH!!!!! Ok I’m totally on my way over there this afternoon… 🙂 thanks for the detailed tour!!
Lauren @ Kale and Cookie Dough says
A food prep station? That is one of the most amazing things I have ever heard of. I can’t imagine how much time that would save me. I wish our local Whole Foods had that. But there is a new one opening soon so maybe that one will have it 🙂
jen says
Oh my gosh, yes, I would be totally into a grocery store tour! The Whole Foods in Asheville is pretty small, so it doesn’t have many of those cool extras your Whole Foods has, but I should still pay attention to all the signs you pointed out (GMO-free, local, etc.).
Marnie @ SuperSmartMama says
I didn’t even know grocery tours even existed!
Thanks for taking us on this tour, I’m going to look a little more closely around my two closest Whole Foods (they’re both equally close/far, so I alternate between them depending on what I need), to see if I can find some of the neat things you shared in this post!
Kelsey says
Oh my gosh, I am totally a grocery store nerd too – I always want to go shopping alone so I can take my sweet time looking at everything! Ha! This looks like such a fun morning!
Heather says
I am so jealous of that Whole Foods store. Mine is TEENSY compared to that. I’m lucky that I get to go grocery shopping alone each week and get to meander. It’s kind of become my “me” time. :p
Kelli D. says
I’m going to join the chorus and echo how incredibly jealous I am of the veggie prep station! My daughter is 8 months old and we are BLW too (also did BLW with my 3 year old son) and agree that the free prep is/would be a god send!
I’m also super jealous of the tour and goodies you got. I’m a food nerd too and would love that opportunity!!
Kelli
char eats greens says
OMG, a grocery store visit would be like Christmas morning for me!! I would seriously LOVE to do this. Seeing this new WF makes Orlando’s look so out of date haha. That whole veggie cutting station = mind blown! That is SUCH an amazing feature for a grocery store to have. All the moms rejoice!! I love the bulk section for sure! Last week when we made the trip to WF Orlando (it’s about 20 mins away from us), I bought bulk beans and quinoa. I’m pretty sure I was just warming up because I plan to use it more next time!
Alex @ get big, go to work says
A grocery store tour would be such a cool thing to be a part of. I majorly enjoy meal planning and browsing around my grocery store so that would be so cool to learn the inter workings of it!! A good prep station would be a dream!! I feel like WFM does it bigger and better with each store they build. I would die if we had a bulk section and but butter section like yours! So awesome!!
Heather says
I’m so jealous of your Whole Foods. It looks awesome. I mean if I had all of those choices it may change from a 20 to 30 minute shopping trip to at least an hour long trip.
Erin says
We are getting a Whole Foods in Huntsville (AL) soon, and now I am even more excited! Loved your tour!
Sarah says
I’ve never understood people who say they hate grocery shopping. I love it and I would be so excited if someone offered me a behind the scenes tour 🙂 especially at Whole Foods. That food prep station is amazing! I never knew that existed, but will definitely be checking to see if there is one at my local Whole Foods!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
That veggie station is killer awesome!!!
Julie says
OMG veggie food prep stations?!?! Please let this become a trend!!!
Monica says
You have no idea how much I wish I had somewhere with a food prep station. I’m ashamed to admit how much fresh produce goes to waste in my house because I detest peeling/chopping. That looks like a God-send to me! Now to get a Whole Foods in my area… hmmm…
Laura @FitMamaLove says
I LOVE the veggie prep bar! Hopefully they do have coffee, juices and smoothies too, though! I already have 3 or 4 Whole Foods pretty close to my house, but they’re opening another one soon right near my gym and I’m super excited to check it out!
Chantal says
Oh man, it’s like an amusement park for grown ups.
Whitney says
Wow! This is so amazing! I can’t believe that they cut up and prep all your fruits and veggies for you. I’m almost due with our first child and I totally wish our local Whole Foods had this in San Rafael. Thanks for posting. I always love checking out the Whole Foods in different areas.
Kim says
I was just there yesterday and the veggie butchering is FREE, there is no charge of $7.99 a pound. One of the produce guys told me they changed their policy when they saw all the positive comments on your blog after you posted it was free. Thanks for that!