How To Save At Whole Foods Without Blowing Your Budget

Whole Foods Shopping & Saving Tips

I am often asked how to shop Whole Foods on budget. So, let’s discuss it: Whole Foods offers a wide array of natural and organic food which supports different dietary preferences. With more than 400 stores, and Amazon recently acquiring the Whole Foods Market, unfortunately, prices may not be too accommodating.

Whole Foods is not your regular grocery store. It gives you the option to feed your family with healthier choices. From the hard-to-find products like persimmons and oyster mushrooms, to vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-friendly food items, you can find almost anything at Whole Foods.

But the big question is: With the more expensive price points, is there a way for you to still save money while feeding your family more quality food from Whole Foods?

Here are a few tricks that will help you shop Whole Foods on a budget and save some serious cash on your next grocery run.

Trader Joe’s, Aldi and Whole Foods are all very popular If you’re debating if Whole Foods is better for you find out which is better Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods or Aldi vs Whole foods by checking out:

Trader Joe’s Vs Whole Foods Vs Aldi: Which Is Better And Why?

Know The Best Time To Shop

Do you love shopping on a weekend? Better change your shopping schedule if you want to save at Whole Foods.

Shopping on a Wednesday can save you a lot of money since most of the items at Whole Foods are on sale. The previous week plus the coming week’s sales will overlap, so there are more discounts available.

Say hooray for Hump Day! You CAN save money at Whole Foods!

Get Your App-etite

Whole Foods’ Market App is free to download. Plus, it makes it easier to see what’s on sale.

The Market App also includes digital coupons to help you save even more. All you need to do is to scan one bar code at the register and all the savings will be automatically applied to your purchase.

Use Cashback Apps

Did you know that you can save money on bread, milk, and other items, even without coupons, by downloading cash back apps?

Download Checkout51 and ibotta to use for items that are hard to find coupons for. These apps let you select offers that you are interested in, then reward you with cashback after submitting a copy of the receipt.

You can cash out the rewards for a gift card, that you can use for your next purchase, or deposit it directly to your Venmo or PayPal account.

Sign Up For The Newsletter

Where’s the best place to get coupons for products that Whole Foods sells? From Whole Foods themselves.

Receive the latest specials and coupons by subscribing to their email newsletters.

Not only that, you can also get access to their easy, more frugal, and tested recipes.

Save More With Amazon Prime

Since Whole Foods is now owned by Amazon, you can start using your Prime membership to save a lot more.

Prime members can enjoy an extra 10% off on items every week. When shopping, just look for the yellow sale signs scattered through the store.

To make the process easier, download the Whole Foods Market app then link your Amazon account to your phone number. This way, you can simply scan the app or enter your phone number during checkout, and you will automatically enjoy the savings.

Plus, your membership also allows you to enjoy a two-hour delivery from your local Whole Foods (available in select cities only)!

Take Advantage Of Gift Cards

If you are a frequent Whole Foods shopper, you should consider using discounted gift cards.

Buy Whole Foods gift cards online from discount sites like Gift Card Granny where you can get at least a 4 to 10 percent discount off the total face value.

Let ‘Em Season It Up

Instead of buying jar after jar of spices for your fish fillet, you can let Whole Foods do it for you.

Fishmongers can custom cut and debone the fish of your choosing. Then, they can season for you.

Kids Can Eat For Free

If you’re shopping with your child, make sure to stop by the customer service desk.

They will give you a Kid’s Club Coupon which entitles your kid to a complementary organic apple, a natural animal cracker, or an organic fruit leather.

Try It Before You Buy It

Whole Foods has a “try before you purchase” policy. This applies to just about anything in the store.

I remember when I was trying to find a sweetener that worked well in coffee I was finally able to find it at Whole Foods.

I had tried countless different artificial sweeteners over a period of years and nothing worked in my coffee. I happen to think that sweeteners leave an aftertaste im hot liquid.

One day I went to Whole Foods and they helped me try different sweeteners and provided me cups of coffee to try them in until I found what I still use today – many years later: Xylitol.

Trying the item before you buy it allows you to save money — you will not end up blwoing money on something that you will not eat.

Buy In Season

Make a habit of eating food in season. 

When you buy produce in season, it tastes better. Plus, since the supply is high, the costs are lower too.

Get Items In Bulk

When it comes to buying dry goods like nuts, oats, beans, and dried fruits, rather than buying pre-packaged items, go to the bulk bins.

The bulk area is the best place to get the perfect amount of dried goods. Plus, they’re a lot less expensive.

You Might Also Like: FREE Printable Coupon Grocery Shopping List

Stock Up On Manufacturer Coupons

People ask me: Does Whole Foods Take Manufacturer Coupons? Yes, other than its own coupons, Whole Foods accepts manufacturer coupons too.

If you know which brands at Whole Foods you would like to purchase, make sure to search the manufacturer’s coupons online to make the prices significantly cheaper.

Stop Buying Precut Fruits And Vegetables

Precut fruits and vegetables are more expensive than uncut produce.

If you want to enjoy some organic sweet treats, just buy the whole fruit and cut it at home.

Get The 365 Brand

The 365 Brand from Whole Foods offers a great selection of products: From dried tomatoes to black lentils, and couscous to spaghetti.

If you can, buy this brand. They do not compromise on quality yet the cost in less expensive than other brands.

Ask The Butcher

A lot of Whole Foods locations offer discounts on meat if you buy more than three pounds.

When buying meat, ask your butcher for any meat deals. Don’t worry about buying in bulk: If you have extra, you can just freeze it then eat it later.

Planning your shopping trip toWhole Foods will help you save a lot of money. But don’t forget the golden rule of saving while shopping: Eat first.

FAQ. Whole Foods:

Q: Does Whole Foods own Aldi?

Answer: If you were wondering did Whole Foods buy Aldi the answer is no.

Q: Does Whole Foods take Apple Pay?

Answer: Yes.

Q: Does Amazon own Whole Foods?

Answer: Yes they bought Whole Foods in 2017.

Q: Which is better Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods?

Answer: Trader Joe’s Vs Whole Foods is a popular question and it depends on what you want in a grocery store. Both groceries are similar is some ways they both have a range of products but Whole Foods has much more brand variety and options than Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s sells other brands, but they sell mostly their own brand. This also answers the question is Trader Joe’s like Whole Foods. So which one is more for you Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.

Q: Does Whole Foods accept EBT?

Answer: Yes they do.

Q: Does Whole Foods do cash back?

Answer: They do but some registers might not accept cashback and may even be card only.

Although the prices are more expensive due to the quality of the produce, there are a lot of tricks to help you save money at Whole Foods.

What is your favorite thing about shopping at this organic grocery store?