10 Items To Buy Your First Time At Whole Foods

Whole Foods is more than just a grocery store, it's become a mecca for specialty products from large and small brands alike. With locations across the United States and its acquisition by Amazon with its Prime deals, and delivery options, Whole Foods has continued to grow and become accessible for more people. But with a massive grocery store like this, where's one to start on their first visit?

Since it can be difficult to stick to a budget at Whole Foods, you should know what's worth spending your money on before you make your first trip. Over the years, Whole Foods has also become a store known for its exclusive products and offerings, making these products the perfect choice to prioritize on your first visit since they can't be found anywhere else. Between a huge variety of prepared meals to bakery-exclusive cakes to pantry staples, there are so many delicious items to load your cart with. But you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to enjoy Whole Foods. Not only do these items showcase the best-of-the-best that Whole Foods has to offer, there's also a decent value that can be found with a lot of these items as well.

I never once thought about stopping at a grocery store to eat a meal without actually buying any groceries. That is, until I went to the Whole Foods hot bar. While it's already a rarity for a grocery store to have a hot bar, it's almost impossible to find one that has this wide of a selection. Laid out similar to a buffet, you'll find a variety of warm dishes to choose from. Start by grabbing one of the brown takeout containers and start loading it with whatever looks appealing to you. From dishes like mac and cheese to Chicken Vindaloo to dal (the exact selections can vary), you're definitely going to find something that piques your interest. In fact, you'll probably have a difficult time limiting yourself to just one container!

The hot bar also usually labels each dish with any allergens so you don't have to second-guess if something is ok for you to have. Once you're done loading your container, you'll take it to the checkout where you are charged by weight, not by which specific items you end up getting. And even though it's not technically served warm, the salad bar is a nice extension of what Whole Foods offers in this ready-to-eat, serve-yourself category and has a handful of different greens, toppings, and dressings available to make your ideal salad.

Other grocery stores sell sushi, but it can be a big hit or a big miss. Unless the sushi is made fresh on a daily basis, it can be difficult to know just how much time your sushi has spent sitting in the package before you chose to pick it up. And when it comes to raw seafood, I don't want to take any chances with freshness.

Thankfully, Whole Foods has specifically partnered with Kikka Sushi to ensure you always get fresh, high quality sushi at every location. Kikka stands apart from other sushi companies in that they are the only company in America to use next-day shipping to every Whole Foods location. Offering favorites like California Rolls and Shrimp Tempura Rolls to specialty rolls like the Crunchy Salmon Sriracha Roll and even vegan sushi like the Plant-Based Tuna California Roll, Whole Foods has an endless variety of sushi to choose from. But if you don't find something you like, you can ask the sushi chef's to make something specific for you on the spot.

Mochi — a traditional confection in Japan — is characterized by its soft and chewy texture as a result of steaming and pounding glutinous rice together until it forms into a doughy paste. While it can be enjoyed alone for a more savory dish, the more popular way to enjoy it is stuffed with things like sweet red bean paste or fruit like strawberries for a yummy dessert.

But a more modern way of indulging in mochi that has started to rise in popularity in both Japan and America, is as an ice cream treat. Small scoops of ice cream that can be eaten in just a few bites are wrapped in mochi dough that turns this classic dessert into something a bit more elevated and fun to eat. The soft texture and slightly more savory taste of the outside mochi pairs perfectly with the firmer texture and sweetness of the ice cream on the inside — a juxtaposition of flavor and unlike a lot of other favorites we have come to know and love (think things like peanut butter and jelly and chocolate covered pretzels).

If it's your first time trying mochi ice cream, one of the best ways to do so is by grabbing a few from the self-serve mochi freezer available at most Whole Foods locations. Offering deals on multiple, you can choose from flavors like strawberry, chocolate, green tea, vanilla, red bean paste, and more (depending on your location) that you can mix and match in the provided plastic containers.

If you're someone who's more mindful of the ingredients you put in your body, chances are you've noticed how difficult it can be to find ketchup that has a short list of minimally processed ingredients — especially if you don't want to resort to making homemade ketchup or spending close to $10 a bottle. Who knew a straightforward mixture of tomatoes, sugar, spices, and vinegar (minus the added high fructose corn syrup and natural flavoring) could be so expensive? But just because you are looking for simplicity in your ingredients, doesn't mean you want simple taste either.

Instead of sacrificing the flavor you know and love from your favorite name-brand ketchup, Whole Foods 365 organic ketchup comes in under $5 per bottle and tastes exactly like how you'd hope it would. With a short list of organic ingredients including water, organic tomato paste, organic cornstarch, organic spirit vinegar, salt, and a bit of natural flavor, Whole Foods turns this classic condiment into one worthy of topping all your favorite dishes with.

A Whole Foods bakery exclusive, the Berry Chantilly Cake has a cult-like following, making it a must-try at least once. Light and uncomplicated, this cake features three layers of vanilla cake, chantilly cream frosting, and a mixture of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries woven throughout each layer of frosting and finished on top. First introduced by Whole Foods thirteen years ago by a baker at the Arabella Station store in New Orleans, Louisiana it was such a hit that other stores quickly took hold of this simple, yet decadent dessert.

But unlike most other store-bought cakes that are mass produced, the Berry Chantilly Cake uses ingredients like cage-free eggs and unbleached, unbromated flour and skips the hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, and other heavily processed ingredients so those who are mindful of what they are consuming, can (literally) have their cake and eat it too. It comes in both whole cakes and slices depending on how much you want to enjoy. Not as much of a cake person? You can enjoy this dessert as ice cream instead, with Whole Foods' Berry Chantilly Cake non-dairy ice cream.

Similar to ketchup, it can be difficult to find a peanut butter that focuses on minimal ingredients that still retains its classic taste without going over budget. But thankfully, Whole Foods comes to the rescue once more with its 365 brand of Peanut Butter that comes in organic and non-organic versions depending on your personal preferences with creamy and crunchy varieties of both versions.

For just a few dollars more than the non-organic version, you'll get a minimal ingredient list of organic dry roasted peanuts, organic expeller pressed palm oil, organic cane sugar, and sea salt. But if you prefer your peanut butter less sweet, Whole Foods also offers unsweetened versions of both its creamy and crunchy varieties featuring only dry roasted peanuts and salt. However, the no sugar versions aren't organic so that's a trade-off you'll have to make if you are choosing between organic vs. sugar content. Needless to say, Whole Foods 365 brand has a peanut butter option for practically everyone that again, you and your wallet will love.

Whole Foods offers a few variations on chicken salad including a classic chicken salad and a Sonoma chicken salad, but one clearly stands out above the rest. Everyone I know is obsessed with Whole Foods' Curry Chicken Salad and it's one of the first things I choose to fill my cart with each visit. Instead of an overabundance of mayo, this chicken salad features a curry dressing that gives it its signature flavor and creaminess. Combine that with crunchy slivers of carrot, sweet raisins, almonds, green onions, and huge, meaty chunks of chicken, you have a chicken salad that will keep you full for hours and your taste buds more than happy. Available in the refrigerated prepared foods section in smaller portions or sold by the pound, you can pick up just one package for a single meal or as a meal prep option (my preferred choice) or a quick and easy lunch throughout the week.

Pretty much every grocery store has berries, but few have berries quite as fresh as Whole Foods. Going beyond just standard cartons of single berry varieties, Whole Foods sells containers that are layered with blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries that are somehow always at peak ripeness and juiciness, no matter what season it is. I've yet to personally eat a berry from this mix that was tart or mushy other than due to user error of not eating the berries quick enough (which is difficult to do as I often have to refrain from inhaling the entire container in one sitting).

Sold year-round in both small and medium-sized containers, these berries make the perfect standalone snack, as a topper for granola or yogurt bowls, or as a fresh addition to a charcuterie board. You can find the mixed berries in the produce section next to other containers of fresh cut fruit and vegetables.

There are so many things that Whole Foods does well, and desserts are no exception. And if this list is any indicator, ice cream in particular is pretty high up in the ranking of Whole Foods desserts. Ice cream sandwiches are one of those classic desserts that are already delicious, but are often made with ingredients like corn syrup that can give pause to anyone who prefers more natural ingredients. Whole Foods has come to the rescue once again with its 365 Organic Ice Cream Sandwiches. As you may be able to tell by now, it seems that Whole Foods' 365 brand is aiming to give shoppers an answer to their biggest desires when it comes to products.

Combining organic vanilla ice cream and organic chocolate flavored wafers that are made with ingredients like organic vanilla, organic egg yolks, organic milk, and cane sugar, you can taste the difference in quality with every bite. Plus, each package of 6 is surprisingly comparable in price to some of the more mainstream, non-organic brands.

With packed schedules, sometimes convenience is key but you don't always want to resort to takeout or a frozen meal when you need something quick. Thankfully, Whole Foods has your back with numerous complete ready-to-heat meals that are made with fresh ingredients so you don't have to muster up the last bits of your brain power at the end of a busy day trying to piece together a decent meal. Not all Whole Foods prepared foods are treated equally, but when it comes to its complete meals, it's difficult to go wrong.

With choices like General Tso's Chicken with Rice and Broccoli, Chicken Tikka Masala, Grilled Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and Broccoli, and Spicy Red Pepper Salmon with Couscous and Spinach, and more, there's something to satisfy whatever you're craving. Just be aware that there aren't a ton of options that are gluten-free, so if that is a restriction you have you'll have to be extra mindful of reading the ingredient lists.

With so many specialty products carried at Whole Foods, we focused solely on one-of-a-kind products exclusively sold at Whole Foods or from its 365 brand to narrow it down to the best options. We also took price into consideration, specifically when it came down to some of the 365 brand items as Whole Foods stands out in a handful of pantry staples in regards to price, ingredients, and taste compared to other store-brands. Other than price, we also considered the popularity of each item, reviews, and exclusivity.