It’s no surprise that buying in bulk has been a common way for people to save for years now; wholesale clubs like Sam’s, Costco & BJ’s were founded on this notion. But I’ve often warned people against going overboard at such places because chances are your family doesn’t really need the 3 gallons of mayonnaise and 10 pounds of chicken they make you buy to get the deal!

That’s what I love about buying in bulk at Whole Foods Market. Not only will you naturally save money as a result of eliminating the packaging costs, but it also let’s you tailor your purchase to your personal consumption. Americans waste so much money by throwing away food we never eat, so this is a great way to start avoiding that expense.

Ever since I started shopping at Whole Foods Market, I’ve been a fan of the bulk bins. I admit, I do shop at a number of different stores (including Costco & Sam’s) depending on where I can find the best deal, and I’ve found that the best price on grits, oats, dried beans, quinoa, dried fruit and healthy candy in the bulk section of Whole Foods.

However, on my most recent trip to Whole Foods Market at Green Hills, I discovered there was more to the bulk section than even I was aware of! Did you know that they also sell cleaning products and pet food in bulk? Not only that, but if you bring in your own containers, you can save even more money!

Check out the details in this week’s Whole Foods Wednesdays video:

Here is a recap of how Buying in Bulk at Whole Foods Market can start saving you money right away:

1. Bulk items provide a great way to not only shop economically, but also in an environmentally friendly way.

2. Their bulk offerings include not only the well-known seeds, nuts, and cereal items, but also spices, cleaning detergents and even pet food!

3. Containers are available for all of our bulk products.  But if you want to help the environment and save a little money on bulk seeds, nuts, and grains, you can bring your own container, have it weighed at customer service BEFORE you bulk up, and then get 10 cents off your bulk purchase.

I hope you’re enjoying this series on started Eating Healthy on a Budget at Whole Foods. What have you found most helpful or what questions do you still have about saving money at Whole Foods Market? Please leave a comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for coming back for week 2 of Whole Foods Wednesdays!

Last week, I told you of my desire to want to eat healthy while staying on budget, but being intimidated by how to make that happen at Whole Foods Market.  It turns out I wasn’t alone in my lack of knowledge about where to start, so I approached Linda Nishida, marketing team leader at Whole Foods Market at Green Hills , for help. Whole Foods Market is so committed to helping people lead a healthy lifestyle and save money that they agreed to help me educate everyone out there on everyday ways to save at their store through this video series!

Last week we learned how to get started Eating Healthy on a Budget at Whole Foods. This week Linda and I will be giving you more in-depth tips on how to save everyday.

Watch this week’s video: Everyday Ways to Save at Whole Foods:

Here are the ways to save everyday at Whole Foods Market:

1. Shop the Specials
Each store has special weekly and weekend deals, which can be found online and on the stores’ flyers in the front lobby. The weekly specials kick off every Wednesday and last through the following Tuesday.  The weekend specials – their exclusive Hot Weekend Deals – go from Friday through Sunday of each weekend.

2. Save with the Seasons
It is cheaper to shop seasonally. It also pays to know when the “peak” of the season for fruit and vegetables are in your region. Stock up on berries when on sale and freeze for smoothies and baking. Likewise, stock up on other veggies, prep & chop, then freeze to pull out later for stir-fry, chili, soups and more.

3. Check out Store Brands
Whole Foods Market’s exclusive brand products such as 365 Everyday Value™ and 365 Organic Everyday Value™ provide consumers with high quality products at everyday value prices. You’ll also want to check for extra savings on these products via their in-house publication, The Whole Deal, as well as online.

4. Waste Not, Want Not
Buy bargains in quantity when on sale (enough to get you through 4-12 weeks). Create a stockpile in your pantry for dry goods or freeze extra meat & fish. When shopping, think about creative ways to use leftovers, giving them new life in soups, salads and sandwiches.

Come back each Wednesday this month for another episode in our video series about Eating Healthy on a Budget at Whole Foods Market!

Back in May, our family knew we needed to get healthy, but didn’t know where to start.

My friend Jenni helped us clean out our pantry of foods we should avoid, but how were we supposed to fill it with healthy foods and still stay on our limited budget?

The only place I knew where to start was Whole Foods Market, but I have to admit, I was a little intimidated. What aisle should I focus on? Did I need to buy organic, free-range, or all-natural? Could I still save money AND eat healthy?

So I asked for help…and that’s exactly what I received. Not only were the employees at Whole Foods Market incredibly helpful, they were also exceedingly knowledgeable and genuinely interested in making my shopping experience unlike any other. Whether it was coming out from behind the meat counter to explain the difference between free-range and cage free or having the produce specialist cut into a tomato on the spot so I could taste it, I never had a shopping experience like this.

What I found most exciting was that not only does Whole Foods Market have a great store brand (365 Everyday Value) that’s already a fabulous deal, but they also offer their own coupons via their in-house publication, The Whole Deal, as well as online. When you consider that you can pair their store coupons with manufacturer’s coupons, there are a lot of deals to find at Whole Foods!

I felt that Whole Foods had been getting a bad rap amongst the frugal community, so I approached them about sharing this good budget news and helping educate other budget-conscious individuals about how you can truly eat healthy on a budget at Whole Foods. Luckily, they also thought it was a great idea!

So join me every Wednesday in January for “Whole Foods Wednesdays” where I’ll be joining Linda Nishida, Marketing Team Leader for the Whole Foods Market at Green Hills in Nashville. Together, we’ll help educate each of you on how to save money at Whole Foods while helping your family to truly thrive in their food and lifestyle choices.

This week, we’ll be starting out simply with an introduction to eating healthy on a budget at Whole Foods:

To summarize:
1. When you walk in to your local Whole Foods Market, make sure to grab a flyer with that week’s specials, a Hot Weekend Deals flyer and the current issue of the Whole Deal.

2. In the January 2011 issue of the Whole Deal, you’ll find:
*Coupons and deals off select healthy products, including Whole Foods Market’s Italian Sparkling Mineral Water, 365 Everyday Value artichoke hearts, 365 Everyday Value Complete Body Cleanse, fish oil, supplements and much more! (I love that they even offer coupon off their already low-priced Everyday Value items!)
*A seven-day, 21 meal Health Starts Here meal planner that includes healthy, filling and easy to prepare recipes for your entire family.
*A free “Nutrition Prescription”, a limited-time only complimentary personal eating program from Eat Right America, which includes a 40-page personal health assessment, a 28 day meal plan and daily email support, as well as member access to articles, recipes & forums.

3. Make sure to also stop by their Healthy Eating Center in the store and talk to a specialist about any questions you may have about kick-starting your New Year’s healthy eating plan!

Come back each Wednesday this month for another episode in our video series about Eating Healthy on a Budget at Whole Foods Market!