What is the difference between whole foods and organic

Where To Watch Watch Now. Z Living. Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus Recipe. Cranberry Orange Cookies Recipe. Z Living now on Xfinity channel in most areas. July 17, Check local listings. All rights reserved. The discount store has attempted to lure more customers by increasing its organic offerings and taking a more upmarket approach to food in general.

While consumer advocates put more than items in their Whole Foods basket and compare prices by year, we picked 12 staples and browsed the aisles at both Whole Foods and Walmart. This is one of those categories that made Whole Foods popular in the first place: Snacky, high-end foods you want more often than you need. In this case, however, Walmart comes out 10 cents less per ounce than its Whole Foods competitor. This is what we saw more often than not: Whole Foods and Walmart offering near-equivalent pricing on the same products.

Considering that milk is still nominally a staple, even with dairy consumption decreasing overall, those fractional cents can add up from week to week. When it comes to triple-washed salad spinach, the price difference is pretty much a wash, too. That Walmart loaf is the only organic loaf it offers under its house brand.

O'Brien told CNBC in a recent interview that if consumers opt for farmers markets rather than grocery stores, they'll get a bigger bang for their buck. Income levels are also a factor, as middle- and upper-income buyers are generally more able to afford the more expensive products. It's very educational and they could learn how to prepare their foods," she said. Meanwhile, O'Brien also cited state studies that showed certain organic staples could actually be as much as 40 percent cheaper if purchased at a farmers market, where many now cater to lower-income consumers.

In an environment of generally higher food price inflation , Whole Foods suggested that consumers try to maximize their dollars with a few cost-saving tips. These include buying from bulk, taking advantage of promotions, coupons and weekly deals, and shopping in the frozen aisle.

Whole Foods' Dickson also said the company's produce team could custom cut products, in order to help consumers save money. Just ask us," he said. Skip Navigation. Critics question how much better organic really is.