Fresh, local and organic eating has finally sunk in. 

And while many grocers are still stocking a meagre sampling of the good stuff, enter Whole Foods Market.  With four locations in Vancouver, this market indulges every one of our fine food shopping fantasies – and manages to create more.

Escorted upon entry by the irresistible aroma of freshly roasted organic coffee beans, the colourfully abundant produce section appears in all its glory.  While Whole Foods Market carries conventional produce when organic options are unavailable, rest assured that the organic (and often local) selection is plentiful and worth every penny. 

The forty-foot long display of fresh seafood tantalizes even the most conscientious fish consumer. SeaChoice labels are a comforting sight, as is the store’s reliance on the Marine Stewardship Council for shipments of the most sustainable seafood options available.

We learned long ago never to shop for groceries on an empty stomach, but at Whole Foods it’s almost silly not to come hungry. The generous salad bar and prepared foods section are a feast for the senses, offering up an array of healthful meal options. Throwing candied yams, baked garlic and various iterations of quinoa into a salad is pleasure enough. Eating it with a hunk of the on-site bakery’s fresh artisanal sourdough is a whole other level of awesome.

Visit Whole Foods for a grocery shopping experience that is pure grassroots opulence. An oxymoron, perhaps - but it’s wholly accurate.