Whole Foods Mama

Today I had my first experience with Whole Foods Market. We don't have one here in Florence, or anywhere nearby for that matter. I had the pleasure of spending today with my son in Greenville and he took me to the grocery store because he knew I'd love this place. He knows his Mama!

In general, I am not a fan of large supermarkets or any other large chain. I prefer frequenting locally owned and operated stores whenever possible and growing what I can at home. Sometimes, though, the world being what it is and my family still in the process of becoming greener, the supermarket is just where we end up, even if it's only to buy staples. And if I have to end up in a supermarket, I sure wish it could always be Whole Foods Market.

The selection of organic items was amazing and they had so many local items, too. The produce department was beautiful, with less variety but more quality than what I'm used to seeing in grocery stores. There was a large quantity of meat substitutes and other vegetarian and vegan options. Walking down the aisles, I may as well have been in Wonderland. I was ogling the boxes and bags and bins of whole grains and nuts and more. The cheese varieties seemed endless and the bakery had a giant selection of gorgeous cakes and tarts and more, including many gluten free options. There was even a healthy and beauty department with tons of eco-friendly options.

Their were restaurants within the store, too. The hot bar was like being at a gourmet buffet and you could eat in or take out. The pizza parlor smelled delicious. And the ice cream bar featured fresh lemon sorbet with curls of real lemon on top and several flavors of gelato.

After I snapped out of my dreamlike state of wonder, we made a few purchases and re-entered the real world of asphalt parking lots full of cars. I wish we had an oasis of these proportions in my town! I see so many more options at my local grocer than I used to see, but Whole Foods Market really was a green mom's supermarket paradise!

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