The Comparison Game Part II – Whole Foods

June 4, 2011 at 2:03 pm | Posted in Dinner | 9 Comments
Tags: Hot and Cold Bar, Whole Foods

When I was in Alabama last week, I got to experience the wonder that is Birmingham Whole Foods.

Comparing Madison Whole Foods to Birmingham is like night and day. Basically, Madison sucks and Birmingham doesn’t.  Madison’s selection of every single food product from produce to cereal was put to shame by the variety at Birmingham. 

  

In one full year of living in Madison and shopping at Whole Foods every week, I have not once tried their Hot/Cold Food Bar.  Honestly, it’s always looked totally unappetizing and sparse.

This is, quite literally, the extent of the Bar Area:

Hot Bar…

Cold Bar…

Notice how there’s only one row per item?  In Birmingham there were two rows (aka twice as many items!).  Plus, the Madison Cold Bar didn’t have a SINGLE cold pasta item.  WTF???
  

I got about 4 items from each (Hot and Cold), and even that was forced.  Nothing really looked appealing!

Here’s what I ended up with:

Cold is on the left; Hot is on the right.

Looks decent enough, right?

The hot foods were ok and I finished them all off, but not a SINGLE cold food was anywhere near decent… the steamed kale literally tasted like dirt.  I couldn’t even finish the cold. 

Needless to say, I supplemented my dinner – Helllllooo apple and peanut butter!
  

Bottom line – I’ll have to fly to Birmingham whenever I’m craving Whole Foods Hot/Cold Bar.  Totally practical, I know.
 

How does your Whole Foods compare in regards to product selection and the Hot/Cold Bar?

  

  

 

Heather