Tonight was my first time to walk into Sprouts Farmers Market. Previously, I have been a fan of Trader Joe’s, but in my new location there isn’t one nearby. Here’s a little comparison between 3 organic-chains in the Houston area, based on my first impression tonight.

Whole Foods
Whole Foods is great.. If you’re rich. I used to live around the corner from one, and my friends would meet on their patio several nights a week before bike rides. They are like a superstore of organic/vegan/gluten-free/lactose-free everything. They offer an awesome atmosphere, encourage you to drink whilst shopping, and at the location in Austin, TX I’ve even seen live music in the store. It’s a fun, hip place to be and literally hang out. However, it’s noticeably more expensive than just about any normal grocery store. For a while I figured it was due to the high quality and freshness of its food. But then… I found..

Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has more of an intimate farmer’s market feel than Whole Foods. The store is literally smaller, and so is the produce (I assume because it isn’t jacked up with pesticides and preservatives). But… Gasp… Their prices are great! In fact, a lot of time I could find better prices at TJ than I could at my local Kroger. And of course they carry all of the paleo-esque cooking products and organic, grass fed meat you can think of, for a very reasonable price. Love my Trader Joes. Unfortunately, when I moved, I left that luxury behind. Which is what brought me to…

Sprouts
Now, I’ve only been there once. But to me, Sprouts is like a larger Trader Joes – good prices, fresh, organic produce. The only thing I felt that Sprouts was lacking was a larger meat selection. At Trader Joes, you can find some pretty interesting meat choices, but Sprouts’ meat isle felt like I was at Kroger. And since Kroger is much closer, I’m not sure if I will be swayed to venture to Sprouts. However, overall I had a pleasant experience and will surely be back.

So, to sum it up, I’d say Trader Joes, Sprouts, Whole Foods :) Have a great night!