Veggies, Organic Meat and Groceries (Houston, Austin: live, prices, marketplace) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Seamagician · 02-21-2011, 01:31 PM

I guess I'm spoilt with having shopped at Trader Joes, Henry's, and Whole Foods. There is nothing like Trader Joes or Henry's in Houston. HEB not even close. I can't believe the prices at the Houston Whole Foods or the Central Market Prices. They must be 20% more than I paid at Whole Foods in San Diego. I shopped at Whole Foods every day of my life in San Diego as I lived a block away and it was an easy walk.

After nearly five months here, I cannot find tuna fish in a can without salt added. I can't find meat that hasn't some sort of chicken broth added to it. Well, either that, or it's got hormones and other horrible stuff. Well, I can find it, but the prices are horrendous.

This is the first time in my entire life that I have ever seen meat in a store where the labels say that it contains chicken broth.

I've tried so many stores, I don't know what to do. I found something called Joe V's on the web but it was about 30 miles away from me. (I'm near Galleria.)

Any suggestions.

rb4browns · 02-21-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamagician

I guess I'm spoilt with having shopped at Trader Joes, Henry's, and Whole Foods. There is nothing like Trader Joes or Henry's in Houston. HEB not even close. I can't believe the prices at the Houston Whole Foods or the Central Market Prices. They must be 20% more than I paid at Whole Foods in San Diego. I shopped at Whole Foods every day of my life in San Diego as I lived a block away and it was an easy walk.

After nearly five months here, I cannot find tuna fish in a can without salt added. I can't find meat that hasn't some sort of chicken broth added to it. Well, either that, or it's got hormones and other horrible stuff. Well, I can find it, but the prices are horrendous.

This is the first time in my entire life that I have ever seen meat in a store where the labels say that it contains chicken broth.

I've tried so many stores, I don't know what to do. I found something called Joe V's on the web but it was about 30 miles away from me. (I'm near Galleria.)

Any suggestions.

Go back to California.

elnina · 02-21-2011, 02:09 PM

Here are many stores you can check for your specific food items. Did you visit them all?

GettaClue · 02-21-2011, 02:12 PM

I had that same problem when I moved here from Colorado too. Things here have improved a lot since then, believe it or not, but clearly still have a long way to go!

Over time, I've cobbled together a grocery list that's a combination of Costco, HEB's Marketplace stores, local farmer's markets...and seriously adjusted expectations.

I wish I had better news!

irishlover · 02-21-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamagician

I guess I'm spoilt with having shopped at Trader Joes, Henry's, and Whole Foods. There is nothing like Trader Joes or Henry's in Houston. HEB not even close. I can't believe the prices at the Houston Whole Foods or the Central Market Prices. They must be 20% more than I paid at Whole Foods in San Diego. I shopped at Whole Foods every day of my life in San Diego as I lived a block away and it was an easy walk.

After nearly five months here, I cannot find tuna fish in a can without salt added. I can't find meat that hasn't some sort of chicken broth added to it. Well, either that, or it's got hormones and other horrible stuff. Well, I can find it, but the prices are horrendous.

This is the first time in my entire life that I have ever seen meat in a store where the labels say that it contains chicken broth.

I've tried so many stores, I don't know what to do. I found something called Joe V's on the web but it was about 30 miles away from me. (I'm near Galleria.)

Any suggestions.

I lived in Newport Beach and Santa Fe New Mexico where I really enjoyed shopping at Traders Joes and Mothers (in Newport). But, I've been able to satisfy my discerning grocery tastes perfectly well here in Houston. I don't understand how you can completely dismiss HEB. I think HEB produce and meats are some of the best out there. Which one(s) have you been going to? The newish HEB at Bunker Hill and I-10 has seemingly any kind of organic meat, cheese and veggie anyone could ever want. And, if you can't find it there, HEB Central Market on Westhimer inside the loop has all kinds of exotic organic, natural foods from ALL over the world.

I tend to shy away from Whole Foods because I think theire groceries are about 20-30% higher in price than similar (and better) quality goods at HEB. The other great thing about HEB is that if they don't carry what you are looking for they WILL try their hardest to get it for you in the store. My wife is from Dublin Ireland and recently asked the meat market manager (HEB at Bunker Hill) about getting a certain cut and type of pork filet that she was used to getting in Ireland. He said no problem and we had it the next day. Now THAT is service I will return for!

There are also wonderful Farmers Markets/Co-Ops in and around Houston. Here are some links:

Central City Co-Op: Houston's ORIGINAL Organic Co-Op!
Urban Harvest Farmers Market
Canino Produce - Farmers Market - The Heights - Houston, TX

There are over 15 on this list alone:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/5071721.html

ps. I don't work for HEB!

Malvie · 02-21-2011, 03:04 PM

Whole Foods is based in Austin, TEXAS.

I cannot imagine that your grocery prices were cheaper in California than here. I've lived and shopped both places.

Agree with the other posters; if you've not tried the HEB on Bunker Hill, you've not tried.

Seamagician · 02-21-2011, 03:17 PM

Thanks, everybody. No, I haven't tried HEB in Bunker's Hill. I tried the one in Westheimer and asked them if they had organic meat and they said no.

Yes, Whole foods in San Diego was cheaper. I paid between $4.99 to $5.50 or organic grass fed lamp chops throughout the years. It's not even remotely close to that price here.

The Farmers' Markets sound great.

Thanks.

crone · 02-21-2011, 03:20 PM

I did a lot of grocery shopping in Lake Tahoe, at Trader Joe's and Costco in Reno before Costco built the new store down the hill. They were way cheaper than here.
Friends in St Louis pay for organic chicken about what I'd pay for chicken full of arsenic, antibiotics and hormones in Houston. Organic milk is a lot cheaper, too.
Still wishing for Trader Joe's.

rb4browns · 02-21-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamagician

Thanks, everybody. No, I haven't tried HEB in Bunker's Hill. I tried the one in Westheimer and asked them if they had organic meat and they said no.

Yes, Whole foods in San Diego was cheaper. I paid between $4.99 to $5.50 or organic grass fed lamp chops throughout the years. It's not even remotely close to that price here.

The Farmers' Markets sound great.

Thanks.

My go back to Cali crack was not meant to be nasty, btw. I'm originally from San Diego and actually lived down the street from the Henry's market on Governor for a while. I'm surprised you cannot find what you are looking for here or that food prices are so dramatically more expensive. I've not noticed such a dramatic difference.

Ashlynn_Joy · 02-21-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamagician

Thanks, everybody. No, I haven't tried HEB in Bunker's Hill. I tried the one in Westheimer and asked them if they had organic meat and they said no.

Yes, Whole foods in San Diego was cheaper. I paid between $4.99 to $5.50 or organic grass fed lamp chops throughout the years. It's not even remotely close to that price here.

The Farmers' Markets sound great.

Thanks.

My goodness you are kidding me! I go to Phoenicia (Middle Eastern market) for lamb and certain products. I think the only cut of lamb I've seen for $5 would feed a toddler (especially in HEB) and it was not organic.