My Love Affair with Sprouts Farmers Market

You all know how much I love my Fresh & Easy, but I had a religious experience in Sprouts today, and I know you're foaming at the mouth wanting to hear about it.

 

Okay, so it's not technically a full-blown farmers market, but it's pretty darn close.  These independent stores combine the elements of a traditional farmers market with those of a traditional grocery store, so you're stepping into neither Smith's nor Whore Whole Foods.

 

I'm a bit of a picky shopper these days, having decided to cut out animal products, with the exception of the slice of pizza I ate last night at work. 

 

But I digress.

 

Sprouts has a nice variety of products, which makes a Gemini like me super happy.  They offer all sorts of organic, not-even-remotely organic, all-natural, kinda-natural, gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian goodies.  They even carry vegan butter and cream cheese, which I have yet to see anywhere else.

 

I spent a substantial amount of time squeezing and poking and sniffing all the fruits and wedgies and can confirm that they most definitely havn't been sitting there for eight years, unlike Smith's avocadoes, which usually have the consistency of guacamole by the time I get to them.  Sprouts is even sure to buy things whole and intact (like cheese) and only prepare them for sale once they're in the store, ensuring that the goodies stay fresh.  They make an effort to sell locally grown produce and are able to keep the prices a little lower because they've been in the biz for long enough to get great deals from farmers and brokers.

 

And it's not just food they carry.  Sprouts has all kinds of vitamins, alcohol (wee!), and body care products.

 

Obviously, you can expect to spend a little more depending on what you buy.  The price of their vegan butter gave me a minor heart attack, for instance, while most of the other stuff I bought was priced the same as or lower than I would pay at other establishments.

 

And numbers can't lie.  Well, they can.  Regardless, Sprouts is opening 20 new stores this year; so clearly, they're sleeping with all the right people.

 

If my own personal account and the information I ripped off their website still doesn't have you convinced, check out the place for yourself.

 

Unless they don't have Sprouts where you live, in which case.....good day to you.