whole foods

Is it odd to sign up for free tickets to 'tour' a new grocery store? Probably. But it might even be more odd to blog about the tour. Oh well. We don't go to Disney on Ice until 7:30 tonight so in the meantime this is about as exciting as it gets around here.

Since the beginning of the year the three of us have really made an effort to eat a bit healthier and move a little more. Blake and I aren't getting any younger and we've both tried to commit to some healthier choices (do you notice how I'm using the words: effort, a bit, little, tried - those words aren't the best choices to use). We've worked HARD, we've moved A LOT more than ever and are not trying but DOING what we've planned.

(there, I'm working on being more positive too!)

So being more mindful of what we're eating prompted my interest to sign up for tickets for a preview tour of the huge new Whole Foods store at Trolley Square. Lucy and I headed down this morning for our 10:30 tour for samples and to view this beautiful new store. I've been in Whole Foods a few times but never really shopped there. What I learned today is that even though it can be pricey I would feel a lot better about our food choices shopping Whole Foods. The store has a great florist shop inside, amazing seafood department, produce that sadly had items I didn't even know existed and a whole side of the store devoted to an in-store pizzeria, sandwich shop, sushi and coffee shop.

The tour guide had a lot of interesting information about the company and the products they use. For one, their florist shop only buys flowers from growers who pay fair wages. That's not something I would normally think about but we were told so many flower wholesalers pay unfair wages and make workers work in unsafe conditions. Although we don't see those workers and don't know the history of the flowers we buy I personally do not want to support or pay into anything like that. So I guess the lesson is to be more aware of what you are buying and where it comes from. I know that's easier said than done but I guess little steps.

So many yummy cheeses...with all of the samples Lucy thought she could grab and start eating everything.

Freshly made subs.

Lucy spit out the salami but devoured the veggie sausages. I think her palate prefers Costco samples but some of these she enjoyed.

Delicious green veggie pizza - I'm learning to like vegetables.

Our sweet swag bag!

So we probably won't do all of our shopping at this store but it is good to know there are many healthy, fresh choices ten minutes away. Since we've been eating healthier it seems all we do is grocery shop. Costco for produce, some meats and dairy and eggs, Harmons for bread and a few other things and Target for all of the aisle items: peanut butter, cereal (movies, Tangled toys, magazines and cute seasonal stuff) :).

Now I must add this disclaimer that being more 'mindful' of our eating doesn't mean we're the epitome of healthy eating - not by a long shot! So don't judge if you see me eating a Dunford chocolate donut. And we're not giving up our Hires burgers anytime soon.

But making a few healthier choices has really improved how I've felt lately - I no longer have a drip of diet coke into my bloodstream but actually am drinking water (with only about one diet coke a day). I wore out a pair of tennis shoes and needed to get new ones. And have tried a few healthy recipes in place of a run through a fast food window. So like I said earlier, little steps!

And nothing is healthier than being out in this beautiful sunny day!