Healthiest Supermarkets

Last Updated on May 20, 2015 by Chef Mireille

There was a great article on cnn.com today detailing the healthiest supermarkets in the country:
Whole Foods
Safeway
Harris Teeter
Trader Joe’s
Hannaford
Albertson’s
Food Lion
Publix
Pathmark
Super Target

Plus I have my little two cents to add:
Whole Foods – while I agree it is one of the healthiest, it is also the most expensive and in these hard, economic times you can still get healthy alternatives at a variety of other markets.

SuperTarget – I HIGHLY recommend. Many of my colleagues and friends had been telling me for many months that I have to go to the grocery section of Target and when I finally made it there – WOW, was I impressed. Their store brand, Market Pantry, is very good and made with mostly all natural ingredients. I bought their Italian salad dressing and ketchup. Tasted as delish as any other name brand that you are used to.
Archer Farms, their organic brand is amazing-with LOTS of unique snacks. The Archer Farms line of cereals are delicious -the Triple Berry Clusters is really good but my absolute fave is the Multigrain with Yogurt Cranberries. Made with wheat, kamut, millet, brown rice and oats, it is full of fiber and delicious. I eat it with oat or rice beverage (instead of milk), and it packs a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals in one bowl of breakfast cereal. Add some sliced banana and it keeps you full until lunch. Also, the potato chips with black pepper and sea salt is to die for.

Some other local markets that did not make it on this list that I highly recommend are:
Fairway – huge selection of fruits and veg. at reasonable prices. The location in Brooklyn is located behind God’s back, as my grandmother would say, but the Manhattan location is very accessible to public transportation and the prices can’t be beat, especially for Manhattan. They also have a large International section – the only place in Manhattan I can get halloumi (one of my favorite cheeses – from Cypress). Organic meat also, at half the price of Whole Foods.

Food Coops are also great. Two are in Brooklyn:
The Flatbush Food Coop, which is only a few blocks from my house so I frequent it often. The prices are a hit or miss – Some things can be really reasonable (especially if they are on sale) and others can be really expensive. Because membership is not mandatory (as it is in most coops) their prices have to be higher because they have more salaries to pay.

The Park Slope Food Coop prices are amazingly cheap, but membership is required. In addition to making a $100 investment in the coop, you must work a 2 hr and 45 minute shift every 4 weeks. You reap the benefits of your work by paying extremely low prices for all natural and organic products.

The 4th street coop is located at 58 East 4th Street. I am not familiar with this food coop but take a look at their website and you can call and find out how they operate.

Sahadi’s on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, in the middle of the Middle Eastern enclave, sells a variety of foods from a variety of cuisines throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Spices, All varieties of Grains, Coffee, Dried Fruits and Nuts as well as Fresh Olives are also in abundance at this market.