Ever since the closure of some staple restaurants on Howard University’s campus, from Chipotle to my dear Negril, I’ve needed quick food fixes that won’t cost me much or take me too far off campus.
Whole Foods is a central grocery store for many Howard students, and though the majority of us wished it were something a bit more cost-efficient, it’s become something we rely on. Myself heavily included. I remember putting my blue and white tote bag through so much stress my freshman year when I would have to stuff multiple items into it so I could make my trek back to my dorm as quickly as possible.
Thankfully, I was able to retire that tote bag as a senior now that I rely on DoorDash delivery and the fact that my apartment is much closer to Whole Foods. As an avid Whole Foods shopper, I’ve had the pleasure of trying a lot of Whole Foods’ items. Some were really great while others were not so great, but the good thing is that there’s always something new to test out.
I’m letting you all in on my top five Whole Foods essentials that I specifically go there and nowhere else for daily. For Lent, I made it my goal to only go in there once a week. Let’s see how strong my restraint is…
5. Quorn Chicken Nuggets
I’d never been to a Whole Foods that carried a 32-oz bag of these nuggets, and these have been a consistent go-to for me ever since being in DC. As a pescatarian, these are must-haves in my freezer since they go great with fries, in pasta, or, as TikTok creator Poppy Cooks did, in a lil sandwich. I might be biased, but these taste just as good as the real thing.
4. Ready-To-Bake Pizza
Whenever I have HC members over at my apartment, this is a great item to have to feed any hungry mouths. In their pre-made food section, their pizzas are pretty big and come with different toppings, too! You’ll have dinner made in less than 20 minutes and happy HC members.
3. Spicy Guacamole w/ Tomato
Listen to me clearly: I am emphasizing the spicy guac with tomato because it is the best. My VP and I tried the regular one, but it just didn’t hit the same. It’s just something about the chopped tomatoes in it that makes it taste delish. The placement of the guacamole in our Whole Foods is suspect because it is right by the entrance—just tempting you to pick it up. I promise you, I’m still trying to get better at not folding under the pressure, but a good night is with that guac and some pita chips.
2. Joe’s Tea
New Jersey not only gave us our HC at HU editor-in-chief, but it also gave the world Joe’s Tea. I didn’t realize other cities didn’t have Joe’s until I went back home to Chicago and couldn’t find any, but if you’re in the DMV area, you must *absolutely* buy one. Though there are so many flavors, my favorite ones are sweet tea and green tea. Also, if you ever get the chance to try Joe’s popcorn (because, ofc, they have popcorn), I’m telling you now, it’s literally the best.
1. Bakery Section Items
In my opinion, Whole Foods has BY FAR the most interesting bakery section in grocery store history because it’s the place that made me like my arch nemesis: apple pie. Anything from this section is good, from the brown butter cookies to the crème brûlée (plus, you get to reuse the ceramic bowl it comes in), and I always have to have something sweet in my apartment from there.
Let us know on social media if any of these are your favorites!