Andrew W.
Yelp
My groceries come from a few places: Trader Joe's, the State Farmers Market, Bickett Market, and Whole Foods. I get my produce/meat from the farmers market, boxed/canned goods from TJs, random goodies from Bickett Market, and everything else from Whole Foods.
You can definitely break the bank shopping at Whole Foods, but it really depends on what you are getting. I usually stick to any produce I can't find elsewhere, juice and household things (like paper goods or Charlie's detergent), fish if it's on sale, grass fed beef if I ran out, the dairy aisle, the deli counter, and the bread aisle. It's hard, but I generally avoid the wine, cheese, most of Whole Body, sushi, the frozen aisle, hot bar, salad bar, cookies, and gelato (which is new as of this past summer). I'm 6'6" and it takes at least $12 of the hot bar to fill me up. I'd rather go out to eat for that.
I despise the parking lot. I usually park as far as way as possible. Even when parking far away, I've still almost gotten hit a couple times. Not cool.
My favorite things at Whole Foods are probably the good assortment of local beer (even growlers from Carolina Brewery and Lonerider), local milk (Maple View), and that they recycle #5 plastics.
Unlike Fresh Market and Earth Fare, Whole Foods ALWAYS labels where produce comes from. You're definitely paying more than the farmers market, but if you don't have time to go there, then this is a reliable option.