Thursday, January 5, 2017

Store Review: Trader Joe's vs. Sevananda (Co-op)


I, like so many other people my age, was in love with Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's is convenient, reasonably priced, and most of their food is organic. Their snacks, like the ginger snaps and chocolate covered espresso beans, have been my vices. However, today I inspected the store for sustainable options and Trader Joe's seems to have less options than any other grocery store I have visited! Even their vegetables and fruits are mostly packaged in plastic.

The plastic-filled produce section at Trader Joe's
I also inspected Sevananda, a local co-op in Atlanta, and they have a bulk section to die for. At the bottom of this post I have listed all of the Sevananda bulk options, except the spices. They really have every spice that you could possibly need, so there is no need for you to check a list. If you need a spice, Sevananda has you covered. Below is a picture of all the spices I could fit in my camera.

Bulk Spice Section at Sevananda
One thing that disappointed me slightly at Sevananda was the fact that the bananas where wrapped in plastic at the joint. I know that this is a method for preserving freshness, and it gives me more confidence in the organic origin of the bananas. However, on this attempt at a no-trash diet every bit of plastic counts.

Organic Bananas at Sevananda with Plastic Wrap at the Joint
Sevananda also has a Kombucha draft section. I have personally never tried Kombucha, but I have read that it has amazing health benefits. When Sevananda's draft turns back on I plan to try it out.

Kombucha Draft at Sevananada
On a non-food related note, Sevananda also carries liquid Castille Soap and soap bars in bulk. I find it so silly that most soap bars come in plastic. Soap should be able to clean itself... right?

Bulk Soap Bars at Sevananda
Overall, the comparison between the two is below. I looked for organic produce availability (without plastic packaging), bulk options, and the packaging used for milk and eggs.

Organic Produce: Sevananda and Trader Joe's have plenty of options, but Trader Joe's has more plastic-wrapped options.

Bulk: Sevananda has bountiful options, Trader Joe's has none.

Milk & Eggs: Neither Sevananda nor Trader Joe's has glass jars of milk, or reusable egg cartons. Both have recyclable milk cartons and cardboard egg cartons which can be recycled or composted.



Below you will find EVERYTHING that Sevananda has to offer in bulk. I plan to continue refining and using this list, so I apologize if it is overwhelming in the current state.

·       Coffee
o   Jim's Organic Coffee
§  Blend X aka Witches Brew
§  Sweet Nothings Decaf
§  Hazelnut
o   Equal Exchange
§  Organic French Roast
§  Organic Love Buzz
§  Organic Breakfast Blend
§  Organic Peruvian
§  Organic French Roast Decaf
§  Organic Breakfast Blend Decaf
§  Organic Rabble Rouser
§  Organic Mind, Body, and Soul
§  Organic Espresso
§  Organic Sumatran
o   Cafe Campesino
§  Guatemala Full City Roast
§  Decaf French Roast
§  Mexico Full City Roast
§  Columbia Medium Roast
§  Critical Mass French Roast
§  Ethiopia Yigacheffe Medium Roast
·       Soups
o   32-Bean & 8-Vegetable Soup/Chili
o   Whole Wheat Alphabet Vegetable Soup
o   Spicy Southwestern Soup
o   Low Sodium Broth Powder Vegetable Flavored
o   Vegetarian Broth Powder No-Chicken
o   Vegetarian Chili Mix
o   Organic Sweet Corn Chowder
o   Organic Split Pea Soup
o   Organic Black Bean Soup
o   Organic Lentil Soup
·       Grains
o   Rice
§  Lundberg's Wild Blend (rice)
§  Brown Basmati Rice
§  White Basmati Rice
§  Short Grain Brown Rice
§  Long Grain Brown Rice
§  Sweet Brown Rice
§  Wild Rice
§  White Sushi Rice
§  White Arborio Rice
§  Golden Rose Med. Grain Brown Rice
§  Organic Brown Jasmine Rice
§  Organic Madagascar Pink Rice
§  Forbidden Rice
§  Organic Germinated Rice
o   Oats
§  Steel Cut Oat Groats
§  Quick Oats
§  Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
§  Rolled Oats
§  Oat Groats (Hulled)
§  Oat Bran
o   Barley Flakes
o   9 Grain Blend (red wheat, white wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn grits, millet, buckwheat, flax)
o   Yellow Corn Grits
o   Wheat Bran (Red)
o   Pasta
§  Wheat-Free Supergrain Elbows
§  Organic Semolina Elbows
§  Couscous Toasted Pasta
§  Trio of Quinoa
§  Quinoa (Whole Grain)
o   French Couscous
o   French Couscous (whole wheat)
o   Organic Pearled Farro
o   Millet (Hulled)
o   Bulgar (Wheat)
o   Organic Kamut Berries
o   Soft While Wheat
o   Popcorn
§  Multi-Colored Popcorn
§  White Popcorn
§  Yellow Popcorn
o   Lentils
§  Organic Sprouted Lentils
§  Red Lentils
§  Green Lentils
§  French Lentils
§  Brown Lentils
o   Barley (Hulled)
o   Barley (Pearled)
o   Roasted Buckwheat (Kasha)
o   Buckwheat Groats (Hulled)
o   Spelt Grain
o   Amaranth Grain
o   Multigrain Pancake & Waffle Mix
o   Flour
§  Gluten Free Wheat Free All Purpose Baking Flour
§  Almond Meal/Flour
§  Rye Flour (Whole)
§  All Purpose White Flour
§  Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
§  Millet Flour
§  Tapioca Flour
§  Brown Rice Flour
§  Whole Grain Spelt Flour
§  White Spelt Flour
§  Vital Wheat Gluten Flour
§  White Flour (High Gluten)
§  Whole Wheat Flour
o   Cornmeal
o   Flax Seeds (Whole)
o   Golden Flax Seeds
·       Seasonings
o   Spike (Original Formula)
o   Himalayan Pink Salt
o   Sea Salt (Refined)
o   RealSalt (Natural Mineral Salt)
o   Celtic Sea Salt
·       Beans
o   Falafel Mix
o   Hummus Dip Mix
o   Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
o   Baby Lima Beans
o   Soybeans
o   Mung Beans (delicious, but they smell like death)
o   Navy Beans
o   Pinto Beans
o   Adzuki Beans
o   Small Red Chili Beans
o   Green Split Peas
o   Yellow Split Peas
o   Red Kidney Beans
o   Black-eyed Peas
o   Great Northern Beans
o   Black Beans (Turtle Beans)
o   Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans)
o   Edamame
o   Wasabi Coated Green Peas
·       Sugar
o   Certified Demerara Sugar
o   Organic Sucanat Sugar
o   Sugar (Raw)
·       Chocolate
o   Dark Chocolate Chips
o   Dark Chocolate Ginger
o   Double Dipped! Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Malt Balls
o   Organic Dark Chocolate Coconut Haystacks
·       Energy bites
o   Peanut Butter Organic Hemp Energy Bites
o   Naughty But Nice (Energy Bites)
o   Dancing Star Chucks of Energy
o   Chunks of Energy Carob Spirulina
o   Chunks of Energy 100% Raw Cacao Goji
o   High-Country G.O.R.P. Energy Chunks
·       Nuts
o   Carob Peanut Clusters
o   Student Nut Mix
o   Natural California Nut Mix
o   Hit the Trail Mix
o   Diet Delight Nut Mix
o   Hi-Life Nut Mix
o   Raw Sliced Almonds
o   Slivered & Blanched Almonds
o   Whole Almonds
o   Tamari Almonds
o   Filberts (Hazelnuts)
o   Pistachios (Raw)
o   Raw Walnuts (halves & pieces)
o   Coconut Honey Almonds
o   Sprouted Almonds
o   Almonds, Roasted & Unsalted
o   Brazil Nuts (Raw)
o   Whole Cashews (Raw)
o   Cashew Pieces (Fancy, Raw)
o   Whole Cashews (Roasted, Unsalted)
o   Whole Cashews (Roasted & Salted)
o   Raw Almonds
o   Apple Cranberry Trail Mix
o   High Antioxidant Trail Mix
o   Macadamia Nuts
o   Just Nuts Mix
o   Peanut Butter Stock (Unsalted)
o   Peanuts (Roasted & Salted)
o   Peanuts (Raw)
o   Raw Peanut (Fancy Jr. Mammoth)
·       Sweet snacks
o   All Natural Carob Malt Balls
o   Crystallized Ginger (Standard Dice)
o   Ginger Chews
o   Banana Chips (Sweetened)
o   Yogurt Pretzels
o   Raspberry Yogurt Pretzels
o   Lollipops (individually wrapped in plastic)
o   Coconut Macaroon (medium)
o   Marin Brand Whole Wheat Fig Bar
o   Sunny Fruit Slices
·       Seeds
o   Tamari Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
o   Brown Sesame Seeds (Unhulled)
o   Sunflower Seeds (Raw, Hulled)
o   Sunflower Seeds (Roastd, Unsalted)
o   Sunflower Seeds (Roasted & Salted)
o   Pumpkin Seeds (Raw)
o   Pumpkin Seeds (Roasted & Salted)
o   Pumpkin Seeds (Roasted & Unsalted)
·       Granola
o   Pure Bliss Granola
§  Old School 2.0 Organic Gluten Free
§  My Fav (french almond vanilla) Organic
§  Banana Gorilla Organic
§  Naughty But Nice Organic
§  Superberry Hemp Organic Gluten Free
§  Peanut Butter Banana Organic Gluten Free
§  Honey Almond Organic Gluten Free
o   Raspberry N Cream Granola
o   Save the Forest Nut Granola
o   Honey Gone Nuts Granola
o   Hemp Plus Granola
o   Wheat + Salt Free Classic Granola
o   Organic Cocoa Chia Granola
o   French Vanilla Almond Granola
o   Coconut Almond Granola
o   Ginger Snap Granola
o   Maple Almond Granola
o   Wild Blueberry Flax Granola
o   Cherry Vanilla Granola
·       Cereal
o   Nature's Path Mesa Sunrise Cereal
o   Multigrain Oatbran Flakes
o   Heritage O's Multigrain Cereal
o   Honey'd Corn Flakes
o   35% Fruit Muesli
·       Salty snacks
o   Dehydrated Mixed Veggies
o   Grain Sweetened Vegan Carob Chips
o   Peanut Butter Pretzels
o   All Natural Garden Veggie Chips
o   Oriental Rice Snack Mix
o   Nori Sesame Cashews
o   Narrow Cheddar Sesame Sticks
o   Hot Cajun Corn Sticks
o   Honey Roasted Sesame Sticks
o   Garlic Sesame Sticks
o   Sesame Oat Bran Sticks
·       Vegetarian/Vegan replacements
o   Beef Not! Chunks
o   Chicken Not! Chunks
o   Textured Vegetable (Soy) Protein (TVP)
o   Better than Milk (powder)
·       Nutritional Yeast (Large Flake)

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