A Vegan in Brooklyn’s Wegmans
November 3, 2019
Wegmans arrived in Brooklyn with a lot of hullabaloo–lots of press and devotee sound bites. So I knew my visit would be first thing in the morning. I wanted to put the vegan perspective of this grand and anticipated opening of the beloved Wegmans out there to the world. So here it is, a vegan Wegmans report.
Some have said if Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s had a child it would be Wegmans. While that offspring of selection, value and one-stop shopping is very appealing, this supermarket is not quite there yet. But once it gets a handle on New York City’s tastes and values, it may very well be the only place I need to shop. Right now as initial buying was a shot in the dark perhaps, it contains a lot of Big Food staples. Staples that, here NYC, don’t meet the spreading demand of sustainability and wholesomeness. A quintessential example: No Dave’s Killer Bread. “They don’t know…” my friend emP would say.
But they do have vegan things I’ve never even seen before! Though, admittedly, I am not the biggest packaged food fan. And locating vegan products is easy as many are in designated sections. “Vegan” made the sign, along with “functional beverages.” (You’re a functional beverage.)
Lots of meal analogs, as a lot of vegans must have their meat. lolz. Peep the price of the Field Roast. Very nice!
Lots of yogurts, if that is your thing.
Vegan cheese, please. The standards.
Their own brand of meat stuff. Vegan. Wegmans brands offer the best value… that’s the Trader Joe’s alignment.
Milks
My cart with mostly produce. So glad to see all produce bags are plant-based and biodegradable. I got this chocolate bar that was so heavenly (Nelly’s Organics) that I wrote the company when I got home to see if they can send me samples of their other stuff to review. Dreamiest vegan chocolate bar I have ever had and made with such good ingredients. More on that later. And Nuttin Ordinary, also new to me, was really good.
In conclusion, I look forward to shopping here again. Bright and huge, I got everything on my list but bulk rolled oats. The bulk food guy asked what I was looking for and was very receptive to my suggestions. Though they don’t have some of my favorites, they have a lot of new things I am excited to try. Staff seems excited to be there, less miserable than Whole Foods employees and less creepily enthusiastic than Trader Joe’s. The Wegmans brand makes for good savings. Though they don’t have the anti-GMO and more strict nutrient guidelines of the Whole Foods pantry, they have plenty of choices that meet my values. The starkest difference between Wegmans and Whole Foods is the prepared foods, bakery and deli sections. Wegmans hardly had any vegan options in those departments… where Whole Foods has a whole slew with clear labelling. Plus, donuts and pastry turnovers. Looks like I still have to go to multiple stores to meet all my grocery needs and food whims.
Memory Lane: My first visit to Wegmans in 2011 is featured here.