By Rhonda Massad
On a recent visit to Toronto with my girls I took the time to visit Whole Foods grocery store. I have wanted to go for a long time because I believe in their philosophies about food and local and global communities. I had heard the wonderful reviews about how shopping in this natural and organic food establishment was a superior experience to the average grocery store. That is not an exaggeration.
The store was simply magnificent. From the blessed baskets to the homemade pizza.
Walking in to Whole Foods you are greeted by the flower department which for me is, off the bat, a game changer. I love flowers almost as much as I love fresh produce. Flowers make me happy. Pretty simple, and someone was thinking at the design level. The rest of the store is equally as enticing. 
Following the flowers are the fresh organic fruits and veggies in abundance. There are many sections that we have in standard grocery stores such as cheese, baked goods, ready to serve, cookies, crackers, cereals and pasta. There is a pizza counter and a wok counter, if you are in the mood to eat right then and there.
The difference is that Whole Foods “gets” the trend towards organic eating, buying local and eating local while supporting global communities. They also recognize a need for a gluten free section with more than a few items available. Granted, in recent years gluten free has garnered the attention of the big box stores, but not to the extent that Whole Foods has. The selection is wonderful.
According to their website Whole Foods’ goal is to sell the highest quality products they possibly can. They define quality by evaluating the ingredients, freshness, safety, taste, nutritive value and appearance of all of the products they carry. 
“We are buying agents for our customers and not the selling agents for the manufacturers.”
That means a lot to me and I felt it while browsing the beautiful store.
All in all I loved it but can’t even begin to explain it all in words so I have the slider at the top loaded with pictures to give you the best view.
