Trader Joes & Wholefoods

[BambiWantsRevenge]

Just wondering how accessible stores like Wholefoods, Trader Joes or other Health Food stores are along the trail? I have some dietary requirements that will need top ups along the way and as I'm not from America I'm only aware (from previous trips) of these stores stocking the things I need.

Thanks.

[illabelle]

Most of the resupply options along the trail are small grocery stores or even convenience stores. Perhaps the supplier could mail a package to you periodically while you're hiking.

[bigcranky]

It'll be rare to find those stores near the trail. Maybe once or twice up north, with a long hitch?

Resupply opportunities have improved in the last twenty years, as more development has occurred especially in the South. Now it's not that hard to get to a large modern grocery store, or a Super Wal Mart with a large grocery area, but you'll still sometimes get to a town and find the "grocery store" is a gas station. (Note that the major thru-hiker guides will provide details on the stores so you'll know ahead of time.)

Normally I recommend that hikers just shop where they can and not worry about mail drops or a bounce box, but in your case it might be worthwhile. Of course the logistics of managing mail drops from Australia are somewhat daunting -- so how you handle this will depend on whether you need some small supplements once a month, or if all your food must come from one of these stores every week. Since it's not clear what exactly you require, it's hard to be specific, but e.g., if it's the former, you could stop at TJs in Atlanta and buy 6 months worth, then put it in a bounce box and mail it to yourself up the trail. Every couple of weeks you can go to the P.O., get the box, remove what you need, reseal it and mail it further on.

[Venchka]

Specifics always help. Gluten free is everywhere now. Even trail bars from Larabars, etc. Newer, larger convenience stores will have healthy foods mixed in with really healthy sausage egg and cheese biscuits which seem more appropriate for long distance hiking. There’s always oatmeal or grits.
If your diet needs are medically necessary you might need to mail ahead. If they are just personal preference then calorie needs will prevail and you won’t starve on the trail.
Good luck.
Wayne

[Venchka]

There are a whole range of “Dollar” stores in rural areas. Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, etc. with food selections in between convenience stores and grocery stores. Don’t overlook them for trail staples.
Wayne

[peakbagger]

Up in Maine NH and VT, the Trader Joes locations and Wholefoods are several hours away from the trail, public transportation is poor in those areas so getting from the trail to the store is going to eat up a day. There are natural food stores in VT in many towns and Hanover NH is most likely going to have what you need. Once you leave Hanover NH, you are pretty well out of luck all the way to Katahdin. The standard recommendation to resupply in town doesn't generally apply to someone who has specific dietary needs.

[Tennessee Viking]

Good luck in the south. Dollar General will be your main GoTo. You will probably have to bounce or maildrop speciality items.

There is a Fresh Market in Johnson City about 30minute drive north of Erwin. Krogers, Food City, and Ingles are some mainstream grocery stores with limited specialized foods. Food Lion and IGAs will be more general goods.

What your your goods in question.

[Dogwood]

Welcome to Whiteblaze BambiWantsRevenge.

I too have some diet restrictions as a holistic Foodie, pesce vegetarian(since 1997), avid ingredient list and nutritional label analyzer. I'll also, for example, limit sugar, food additives(added MSG, etc), and strictly avoid anything hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated. I avoid Big Pharma drugs preferring to address holistically(the whole person) as an alternative through the use of herbs and various sometimes hard to find high quality supplements. Enough with all the "I's".


You will find yourself hard pressed to resupply consistently from those stores on the AT even if willing to engage in lengthy hitches. My suggestion if you're dietary and other requirements are that strict is to assimilate all the stores/opportunities in locations similarly as Tennessee Viking listed cross referenced with something like the AT Thru-Hikers companion listing large/larger mainstream grocery stores. Organic and health foods can be had at these stores and to some extent even Super WalMarts with the rising popularity of Organic and specialty foods(gluten free, etc) in the U.S. You might choose to resupply on the fly at these locations. Combine those resupply locations utilizing a hybrid resupply approach where you mail and or bounce small resupply boxes to make up the gaps as Big Cranky suggested.

If this is your first really long distance thru-hike it may be difficult to recognize all your resupply needs in relation to distance between those resupplies so I wouldn't recommend mailing all your boxes especially if they might be mailed from Australia. It may be significantly less costly in terms of dollars if at some point into your hike, when you're better able to recognize your hike metrics, to stop for a couple of days at an acceptable large food resupply location and make up several resupply boxes and mail ahead to key locations up the trail where gaps exists in acceptable resupplying quality. If doing this use U.S. Flat Rate Priority Mail postage. Free boxes are available at U.S Post Offices, abundant along the AT, and at Office/biz supply locations like Kinkos, Mail Boxes Etc, etc.

[colorado_rob]

The bigger chains (Kroger, etc) have come a long way in recent years towards carrying those food items previously only available at Whole Paycheck, er I mean Whole Foods. They have had to to stay competitive with folks thinking they need to go "holistic" by current popular myths.

As others have said, specify particular items and folks can comment on their availability at "regular" markets.

I highly doubt, though, that Dollar Generals will have the items you might need. But Ingles and Krogers (or whatever Kroger's brand name is locally) would.

Are there ANY Trader Joes back east, at least anywhere near the trail? We just got our first one in the Denver Area. Decent store, reasonable prices (unlike "Whole Paycheck").

[Dogwood]

Wasn't pushing holistic on anyone. Statements were made reflecting my perspectives that might assist the OP. Sincerely hope others find it in their comments not to slander opposing beliefs to their own. Paleeze let's not be contentious.

[Coffee]

Are there ANY Trader Joes back east, at least anywhere near the trail? We just got our first one in the Denver Area. Decent store, reasonable prices (unlike "Whole Paycheck").

Trader Joes are on the east coast but not near the AT. There appear to be a number of TJ locations in metro Atlanta so perhaps a stop prior to starting the trail to mail boxes would help with the southern half. I personally know of several TJs near DC, so a train ride into DC to assemble more boxes and send them up the trail could work.

https://www.traderjoes.com/stores

TJs are reasonably priced with great variety, more than I can say for Whole Paycheck (still Whole Paycheck IMO even after Amazon's symbolic price cuts in a few areas...).

One negative thing about my new home base is a lack of a TJ ... it sucks.

[peakbagger]

Trader Joe's tend to be in urban areas in eastern Mass. The AT runs roughly parallel to the NY state line in far western mass. VT doesnt have a lot of urban areas except for Burlington (which has a Trader Joes) but its quite a hitch to get there from the AT. NH has a couple of them in southern NH but also quite a hitch. Maine has couple,also along the coast.

It pretty much comes down to Trader Joes only locates stores in relatively large developed affluent areas and thankfully the AT avoids most of these in New England.

[Venchka]

Investigate ordering online, Amazon, Walmart, etc. and having the package sent to General Delivery, in care of you, Trail Town Post Office.
I have read online that the ban on General Delivery addresses for online purchases has been drastically improved. You’ll save a ton of money in postage. You will have to carefully choose post offices and schedule delivery on weekdays to avoid having to wait through a weekend until the post office opens.
Have fun.
Wayne

[BambiWantsRevenge]

Thanks for the responses everyone. It's nothing medical thankfully - I'm vegan and don't eat sugar as too much of it makes me sick, so that means the hiker staples of even clif and luna bars don't really work.

I am down for a solid 6 months of oats and peanut butter haha, but I've been working on a nutrition spreadsheet to be conscious of keeping balance as much as possible and the extra ingredients that I would normally add are widely accessible in Oz, but I'm not sure about the smaller towns of America.

I will be stopping at a chain health food (haha Whole Paycheck) store when I arrive in the country and setting up a round of bounce boxes, but probably only be able to do the first few months. So I'll try and organise a longer trip off the trail to a major one half way along.

I had the small hope that even with diet restriction I wouldn't have to do the bounce thing much, but I'll see how I go.

Anyone have any knowledge on the accessibility of Nutritional or Savoury Yeast Flakes, Buckwheat and Lentils? These are the main staples that will be good for nutrition along the way.

[Old Grouse]

Trader Joes locations in New England tend to be near the coast, thus nowhere near the trail. Perhaps the more open spaces frighten them. It has been observed that they seem to prefer locations with too little parking.

[egilbe]

Nutritional yeast can be found in a few areas, probably not much in rural areas. Waste brew products typically go to livestock for food. Lentils and other dried legumes can be found in most local grocery stores.

[Alligator]

Brown lentils are common in nearly every full size grocery store. The red ones aren't commonly stocked in Wal-Mart but other full size grocery stores I would estimate at least 1 out of 2. The Latino/Mexican products area of the store will also have a selection of dried beans differing at times from the regular canned and dry bean shelves.

Buckwheat is sometimes found outside the flour aisle in the natural/organic food section. Full size grocery stores usually have a section devoted to these products. The selection size is variable. Stores other than Wal-Mart are a better bet.

[Alligator]

Couscous is generally available, quinoa too. Sometimes both are to be found in the Middle Eastern section of the store. I've found both at Walmart without difficulty.

[Feral Bill]

I expect a vegan can find suitable food in any larger grocery in the USA. The variety of food available is huge. Look and the content and nutrition labels. You may choose foods with considerable cooking times, so use a kitchen setup and bring fuel to meet that need. Millions of people eat lentils and rice daily. So can you, if need be.

[Which Way]

My wife and I are vegan, and health conscious. We are thru-hiking in April 2018. We are dehydrating our food now, and will have it shipped to various points along the trail as needed. But one suggestion to help is Hacres.com . We enjoy their "Survival Bars" that are vegan and raw. The base is Cashew butter and dates. There are several flavors, and around 250-300 calories each. And they taste better than any nutritional bar I have eaten. This may be a good break from PB and oats. Happy - Healthy- Trails!