25 Items That Are Cheaper At Whole Foods

The grocery's reputation for being more expensive than traditional supermarkets, which could be contributing to its current sales decline.

But it turns out the specialty grocer has a few hidden deals.

Earlier this year, the product review site Cheapism.com compiled a list of 25 items that are cheaper at Whole Foods than at Safeway.

To make the list, Cheapism compared the prices of 200 items at a Whole Foods in Seattle to prices for similar items at a nearby Safeway. The biggest differences in price were noted in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and nuts.

Note: Cheapism's findings were for Seattle only. Prices may vary elsewhere.

Here are the items that were cheaper at Whole Foods:

1. Organic milk. Whole Foods's 365 Everyday Value Brand was priced at $4.99 a gallon, while Safeway's O Organics brand cost $5.29 a gallon.

2. Non-dairy milk. Califia Farms Almond milk cost $4.39 at Whole Foods, while the same bottle cost $4.99 at Safeway. Whole Foods also offers house-brand rice milk for $1.69 for a 32-ounce carton, compared to the Rice Dream brand that Safeway carries for $2.59 for 32 ounces.

3. Shredded mozzarella. "Most cheeses at Whole Foods are more expensive than their counterparts at Safeway, but one glaring exception is shredded mozzarella," Cheapism's Gina Briles writes. "We found a 16-ounce bag of this mild dairy goodness for $3.99 at Whole Foods (365 Everyday Value brand, of course). At Safeway, the same size bag of Lucerne mozzarella was $4.49."

4. Organic popcorn. Whole Foods' 6-ounce bag of 365 Everyday Value organic pre-popped popcorn is $1.99. Safeway's O Organics brand comes in a 5-ounce bag that is 70 cents more expensive.

5. Energy bars. Larabars sell for $1.50 each at Safeway and $1.29 a bar at Whole Foods. Kind bars are also more expensive at Safeway. Safeway sells them for $1.67 each if you buy three, and Whole foods sells them for $1.49 each.

Larabar.com

6. Pretzels. A 16-ounce bag of 365 Everyday Value brand pretzels costs $1.89 at Whole Foods, while Safeway's Snack Artist brand costs $2.49 for a 13-ounce bag.

7. Organic frozen vegetables. "A 16-ounce bag of 365 Everyday Value frozen green peas costs $1.99 and yellow corn is $1.79," Briles writes. "Over at Safeway, the same size bag of O Organics frozen corn or peas is $2.79. Even with a Club Card discount, a perk for Safeway shoppers with a free membership, the price is still $2.49."

8. Organic quinoa. Whole Foods' house brand of organic quinoa is $4.49 for a 16-ounce bag, compared to Safeway's house brand, which is $5.19.

9. Organic chicken broth. Whole Foods' house brand for a 32-ounce carton of organic chicken broth costs $1.99, compared to Safeway's house brand, which $2.59 for the same size carton.

10. Organic russet potatoes. Russet potatoes cost $2 a pound at Safeway and $1.49 a pound at Whole Foods.

11. Organic pasta sauce. 365 Everyday Value pasta sauce is $2.29, compared to Safeway's O Organics version, which is $2.79 for the same size jar.

Twitter/@WholeFoods_MPLS 12. Elbow macaroni. A 16-ounce bag of Safeway Kitchens macaroni sells for for $1.29. The same size bag at Whole Foods - from its 365 brand - costs 99 cents.

13. Olive oil. "Both organic and conventional extra virgin olive oil offered staggering savings at our local Whole Foods Market," Briles writes. "A jar of non-organic 365 Everyday Value was $7.99 for 33.8 ounces, while the same size jar of Safeway Select was $11.99. Safeway Club Card members get a significant discount on this price but still pay $8.99, a full dollar more than Whole Foods' regular price. A 33.8-ounce jar of organic 365 Everyday Value extra virgin olive oil costs $12.99 at Whole Foods, while the O Organics version retails for $16.99 at Safeway."

14. Organic balsamic vinegar. Whole Foods' house brand cost $3.69, compared to Safeway's, which cost $6.29 for the same amount.

15. Organic sweeteners. "You can buy 24-ounce bag of 365 Everyday Value light brown sugar and organic powdered sugar for $3.49 and $3.99, respectively, compared with the same size bags of O Organics for $4.29," Briles writes. "A bottle of 365 Everyday Value organic raw agave nectar is 20 cents more than Safeway's version but about twice the size. The Whole Foods price of $3.69 for 23.5 ounces comes out to 15.7 cents per ounce, whereas an 11.75-ounce bottle of O Organics runs $3.49, or a heftier 30 cents per ounce."

16. Organic coconut oil. Whole Foods offers a house-brand jar at $5.99 for 14 ounces. Safeway charges $8.39 for Spectrum-brand jar of the same size and does not offer a house brand version.

17. Organic condiments. Organic yellow mustard costs 18 cents per ounce at Whole Foods and 22 cents per ounce at Safeway. Organic ketchup is also more expensive at Safeway, where it sells for $2.29 for 20 ounces versus $2 for 24 ounces at Whole Foods.

18. EnviroKidz cereals. The same size boxes cost $2.99 at Whole Foods and $3.79 at Safeway.

20. Cereal bars. House brand cereal bars are roughly four cents more expensive per bar at Safeway.

21. Paper towels. An eight-pack of paper towels is 50 cents more expensive at Safeway.

22. Dog biscuits. The cheapest dog biscuits at Whole Foods are Whole Paws, which cost $3.99 for a 20-ounce box. The cheapest option at Safeway costs $4.99 for a 24-ounce box.

23. Roasted whole nuts. Almonds and cashews cost almost twice as much at Safeway.

24. Cream cheese. An 8-ounce package of 365 Everyday Value cream cheese is $1.69, compared to $1.79 for Safeway's house brand.

25. Meatless frozen foods. Whole Foods' meatless soy burgers and chickenless nuggets are cheaper than their counterparts at Safeway.

To find out more about how the prices compared, go to Cheapism.com.