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[ArborAgent]

I bought a great looking tritip from Whole Foods the other day. At $9.99/lb it’s the same price as the ones I get from Costco. Does anyone know what grade the Whole Foods meat is? The label doesn’t say. I’m assuming it’s choice?

I like that I can buy one instead of having to get two like I do at Costco.

[triplebq]

Whole Foods went to their own grading system. http://www.care2.com/greenliving/whole-foods-rating-system-truly-know-how-your-meat-was-raised.html.

[triplebq]

From Whole Foods site: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/department/meat-poultry

[rjp123]

I never knew that Whole Foods had this rating before.

I actually like this a great deal.  I like to eat meat - and a lot of it.  I grew up on a ranch and our animals always had barns/coops with full open access to pasture or grazing lands.

Animal welfare is a really important thing to me, given how I grew up with animals, which is why I buy most of my meat from a local butcher who works with small farms who use open pasture for cattle/hogs and free run for poultry - versus grocery stores.

Mind you, meat at Whole Foods is usually crazy expensive (at least in Canada where I live), nonetheless this is a great initiative and I hope regular grocery stores adopt/demand this type of transparency - care of livestock is very important to me.

[bregent]

USDA Prime Tri-Tip at Costco is usually between $6.99-8.99. I usually cook one, and marinate, vac-seal, and freeze the other.  I think the Whole Foods grading system is great, but from what I've seen, doesn't really tell you the same type of info as the USDA grading system.

[dk117]

USDA Prime Tri-Tip at Costco is usually between $6.99-8.99. I usually cook one, and marinate, vac-seal, and freeze the other.

Costco Vancouver WA $6.49 a lb.  Nicely trimmed.   Safeway ($7.99) and Freddy's prices keep going up and usually have a hard fat cap.  If I have time for a Costco run, tri tip two pack will be purchased.

DK

[pmillen]

I think the Whole Foods grading system is great, but from what I've seen, doesn't really tell you the same type of info as the USDA grading system.

Exactly.  Their system tells you about the animal's lifestyle but nothing about the meat's fat content which equates to tenderness and taste. 

I believe they reason they won't post both the lifestyle and the USDA rating is revenue-based.  It's not likely that a heifer roaming free in a pasture will grade Prime and probably not Choice.  Select grade meat won't sell well at Choice and Prime prices.