whole foods

If you haven’t heard already, Whole Foods is opening its fourth Sacramento-area store in downtown Davis this week. Now hungry travelers on their way to the Bay Area have yet another reason to pass through Davis, if simply for a fresh salad or made-to-order gourmet deli sandwich. Doors officially open at 10 a.m. this Wednesday, October 24.
Last week SacFoodies had the privilege to attend a private preview tour of the 19,741-square-foot store. The cozy retail space is packed to the brim and aptly decorated with bicycle-themed murals—a tribute to the local college town.
In addition to the usual trappings of fine cheeses, organic produce and specialty natural food brands, the Davis Whole Foods boasts a full-service kitchen that produces a wide array of prepared foods in addition to a deli, burrito station and extensive salad bar. I am most excited about the well-stocked bulk bins, which occupy a significant portion of floor space and offer everything from quinoa to cereal. UC Davis students will also particularly enjoy the indoor café and free Wi-Fi.
Finally, any other bread lovers out there? Word has it that the freshest loaves will be out of the ovens and onto the shelf at 5 p.m. each day. I’ll meet you there.
Whole Foods Market Davis
500 1st Street
Davis, CA 95616
Hours: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily
Website: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/davis
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WFMDavis

I don’t know about you, but when I think of eating and Halloween, it usually means inhaling copious amounts of treats and ending the night in a sugar-induced coma. Those sweets may come small and individually wrapped, but after I start indulging, there’s nothing “fun size” about it.
Thankfully, Halloween doesn’t have to be about overdoing it on the candy consumption. Whole Foods Market’s Arden Culinary Center is offering some fun hands-on Halloween cooking activities this month, starting with an Old Fashioned Halloween Candy cooking class for kids. Students will learn how to make crunchy popcorn balls, chewy caramel apples and cinnamon candy apples. Beyond working on cooking techniques, kids get to take all the recipes home. The class is $35 and takes place on Sunday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can register online here.
Adults can also take part in the fun on Saturday, Oct. 29, when the Culinary Center hosts additional hands-on Halloween activities: pumpkin painting, sugar cookie decorating and pumpkin seed roasting. This event is free and lasts from noon to 3 p.m.
And before you take your kids out for trick-or-treating on the 31st, stop by the Culinary Center as it transforms into a haunted house from 3 to 7 p.m. Kids in costumes will receive a free treat from the bakery and can walk through the “spooktacular” kitchen of horrors.
Whole Foods Market’s Arden Culinary Center
4315 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95864
916-488-2800

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