I'm glad you guys happened to be at Whole Foods to see their meat prices aren't nearly as high as reputed. For higher quality meats and organic produce, their prices are competitive. You don't have to pay a membership fee, and, as you pointed out, you don't need to buy large quantities. You both work demanding jobs; I'm sure you'd rather do other things than put in extra food preparation time at home.

I assume you're managing your health for long-term comfort the way you manage your money for long-term security. Some fruits and vegetables soak up pesticides more than others. For the more absorbent produce, you may want to emphasize organic varieties. It's cheaper to buy organic at Whole Foods and Sprouts than elsewhere.

Another advantage of Whole Foods, at least in the Bay Area, is they're open until 10 p.m. daily. Costco annoys me with their 8 p.m. closing time.