I would go to a large Whole Foods store about once a year to get deli food from the various 9 dollar per pound food isles. Usually, I would get about 16 one once selections of hot and cold foods. Delicious. The price went up to 9.50 per lb. still worth it. And then, I would pay and sit down and eat. The prices in the isles were so very expensive for the take home and cook raw foods that I wondered why would anybody bother to shop there. The snobs who spent lots of money there just seemed to be elitist with arrogant attitudes. You know like zero consideration for other human beings. I have not been back there in about 2 years. After I shop at the Bread outlet store I will have to remember to revisit the Tiffany Plaza Whole Foods again. Probably 10.00$ per pound by now. Still more than likely delicous.
$9.00 / Lb is too much for water-laden steamed vegetables. Hope you were on a high protein diet, focused only on the (”organic, local, cage-free”) meats.