Packing for the Pool with Whole Foods Market

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This post is part of a sponsored relationship with Whole Foods Market, however we would not partner with a business we did not feel brought value to our readers.

Let’s face it. Living in Ohio, you can never really be sure what kind of weather we’ll have from day-to-day. So, when you wake up to sunshine and warm temps, there’s no time to waste getting to the pool to soak it all in. This is one reason I’m such a fan of Whole Foods Market and their grab & go options!

Let me set the scene for you. It’s been raining for what feels like 70 days with temperatures ranging from 40-80 degrees (Ohio, right?!). It’s Memorial Day weekend and it looks like we’re going to get rained out. We go to bed Friday night with wet weather forecasted for the weekend; then we wake up Saturday morning and everything has changed! It’s going to be in the 80’s with sunshine! So I grab my baby to go meet up with my sister in-law and 5 year old niece so that we can soak up some rays at the pool.

It’s the first pool weekend of the summer, so obviously we haven’t shopped for pool gear, yet. We also know we’re going to need some grub for ourselves and the kiddos. Any parent knows the torture that is trying to get your kid back in the car seat after being out for a short time, so we know we’re only making one stop before the pool. To Whole Foods we go, and we are not disappointed.

My niece checking out some of the pool toys.
My niece checking out some of the pool toys.

The Essentials

You may be surprised to find out that Whole Foods Market has way more than just food. We were able to grab some pool day essentials before picking out lunch. My kiddo has some eczema, so I have to be careful about what I put on her skin. It’s nice to look at a whole shelf full of lotions and know that I can use pretty much any of them on her.

For the first pool day of the season, we grabbed:

  • Baby Sunblock
  • After Sun Lotion
  • Chapstick with SPF (often forgotten!)
  • Bug Spray
  • Pool Toys
  • Whole Foods Cooler Bag (these are such a great deal and held everything for the day!)

The Grub

It can definitely be easy to go over board at Whole Foods Market because there are so many yummy (and yummy to look at) options. Luckily, they offer affordable store-made options in individual sizes, as well as their own store brand (365 Everyday Value) to save money. This mama is shelling out daycare money every week, so I’m definitely watching prices and using the coupons that Whole Foods Market provides as soon as you walk in the door.

Clockwise: Tons of prepared food options, spa water, frozen cupcakes, and chips.
Clockwise: Tons of prepared food options, spa water, frozen cupcakes, and chips.

For the Baby

The baby is less than 1 year old, so she doesn’t need a lot.

We packed:

  • Fruit Squeezer
  • Puffs
  • Frozen Breast Milk (it can thaw in the cooler bag.)
My daughter was pretty excited about her Whole Foods Kid's Club prize.
My daughter was pretty excited about her Whole Foods Kid’s Club prize.

For the Kiddo

My niece is a pretty finicky eater (what 5 year-old isn’t?). So we try to pick out things for her that we’ll enjoy eating, too, just in case she refuses them.

She was pretty happy with:

  • A prepared 4 square with strawberries, cheese, crackers, and grapes.
  • 365 Everyday Savings Pretzels
  • Two-Bite Cupcakes (Mom Tip: buy frozen cupcakes and let them thaw at the pool!).

For the Moms

To be honest, we were the most difficult ones to choose for because we wanted everything. So we decided to share some things so that we could try a little bit of a lot of stuff.

My sister-in-law and I shared:

  • Prepared Wrap (garlicky roast beef)
  • Jarlsberg Cheese Dip & Chips (Whole Foods sells lots of local items, so we opted for some Hen of the Woods kettle chips!)
  • Coconut Water & Spa Water (We had to try spa water – it was so pretty.)

The Experience

You can tell from the pictures that Whole Foods Market has great options for moms on the go. What you can’t see is the experience. It’s a relaxing place to shop with your kiddos. You can grab a beer (or glass of wine) to shop with while they grab a snack from the Kid’s Club basket. There are samples everywhere and there is often live music. Oh! Let’s not forget CLEAN bathrooms with BIG stalls that have changing stations in both the men’s and women’s rooms, as well as step stools so that kids can wash their hands! Thank you to Whole Foods Market for being that first stop we needed on the way to the pool!

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Carrie Chambers
I’m the first-time momma of an awesome little girl. I grew up in Beavercreek, spent a good chunk of time living in Dayton, and currently live in Miamisburg with my husband, daughter, two cats and a dog. I love getting a good deal and “MacGuyvering” meals out of what I find in the kitchen. I’ve worked in higher education for 10+ years in various capacities, most of that at Miami University. I’m passionate about women’s leadership and helped establishe a women’s mentoring program at Miami (Miami RED Women). Becoming a mom has been amazing because it’s made me feel like there is little I can’t do since I have a little human counting on me (and because they cut that little human out of me and I was on my feet 12 hours later taking care of her!). I like to say that everything will be alright because that’s the only option. Thanks for stopping by!