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Can You Find Healthy Bread In Target?

August 21, 2012   35 Comments

If you are like me, you live in a town near a Target that has food in it. My Target just added fresh food such as eggs, bananas, and lunch meat.

Archer Farms Bread Review

I feel a bit squeamish about buying food at the same place I buy my underwear BUT so many people have asked me what I think of Archer Farms that I decided to get over it.

Archer Farms is a Target brand that advertises a “premium food product” and their 100% whole wheat bread retails for $2.69.

While I can’t cover all their offerings, I decided to take a look at their bread. Bread is one of those foods that most of us purchases and it can be tricky to figure out if we are buying the best one.

The first thing I look for is “100% Whole Wheat” or “100% Whole Grain”. There is wheat bread out there that says “made with whole grain” but isn’t the ideal of “100%”.

The Archer Farms bread that I bought is 100% whole wheat and is much more nutritious than white bread. Here are the nutrition facts:

For one slice = 110 calories, 1.5 g fat, 20 g carbohydrates, 4.0 g sugar, 4 g protein, 3 g fiber, 150 mg sodium, 3 Points+

And the ingredients:

For almost any bread that you are going to find in the supermarket, Target, Walmart, convenience store, this is going to be the best you can do. Why?

Well, for some reason, it is hard to find commercial bread with lower than 4 grams of sugar per slice (I have looked) and they all have preservatives so that they are shelf stable. If you don’t want “calcium propionate” in your bread, you have two options that I am aware of:

  • Some supermarkets have a freezer with great bread in it. The brands are Alvarado and Ezekiel and they have zero preservatives and less sugar. They don’t need the preservatives since they are frozen.
  • Whole Foods will not allow preservatives in the food it sells.

My solution to my bread dilemma is to go to Whole Foods and buy their $3.29 per loaf “Organic White Wheat Bread” see label:

The Whole Foods bread nutrition facts:

For one slice = 90 calories, 2 g fat, 17 g carbohydrates, 2.0 g sugar, 4.0 g protein, 3 g fiber, 210 mg sodium, 2 Points+

I know many of you don’t have a Whole Foods near you (mine happens to be near the Target) - so I will get complaints. But, maybe you can finds something similar near you.

Funny story. As I was waiting in the customer service line in my Whole Foods there was a lady complaining that her bread grew mold after 3 days on her counter.

Hmmmm. Did she miss the “no preservatives” credo?

I keep my bread in the freezer because it does tend to grow stuff before we can finish it if I keep it on the counter.

Please share how you have solved your healthy bread problems.

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35 Comments:

I find that I really dislike Ezekiel Bread but a good just grab and go shelf bread is "Natures Own White Wheat" it works for everyone in my house that refuses to eat bread that is not white.

I have a hard time with bread. I buy St. Alvarado Street which Trader Joe's carries. All natural made with wheat berries and flax, it yummy and only 50 calories a slice!! I know Whole Foods carries it to!

It is difficult to find the best bread but this really helps!

I buy Nature's own 100% whole wheat. It's ingredients are about the same as the Archer bread but it only has 50 calories per slice.

I too like Nature's Own. They have a high fiber one.

I make my own bread every week so I know exactly what goes in it and how nutritional. Plus, you can cut your own slices ;)

I do lots of grocery shopping at Target. Prices are less than my local supermarket. I like most of the Archer Farms products.

Hi-

In our quest to have more control over our food and money, I bought a bread maker at a thrift store. In fact, we're on our 2nd one. This has been our best solution. We know exactly what's going in or not going in our bread. I can add oats, which *completely* disappear, and my son is none the wiser. It's fool proof. You put the ingredients in and leave it alone. Your home smells like fresh bread and you have hot goodness to eat! Yum.

Same here - make my own 'no knead' bread with 4 ingredients, bake 2 loaves so I have one to freeze and only have to make it every other week. Doesn't take that much time and much better for the fam.

I have been buying Alvarado (either Whole Wheat or California Protein - higher in protein) at our local supermarket. Since we usually go through a loaf in a week+, I simply keep the bread in the fridge.

I have tried Ezekiel, but find unless it was put into the freezer section fairly recently, it tends to be dry and cardboard-like.

I use Ezekiel Sprouted Wheat Grain bread with Sesame Seeds!!! I use it toasted; the seeds get really crunchy. I put Almond Butter on top!!! Great way to start the day, and it keeps you full til lunch!! Add some fruit as well.

Seriously? Molasses and sugar added to bread?

I dont eat bread anymore due to intolerances so I thought I'd check what I am giving my kids in case its added and I hadn't noticed. I have a homebrand ( & standard white)loaf which has neither added- Ingredients listed are: wheat flour, bakers yeast, vinegar, iodised salt, canola oil, soy flour, emulsifiers(481, 472E, 471), vitamins(thiamine, folate).FYI, I', in Australia and notice that sugar is added to more and more products here over time.

I eat Nature's Own Wheat Bread. It is completely sugar free, has 50 calories/slice, 1g fat, 1g fiber. 100% whole grain

i just started buying the ezekiel bread and english muffins for my kids. no complaints yet. I too am shocked that sugar needs to be added to bread in order for people to eat it. yes snack girl, I too look for 100% whole wheat or grain in other bread products as well.

Healthy Living is another good brand with similar numbers. I get their sandwich thins - same numbers but for two slices.

I find that an old fashioned metal bread box helps keep the bread fresh longer (yes, even the Whole Foods brand bread). :)

Does anyone have a Great Harvest Bread Company nearby? It's a wonderful bread store and their wheat bread will last on your counter for up to 2 weeks - or you can freeze it. It's not inexpensive, but they make beautiful, wholesome products and you can always get a generous taste if you want to try something new. I was so happy when one opened near my home.

I recently discovered the Ezekiel Low Sodium bread, and it lasts well in the fridge. Same for Great Harvest - Their High 5 Fiber bread has great flavor and texture, and I hardly had to worry about storage, as it disappeared quickly (but I kept it in the fridge as well)!

Trader Joe's has a 7-Grain Sprouted Bread that is amazing toasted or used for sandwiches. I keep mine in the fridge and it lasts a good while. Tastes delicious with nutella and banana on top and is very filling. Plus, only 1 WW Points Plus per slice!

I don't eat a lot of bread, but my husband loves sandwiches. I make bread for him in the bread machine - it's just too easy, it does all the work for you! It's a great investment. I got mine passed down from my grandmother.

When I do eat bread myself, I make sourdough. Most sourdough bread recipes only require flour and water, and salt if you want it. Because it is fermented it lasts a LONG time. I had a loaf last 6 weeks before I threw it out - and I didn't throw it out because it went bad, but water had leaked all over it somehow.

could you maybe give advice on how to efectively gain weight for someone whose battled with being underweight? not many resources for thatt as opposed to losing

I live on top of an Italian store that bakes fresh bread daily (one of the perks to living in a heavy Italian section of Brooklyn). Usually, I get my bread from them and it's sometimes still warm from the oven! I pay $2 for a big loaf of Italian bread with no preservatives. The only issue is that most of their breads are made with white flour. I say, either get it fresh from a bakery or attempt to make it yourself on the weekends.

One word people: bakery. Whether it's at your grocery store or a standalone baker, go buy a fresh-made loaf of bread. Then eat it! Bread is not made to last for weeks, that's why all that extra gunk is there. I buy a fresh loaf made with just whole wheat flour, water, salt, baking soda, from Whole Foods or my local baker and put it in my fridge. It lasts a full week. Yes, I pay more for this, but to me it's worth it. I then eat less bread and enjoy it far more than a processed loaf. Trust me--the taste alone is worth it!

we don't have a Target or Whole Foods....so hard to eat healthy when living in the boonies!!!!

I'm picky about bread, but in a slightly unusual way. I refuse to eat WHITE bread (except hamburger and hot dog buns). It has no flavor, so I see no point in eating it.

We buy Arnold multi-grain bread from Sam's club, where it's two loaves for the price of one from Kroger. It's fairly high in fiber and has a nice texture and interesting flavor.

When we have spare cash though, we like to go to a local bakery for their whole grain breads, and occasionally the flavored ones (which are great for soup).

We thought about getting a bread machine, but we don't really have the space for it. :(

I found out from WW that Healthy Life bread is one point for each slice...100% whole wheat, Italian or white bread...great find and doesn't leave me feeling bloated like most other breads do. Also, the WW bread is good and only 1 point, however, I have a hard time finding WW foods anywhere.

"Whole Foods will not allow preservatives in the food it sells." --> I had no idea! Good to know. It just needs to come a little bit closer to us. ;-) I will pay better attention to my bread now. I never really thought about it before, but I don't eat it that much. I usually keep a loaf of wheat bread in the freezer. So why not buy the preservative-free stuff?

I got real tired of find preservatives and sugar in the bread, so I decided to bake my own. It was the best thing I did, now I know whats in it (whole wheat flour, water, olive oil, yeast and salt, that's it!) and it is really easy and fast to make! :) Love your website!

Oh, forgot to mention that I do not have a breadmaker! I use a mixer to mix and knead, I just throw everything in there and wait. My sister do not have a mixer, so she does it by hand and it comes out perfectly!

Great Harvest!! I noticed a couple of others have mentioned this. What gets me is that they don't use preservatives, and yet the bread last out of the freezer much longer than bread with preservatives...hmmmm, makes one think!

If you are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's near you. They have great bread options for a reasonable price.

My guess is that the sugar that's found in some bread was added to the yeast. The yeast eats the sugar and makes the bread rise better.

what about "Daves killer bread?"

I use Nature's Own Wheat Bread as well. We dont eat a ton of it but i like the fact its 100% whole grain

I bought an Archer Farm garlic bread in Target yesterday for $3.99 and was very disappointed. It was extremely salty I had to throw it out. Very disappointed ☹️

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