Nude Foods Market - Boulder, Colorado

Lindsey Bugbee

I wasn't sure what to expect from Nude Foods Market based on the reviews. Is it a grocery store? A prepared food shop? Is the buying process complicated, given the zero waste philosophy? Everyone seems to love it, though, so I went for the first time last weekend with my 4-year-old and my mom. I have to say: I was absolutely delighted.

Basically, Nude Foods is a small grocery store (think: the size of the Pear St. Whole Foods dining area, if that) with a zero waste goal. Everything that needs a container is sold in a jar or in a cloth bag. The store also has various items that nudge you toward sustainability, like metal drinking straws and silicon sandwich bags.

Most of the prices are impressive. That first day we went, I was able to snag two frozen loaves of bread -- one from Great Harvest and one from Dry Storage -- for half of what I'd pay at either of those businesses. Nude Foods has fresh Dry Storage bread every day for the same price as what it is at Dry Storage. (I'd rather buy the bread from Nude Foods, though, because I like the cloth bread bags.) The prices that aren't impressive are justified because of the cost of the ingredients or the labor. There's also a lot of cool local stuff, like Susan's Samosas and fresh milk from a Longmont dairy.

The general vibe is really cool and casual. Obviously, I don't feel comfortable letting my 4-year-old do his own thing when we're at Whole Foods or at King Soopers. At Nude Foods, though, he's just as happy browsing as I am, and we browse separately because the store is so small. (It's such a refreshing feeling to be able to do that when you are the parent to small children.) Both times that I've checked out, the cashiers have been very kind. The first time, I bought bananas that were past their prime, and the cashier unexpectedly gave me a discount on them.

Here's where I'm going with this rambling review: you should definitely check this place out. It's not a one-stop shop, but I think that with our collective patronage, it certainly can be in the future! Historically, I haven't gone out of my way to be sustainable, but love the concept behind Nude Foods, and it does inspire me to think more about packaging and waste. A big bonus is that once I'm done with my items, I just return the packaging to the store during my next trip there ... no need to recycle or trash anything. Five stars from this happy customer!

Laura Smith

This place is AWESOME! Today was my first time here and I’m so glad that my local co-op in Ned told me about this place! They have so many great bulk foods that are already packaged in jars for you, so all you have to do is return your jar and get a new one filled up! I’m so grateful to have found a new zero waste store! I was able to get almost all the ingredients on bulk for my gluten free bread recipe, as well as coconut oil! Next time I come back I’ll be sure to fill up my laundry detergent and dish soap!

Tiffany Willis

one of my favorite shops in Boulder. the staff is always super sweet and helpful. a great way to begin to reduce your impact on the environment 🙂

Stephanie Andersen

We LOVE Nude Foods for our Denver office snacks. Everyone loves the zero-waste packaging and healthy, tasty food choices. Setting up weekly delivery via e-vehicle makes orders/container returns so easy and convenient. And the Nude Foods team is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and responsive. Nude Foods has been an awesome addition to our company's Green Ops plan- give them a try!

Alycia Murray

I’ve been a Nude Foodie : ) for about 6 months and I am so impressed to watch this company grow and change! Their core offerings are rescued produce subscriptions, but there is so much more - from household food staples and household cleaners, to delicious soups, granola and raw chocolates, Nude Foods provides *a lot* of what I need/want AND in zero-waste packaging. At first, Nude Foods was delivery-only, but the company now has a store front - fantastic for when you forgot to order something or just want to browse offerings in person. Now Nude Foods is offering meal subscriptions (!) and I couldn’t be more thrilled. We’ve subscribed to a mail meal service for years and while this service has improved on reducing its packaging, the amount of packaging still makes me wince AND it is being shipped from California. Oh, we also have to make those meals, too! So, YES, I am psyched to have the option of purchasing three zero-waste delicious, ready-made meals each week in addition to everything else. Keep up the great work, Nude Foods - you rock!

Aravind V

Edited response after the reply from the business.

Appreciate the concept, I am all for making a difference, but its not priced competitively to make it appealing. This review is only a comment on the item I refilled - ECOS laundry detergent. It cost more than what I would pay if I bought a similar volume jug online in Amazon or at Costco (screen shot attached both priced about ~0.10$/oz). Not to say that I will find it always cheaper elsewhere, but it's not an item I buy every other week so I can wait around to look for the best deal. My original review is not as inaccurate as the business claims, but I appreciate their sentiment behind playing the part to minimizing plastic waste.

I hope they think through the pricing to make the concept competitive. I hope it flies high in the future, all the best.

Lisa Van Damme

I highly recommend giving Nude Foods Market a try. The small box is just enough to add into meals for the week without feeling overwhelmed by produce. All produce has been lovely. It's fun to shop each week and see what local foods they have rescued. I've been able to try several new local brands that I might not have found otherwise. This is a great way to purchase bulk foods as well. Everything comes in returnable glass jars or fabric bags. Feel good food. Buy the Verde sauce... it's amazing.

Charlee Borg

Local gem brought forth by a wishing star! I have been searching for a place with refillable soap bins, bulk items, and locally sourced food for the last year. Now that it’s open, I didn’t expect it to also be WELL PRICED and ADORABLE!!! Honestly, I’m surprised Boulder was even allowed to claim its eco-friendly, granola MO without this store.