Stores & Markets in Pleasanton

Since 1933, The Food Mill has sustained and satisfied area eaters with a healthy and organic approach to its inventory, a plethora of produce, house-made baked goods, nutritional supplements, and bulk items. Old-fashioned breads and decadent cookies emerge fresh from local ovens; tempt hungry paparazzi on scooters with up-close views of The Food Mill's famous cookie bars ($2.89 for a dozen). Seasoned staff members stand by with answers and advice about the store's wide array of nutritional supplements, such as Food Mill-brand Vitamin D-3 soft gels ($4.69). Meanwhile, organic fruits and vegetables fetched from farmers nourish bodies the traditional way.

Although Crystal Springs is small by grocery-store standards, the flat white storefront, set with a royal-blue arched entranceway and windows, appears somehow palatial, beckoning passersby into its den of delicious delectables. A wide selection of local and organic produce is available for plucking. Navel oranges start from the bellybutton at $0.49 per pound, and small Fuji apples start at $1.09 per pound. Keep it savory with russet potatoes ($0.49 per pound), or move on to not-so-naturally occurring breads and cheeses. A variety of fine cheeses and olives are ready and waiting for munching from the hand. The olive bar starts at $3.99, Bulgarian feta cheese begins at $4.79 per pound, and Turkish goat cheese starts at $7.99 per pound. Fresh-baked bread is delivered every morning, with warm, steaming loaves beginning at $3.29.

Pacific Foods stocks its icy racks with fresh seafood, lamb, and goat meat from California and global locales, creating a travel agency for landlocked taste buds. Knowing appetites, like billy goats gruff, come in multiple sizes, Pacific Foods proffers a variety of lobster weights, enormous tiger prawns, and wild-caught scallops and calamari. In addition, Pacific Foods' buyers study sea charts and almanacs to understand where lobster and Dungeoness crab is in season during all months, providing fresh crustaceans no matter the time of year.

Fueled by a regimen consisting of healthy eating, cleanses, yoga, and meditation, Food Body M.E.’s staff strive to educate others on positive, holistic living. Chefs demonstrate expert methods, pass on nutrition factoids, and create easily replicated five-course meals during small-group cooking classes. To help bodies detoxify without the use of chemicals or additives, nutrition gurus point the way toward all-natural juice cleanses. Meanwhile, instructors in community yoga classes encourage students of all skill levels to hone their focus and improve their chances at surviving the Twister portion of the state bar exam.

From the corporate store to each franchise location, the staff of Max Muscle Sports Nutrition goes beyond stocking and suggesting supplements to offer health help through a variety of channels. Sales associates in the stores help to discern the optimal body aid to achieve the personal fitness goals of athletes, bodybuilders, and everyday exercisers, be they weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain, toxin-flushing, or intimidating a superhero into ripping a cumbersome collection of old phone books in half.

A certified sports-nutrition specialist can also sit down with clients to chart their age, gender, height, and basal metabolic rate to draft a comprehensive, custom nutrition plan. The written word further fortifies customers' soul cages in Max Sports and Fitness, a monthly magazine brimming with health-supplement advice and fitness tips.

At Max Muscle Sports Nutrition, rows of shelves and neatly stacked displays flaunt energy bars, diet and energy supplements, and massive jars of protein powder. The vast arsenal of dietary boosters work hand in hand with exercise routines, supplying the body with natural amino acids or tasty, protein-packed blends that help muscles grow strong and healthy enough to lead fulfilling lives full of flexing. Diet capsules help athletes slim down and prevent unnecessary weight gain, and a wide range of herbal and wellness supplements promotes healthy lifestyles by providing essential fatty acids, detoxifying bodies, and strengthening joints.