The Whole Foods meme culture stems from the grocery chain's reputation for high-quality organic products paired with notoriously high price points, earning it the nickname 'Whole Paycheck.' The meme typically highlights the contrast between the 'aesthetic' experience of shopping for healthy food and the financial pain felt at the cash register. It gained significant traction on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter as users began sharing relatable content about trying to live a luxury healthy lifestyle on a budget. Today, it is widely used to satirize consumerism, health trends, and the middle-class struggle of choosing between kale and paying rent.