Can You Buy Vanilla Beans at the Grocery Store?

Short Answer: Yes, but it depends on which grocery store you shop at. Not all grocery stores sell vanilla beans.

Some only sell vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste.

Vanilla beans can sometimes be hard to find because they take a long time to grow and the growing process is sensitive.

So, where can you find vanilla beans in the grocery store? Below we will walk you through where to look for vanilla beans and which stores carry them.

Even if some stores do carry vanilla beans, the same store in another location may not. This is due to different store sizes and inventory.

Where are Vanilla Beans in the Grocery Store?

Vanilla beans will generally be in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract. If you cannot find them here, they may be in the baking aisle.

Local Stores That Carry Vanilla Beans

Below are a few grocery store that sell vanilla beans in their actual store. Many do not carry them and others only sell them online.

Also, due to constantly changing demand levels, some stores may be out of these at the store you shop at.

Sprouts Farmers Market

At Sprouts Farmers Market, they sell their own brand of vanilla beans in store and you can find them in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract.

• Sprouts Organic Whole Vanilla Beans

Whole Foods

Whole Foods carries a few different brands of vanilla beans. Some of these include:

• Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Bean, 1 Count
• Madecasse 3 Bourbon Vanilla Beans
• Simply Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans, 2 beans
• Spicely Organic Vanilla Bean, 2 ct

Look for these in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract.

Safeway

Safeway carries a few different vanilla bean brands:

• O Organics Organic Vanilla Bean
• McCormick Gourmet All Natural Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Look for these in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract.

King Soopers / Fry’s

King Soopers sells a few different vanilla bean brands in store and a few you can only buy online. Below we will list the in store options:

• Private Selection™ Madagascar Vanilla Beans
• McCormick Gourmet All Natural Madagascar Vanilla Beans
• The Spice Hunter Gourmet Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Look for these in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract.

Vons

Vons has the same selection as Safeway:

• O Organics Organic Vanilla Bean
• McCormick Gourmet All Natural Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Look for these in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract.

Kroger

Kroger has a similar selection to King Soopers and Fry’s:

• Spice Islands Bourbon Vanilla Bean
• Private Selection™ Madagascar Vanilla Beans
• McCormick Gourmet All Natural Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Look for these in the spice aisle near the vanilla extract.

Can’t Find Vanilla Beans Locally?

If you cannot find vanilla beans in your local grocery store, there are many different websites that carry them including Walmart, Amazon and Etsy.

Tips for Choosing the Best Vanilla Beans in the Grocery Store

We wish we could tell you that all vanilla beans in the grocery store are the same, but they are not.

The best vanilla beans to buy are the ones that look “full” and glossy. If you see this through the jar, it most likely will be fresh and great to use in the kitchen.

If the vanilla beans looks dull and brittle, do not buy it. These vanilla beans are turning too old and it will be hard to extract the vanilla inside when you need them.

Tips for Storing and Cooking

When storing your vanilla beans at home, make sure to keep them at room temperature and out of sunlight.

Also the sooner you use them, the better. If possible, use them within a few weeks of buying them. This will give you the freshest vanilla taste in your recipe.

Waiting too long can dry out the vanilla bean. You can often see dried out vanilla beans in store that were sitting on the shelves too long.

Recipes That Go Well With Vanilla Beans

Here are a few recipes that call for vanilla beans:

• Vanilla Bean Madeleines
• Vanilla Bean Rice Krispie Treats
• Cheesecake Blueberry Pie With Vanilla Beans
• Vanilla Bean Coffee Syrup
• Vanilla Bean Coconut Quinoa Pudding

Final Thoughts

Overall, many grocery stores carry vanilla beans. If you can’t find them in store, or if you don’t want to go to the store, there are many places you can find them online.

We will continue to update this post with more grocery stores that carry vanilla beans in their local stores.