With the growing number of grocery buffet and prepared-food choices, the grocery-store lunch is becoming a legitimate workday option. After giving the Tenleytown Whole Foods buffet a whirl, the Market Report explores the health-conscious, socially aware offerings at Yes! Organic Market in Cleveland Park.

THE SETTING

Yes! Organic Market on Connecticut Avenue makes me feel like a giant--not just because of the store's tiny proportions but the petiteness of the products. Everything is little here, including the lithe shoppers.

THE OPTIONS

A number of packaged foods stand out, mostly under the Macro Vegetarian label. Options are plentiful (Peking duck and shitake mushrooms, many noodles). I go with the vegan Thai dumplings and avocado salad.

THE DINING AREA

Non-existent, unless you want to perch on the curb of Connecticut Avenue and watch SUVs fly by.

THE GOODNESS OF AVOCADO SALAD

Mind-blowingly fresh and tasty. The corn is sweet, the celery crisp, the beans earthy, the herbs present, the avocado divine. I ate half of it before I noticed the less-than-pleasant scallions aftertaste, but I solve this problem temporarily by eating another bite.

THE ABUNDANCE OF THAI DUMPLINGS

Perfect seasoning almost masks a flavorless soft shell. The dumpling houses finely chopped bok choy, carrots, celery, cabbage, onion, and mushrooms, a pleasant medley with a bit of crunch and spice. A solid choice made more solid by the serving size: I eat only half, leaving another heap of dumplings for lunch tomorrow.

THE NUMBERS

You couldn't do much better calorie-wise for this much taste. The dumplings clock in at 300 for half the package, and whole salad, which I cannot finish, is 238. Price is also right: $2.99 for avocado salad and $4.99 for dumplings. Stretch that $8.46 bounty into two meals and you've got lunch for less than $5.

THE HYPOCRISY

Plastic packaging? From Yes! Organic Market? Come on! Could we have used a little more environmentally sound serving dish? Or at least printed "Please reuse" on the package? MOMs would have done better.

THE VERDICT

 Tasty, affordable lunch with nearly unassailable ethical cred.