Grocery Store Blog
The best part of living off-campus is being able to cook my own meals; with a variety of grocery stores within ~20 minutes of the property, it is easy to find affordable and delicious options for meals throughout the semester.
One of the closest stores to Calamigos Ranch is Ralphs in Agoura Hills. Some of the best things about this grocery store are the clearance section and the frequent sales. In the back of the store is a selection of items for clearance, such as: sourdough loaves for $1, various candies, leftover holiday foods, and an assortment of house supplies. Although this section varies from day-to-day, it is worthwhile to check when shopping at Ralphs. Additionally, the sales at Ralphs allow shelf stable and freezer foods to be cheaper than the average grocery store, and if you subscribe to their rewards program and download an app, you’ll often save about $30 a month on your items.
Just across the street from Ralphs in Agoura Hills is Vons, a slightly pricier grocery store with a wider variety. If I had difficulty finding a specific ingredient at any of the other grocery stores, I found that it would always be at Vons. It’s produce variety is on par with Ralph’s, but is less stocked and less fresh than Whole Foods’.
Although Whole Foods tends to hold a reputation for being one of the pricier grocery stores in the Los Angeles area, it holds a surprisingly cheaper produce section. For example, cucumbers will go for $0.79 cents a piece at Whole Foods in Thousand Oaks while being $0.99 cents at Ralphs in Agoura. Not only is the produce often cheaper, but it tends to be fresher and has a longer shelf/fridge life. If your shopping cart tends to contain more greens than processed foods or ready-to-eat meals, I would give my full recommendation to shop at Whole Foods.
One of the reasons I chose to attend college in California was for Trader Joe’s; as silly as it sounds, Trader Joe’s was one of my favorite places to go when I was nearby for its unique snacks. However, now that I have begun planning full meals and no longer eat Pepperdine’s caf food, it has been interesting to see what entrées and sides Trader Joe’s has to offer.
Trader Joe’s has many products that can be served for multiple meals, such as their spanakopita, savory samosas, cauliflower gnocchi, potato pancakes, and mac & cheese; if budgeted correctly, you can spend as little as $1 per meal. Additionally, Trader Joe’s has great options for sides, such as: cauliflower rice, assorted frozen vegetables, delicious pita chips, and more.
If you are lucky enough to have access to a Costco Wholesale, then I would recommend going there if you enjoy meal prepping every week. You are more likely to find cheaper options in mass quantities for meats, like fish and chicken, and large containers with your favorite snacks, such as pita chips and hummus. However, if you have a smaller fridge and do not enjoy eating the same thing repetitively, then it would likely be best to shop elsewhere.
On average, I find that I spend $30 a week on groceries, with lots of vegetables, dairy, assorted fruits (typically bananas and dried fruits), tortilla chips, various entrées, kombucha, and sweets. As surprising as it sounds, some of my cheaper carts have come from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, with my more expensive carts from Ralph’s and Vons.
I hope that this list has helped you decide which grocery store(s) would be the best to shop at and I wish you luck throughout the semester!
Overall Rankings:
Best prices for fresh produce:
Whole Foods
Best quality fresh produce:
Whole Foods
Best prices for baking supplies:
Ralphs
Best prices for meat:
Trader Joe’s
Best quality meats:
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s
Best prices for snacks:
Ralphs
Best quality of snacks:
Trader Joe’s
Best continuous sales:
Ralphs
Best prices for items in bulk:
Costco Wholesale
Grocery Store Locations:
Trader Joe’s
28941 Canwood St, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
14 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
Ralphs
5727 Kanan Rd, Old Agoura, CA 91301
14 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
Whole Foods: Thousand Oaksd
740 Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360
21 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
Whole Foods: Malibu
23401 Civic Center Way, Malibu, CA 90265
21 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
Costco Wholesale
5700 Lindero Canyon Rd, Westlake Village, CA 91362
16 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
Vons
5671 Kanan Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
14 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
Walmart Neighborhood Market
512 N Ventu Park Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
20 minutes away from Calamigos Ranch
By: Dacia Hannel