This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.
There’s nothing worse than having a full list of groceries and no idea where to check your items off. Fortunately, I stopped by five of the closest and most popular grocery stores around UCSB. Below are detailed reviews in order to discover which ones best fit your budget and lifestyle.
ISla VIsta (IV) Market:
- Cost: $$$$. It’s the price we pay for such a convenient location. The ready-to-eat foods and produce are particularly expensive ($7.50 for a salad and $1.25 for an apple!). Other food and drinks items are somewhat reasonably priced; for example, frozen meals range from about $3 for a single-serve item to $10 for multiple-serving items.
- Convenience: 5/5. The market is short a 60-second walk from my apartment in Isla Vista and is within walking distance from all houses and apartments in the town. It is also located on the 6500 block of IV, so it’s pretty close to campus if you need a quick grocery trip in between classes.
- Selection: The market itself is pretty small but it offers a decent selection of cleaning products, refrigerated drinks, and snacks. It has only one aisle of refrigerated and frozen food products, but it contains all the basics you’d need in a pinch: cheese, butter, meats, etc. The fresh produce selection leaves something to be desired, with only a few veggies and fruits available. It also has a variety of warm and cold ready-to-eat foods like sandwiches and salads.
- Final thoughts: The IV Market is great for grabbing a quick snack or drink craving, but due to its price and relatively small selection, it’s not the place you’ll want to go for your weekly grocery shop.
IV Co-op:
- Cost: $$$$. Items are comparable in price to the IV Market, meaning that they tend to be pretty pricey for most students.
- Convenience: 5/5. Like the IV Market, the Co-Op has an extremely convenient location in the heart of downtown IV. It is easily accessible for all residents of IV and UCSB housing.
- Selection: The IV Co-Op boasts a slightly larger selection of grocery items than the IV Market. There are more options for fruits and veggies, dairy products, sauces, spices, etc., but the selection is not quite as large as other chain grocery stores. Snack options and household products (cleaning materials, paper products, etc.) are a little lacking, so it’s best to head to the IV Market for these. However, the IV Co-Op has plenty of options available for those with dietary restrictions – there are alternatives for snacks and dairy products so that people who are vegan, vegetarian, or lactose intolerant can find what they need.
- Final thoughts: To save money, it’s probably wise to head to other grocery stores in the Goleta area for your weekly shopping trips. The IV Co-Op is a good option for last-minute produce or special dietary items, but it’s probably too expensive for the basics.
Albertsons:
- Cost: $$. All products at Albertsons are significantly cheaper than they are at the grocery stores in IV. Albertsons also has plenty of sales that constantly rotate among various popular items, so it’s easy to spot deals and take advantage of them.
- Convenience: 3/5. It’s about a 10-minute drive from most homes in IV and is not really accessible by walking. There are bus routes that stop by Albertsons, but it is easiest to go here by taking your car or hitching a ride with your friends.
- Selection: Albertsons is your basic grocery store with almost any grocery or household item you would need. Out of all the grocery stores listed here, Albertsons offers the widest selection of produce and has more than enough other meal and cooking items. Like most chain grocery stores, it has plenty of frozen meals, spices, sauces, dry food products, canned items, etc., as well as an aisle or two with household cleaning supplies. It also includes a deli if you’d prefer pre-made, ready-to-eat items.
- Final thoughts: Albertsons is usually where I go for my weekly grocery shopping trips. It offers a good selection of items at reasonable prices, and typically has the best options for produce.
Costco:
- Cost: $. Costco sells items in bulk, so that per-unit, the items are significantly cheaper than they are at other chain grocery stores. However, Costco also charges households about $60 per year to keep their Costco memberships and be able to shop there in the first place.
- Convenience: 3/5. Costco is located close to Albertsons and is therefore accessible by bus, although it’s typically easier to drive there. It is not considered walkable for people who live in IV.
- Selection: Costco sells not only grocery items, but also clothing, skincare products, vitamins, books, cleaning supplies, electronics, holiday decorations, and a variety of other products not typically offered in other grocery stores. However, Costco does specialize in bulk grocery items such as large packages of fruit, snacks, and frozen entrees. Its produce selection is typically not as great as Albertsons, but it is great for “dry” food items such as cereal, coffee, bread, nuts, etc. Costco doesn’t pay special attention to certain dietary requirements, but there are still some options available for vegans and vegetarians.
- Final thoughts: Costco is an excellent option if you share groceries with your roommates and would like to buy these items in bulk to save money. If you live by yourself or don’t have the space in your apartment to store large containers of items, it might not be worth the $60 membership fee.
Trader Joe’s:
- Cost: $$. Prices at Trader Joe’s are comparable to those at Albertsons and other chain grocery stores. In some cases, Trader Joe’s products are even cheaper, but fewer items tend to be on sale at any given time.
- Convenience: 2/5. Trader Joe’s is slightly farther away from IV than Costco and Albertsons – it is about a 10-15 minute drive from IV that takes you along Highway 101.
- Selection: Trader Joe’s sells basic grocery items such as fresh fruits and veggies, dairy products, cereal, etc. The Trader Joe’s in Goleta is not as large as Albertsons, so it doesn’t offer quite as many items, but has more options for vegans/vegetarians and is comparable to Albertsons in price. Trader Joe’s also boasts great options for frozen meals and healthy snacks, and usually offers an adorable selection of seasonal items such as special Christmas treats. However, don’t walk into Trader Joe’s expecting to find your favorite brand of chips or yogurt – while usually similar in quality to other companies, all items are Trader Joe’s brand only.
- Final thoughts: Trader Joe’s is great for college students, as it includes a great selection of snacks and frozen meals. It is also a particularly good choice if you are vegan or vegetarian and willing to drive the extra few miles to get there.
Students’ overall choices for grocery stores will depend on a number of factors: access to transportation, budgetary concerns, and whether you’re vegan or vegetarian, to name a few. However, all of the stores listed above are great options for college students. Hopefully you found this list helpful and feel more informed when you take your next grocery trip!