Shopping 101: What are the best Grocery Stores in Santa Monica?

July 15, 4:44 PMSanta Monica Community ExaminerBrooke Chirone

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Santa Monica Community Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

            One of the things I love best about Santa Monica is its mix between city and suburban living. I grew up in the suburbs outside of Atlanta and then lived almost six years in New York City. When I moved here, I was surprised and pleased to discover that I got a little bit of both worlds in Santa Monica.

            When it comes to grocery shopping, there are big chain stores which stock every major product you can think of, similar to the burbs, and there are little corner shops you can run to when you just need one or two items, like in the city. Not to mention the specialty shops which are harder to find in the suburbs but are always easy to locate in a big city.

            For the bigger shopping trips I go to grocery stores like Vons, Ralphs, or Trader Joe’s. For the times I have to pop to the corner store, I have a few options depending on what part of town I’m in. There are several smaller Whole Foods stores and some independent grocery stores. And if I want to get more fresh, organic or uncommon products, such as soyanaise, there are even more options.

            Let’s start with the bigger chain grocery stores. My favorite chain store to step into is Whole Foods. There are two large Whole Foods in Santa Monica, one on Wilshire and the newest one just off of Lincoln. I feel healthy just walking into one of their stores. All their produce, meat, and fish are fresh and they even carry products from local farmers. One of my favorite things is the hot and cold bar. It’s the best way to feel like you’re doing something good for lunch or dinner without any of the work. Though it is my favorite to step into you’ll rarely see me in one. Why? It rapes my wallet. Even when I try and buy the cheapest items on the shelf, my receipt still reads three to four times more than when I go to other chain grocery stores.

            The other problem I have with Whole Foods is knowing that all I have to do is go to Trader Joe’s, which also offers a great selection of fresh, organic, and natural foods, but it will cost me half the price. Trader Joe’s has a great selection of produce, meats, wines, and amazing packaged foods. I love stocking up on their almost ready-to-eat meals and throwing them in my freezer to pull out on a day when I’m too tired or too busy to cook. The best part is I still feel like I’m treating myself to a gourmet and healthy meal even if it is pre-made. Things I do not like about Trader Joe’s: there is only one in Santa Monica and it is always crowded and you can’t just buy one of anything in the produce section, it all comes with several of the same item pre-wrapped together. Despite this, the produce is always fresh and they have a great organic selection. But is it worth the cost when you end up wasting the five lemons you didn’t need? Yes. Even with the extra produce, it’s still cheaper on my wallet. Buyer’s tip: For less crowds, go in the morning during the beginning of the week.

            I make a big shopping trip to Trader Joe’s once a week but since it can be a little bit out of the way I find myself at Vons to pick up quick meals and ingredients that I don’t have time to run to Trader Joe’s for. I’ve also tried Ralphs and Albertsons but Ralphs is more expensive then Vons and Albertsons is too far out of my way. Ever since places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have become popular Vons has really stepped up the quality of its produce and its organic selection. No matter if you go to Vons, Albertsons, or Ralphs, make sure to sign up for their club card. It will save you a lot of money and it takes a minute to sign up at the register. Buyer’s Tip: They have great specials on wine.

            I can’t write about Santa Monica grocery stores without mentioning the Santa Monica Coop. It is consumer owned-and-operated and has been around since 1974. Basically, it’s like a Farmer’s Market turned into a grocery store with a huge variety of food and health products for those who want local, natural and organic products or have special diets like vegetarian or vegan. It’s what Whole Foods would be without the big corporation behind it (and the big price tag).  It is the definition of community and if you sign up to be a member than you can get up to 30% off every grocery bill. The membership fee varies depending on how long you want to commit to being a member but the lowest fee is $25 a year.

            There are times that I don’t want to get in my car, drive, park, and do it all over again for just one little item I forgot or need to replace. Luckily, most parts of Santa Monica have a corner grocery store. On Montano there’s Whole Foods near Fourteenth Street, on Wilshire there’s another Whole Foods on Fifth Street, and off Main Street there’s One Life Natural Foods. All are great for picking up a couple of items even if it is a little more expensive. It’s worth the time you save.

            And the final place to shop, the local Santa Monica Farmers Markets. It’s an experience shopping at them but take the time to really talk to the farmer’s. Many of them are small farmers who grow fresh and organic foods, but there are some that are part of the massive farming industry that sell to the big grocery store chains and are just trying to grab another piece of the profit by renting a stand in the local Farmers Markets. Buyer’s tip: Right before the market is closing down for the day, prices are cheaper. For locations and hours of the local Farmers Markets go to: http://www01.smgov.net/farmers_market/.

            Within one week I find myself going to at least three different grocery stores. They are all so different and offer a variety of different reasons to frequent them. My main concern is cost and quality. But my favorite part of shopping here is that no matter how obscure or specialized a food item is that I’m looking for, I can find it somewhere in Santa Monica.