Alternatives to Fresh and Easy

BY: Juliana Verhage | STAFF WRITER

Buying groceries will never be as fresh or easy once PLNU’s closest grocery store, Fresh and Easy, closes its doors for good. If you are a freshman or or without a car here on campus, grocery shopping will become more challenging. So, we’ve compiled a list of tips on how to survive college without a car when you really need food other than Caf.

• The Shuttle Part 1– Liberty Station & Sports Arena.

The Liberty Station stop offers Trader Joes and Vons, while the Sports Arena stop has Target and Ralphs. The off campus shuttle runs Thursday and Friday from 3pm-1am, and Saturday and Sunday from 2pm-1am; it’ll pick you up every hour on the hour near Smee Hall and Sator Hall on the side of the road.

Pro-tip: Ask the shuttle driver to be let off at the Dewey Elementary School stop and walk the 2 blocks over to Target/Ralphs – this is one of the first few stops of the shuttle route. The Sports arena stop is one of the last stops, so if you go quick, you can finish your shopping before the shuttle comes back to get you within the hour!

• The Shuttle Part 2 – The Other Liberty Station

Not the one mentioned above, but the class shuttle to Liberty Station runs Monday-Friday starting around 7am. If you desperately need groceries at a time that the regular shuttle doesn’t run or want to get your grocery shopping done after a class over there, this could work. The Ralphs on Rosecrans is about a 15-minute walk from where this shuttle drops off at the Liberty Station Conference Center. This shuttle picks up behind Brown Chapel.

Pro-tip: The Liberty Station shuttle schedule changes nearly every day so check the times online at pointloma.edu for when you want to go.

• The Fresh, Organic, Locally-Grown Option – Farmers Markets

Every Wednesday from 4pm-8pm, OB holds a farmers market on Newport Ave. Sometimes, clubs on campus, like Sustain PLNU offer shuttle rides to get there! But it’s also a nice walk or bike ride there. Also, on Saturdays from 8am-2pm there is a similar farmers’ market in Little Italy on W Cedar St that PLNU also occasionally shuttles to. Keep on the lookout on the Lomalink and Toilet Paper announcements on when shuttles run.

Pro-tip: Try all of the free samples you can before you buy anything and compare prices between merchants for the best deals!

• Cheap and Environmentally Friendly- Walk, Bike, Carpool, Borrow.

Sometimes, the shuttle just won’t do. Walking can be pretty lengthy, far, and quite the workout, but it’s possible! The closest grocery store to campus is the Ralphs on Rosecrans, about 2 miles away. Biking is a quicker alternative but not the best if you hate hills – though you’ll be saving the environment! You can also ask a friend who has a car to drive you or let you borrow their car.

Pro-tip: Thank your friend and give them some gas money for being so nice.

• If You Just Really Need Your Food – Paid Rides and Food Delivery

Car services like Zipcar, Uber, or Lyft will charge you for use – and it can get pretty pricey. In a Zipcar, you’re the one driving, whereas with Uber or Lyft someone else will be taking you there. If you’re lazy or can’t afford the time, services like Postmates and Amazon Pantry will bring your food to you! Postmates can deliver your groceries in a timely manner the same day, while Amazon Pantry will take at least one day.

Pro-tip: Lots of these services have promo codes all the time for lower prices, and if you get friends to use them also you can sometimes get even more!