<p>Hi! I will be living in arroyo vista. I am a transfer from a community college. I currently have money problems and was hoping to save some money by making most of my food (there is a kitchen in Arroyo Vista with refrigerators).</p>
<p>How much should I budget for food? I don't know the price of the grocerries in southern california as I am from Sacramento.</p>
<p>Do people actually use the kitchens in AV housing? Does food get stolen from the refrigerators? Do I have to have a car to get groceries? How accessible are groccery stores? Especially regular american stores like lucky's, Safeway, Ralphs, Nob Hill's, and Asian markets like Ranch 99, mitsua, etc?</p>
<p>If I really will be living in Arroyo Vista, how important is getting a meal plan? Should I just cook all my own food, or suck it up and get a meal plan? </p>
<p>I plan on cooking in bulk and then storing the food for the rest of the rest. I am great at cooking fast, healthy, cheap food lol.</p>
<p>btw, does anybody know anything about working in the dining halls? How much does it pay and how difficult is it to gain entry into that job? How many shifts are usually given? I tried calling but it's always voicemail!</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Unfortunately the dining halls are no where near AV. The closest one is at ME. If you’re gonna get a meal plan, its kinda expensive, but they make you save money when buying more in bulk. In my perspective, one meal block cost $10, lunch is $8 and dinner is $11.50?.. They are useful when your lazy to make food for your own though. I recommend not buying a meal plan…its a 20min to walk from AV to ME, and it gets crowded at peak hours. I’m pretty sure people will use the fridge in AV, due to the fact alot of people will need storage for their dinner and lunch, and whatnot… Dont know about the theft going on though… make sure you label it.</p>
<p>Trying to keep on budget, you should keep tabs on what your spending like jotting down the amount you spend on a notebook, including date. Total how much you spend in a month and divide by 30 days, and that should tell you how much your total lunch/dinner cost per day… Theres a 10 min walk to albertsons, and if you walk down more further, theres trader joes. And 30 min from campus has a 99 ranch by bus… If your gonna buy in bulk…I would recommend bringing a car.</p>
<p>As for working in the dining halls, the benefit there, i think is that you can eat for free… if you got work-study, think you’ll get a better chance… I see a lot of undergraduates working there…</p>
<p>If you’re adept at cooking fast, healthy, and cheap; I certainly recommend you do just that, instead of purchasing a meal plan. </p>
<p>There is an Albertsons or Ralphs that is walking distance from AV, I believe… not too sure.</p>
<p>99 Ranch or other asian markets, I’m not sure I can’t help you there.</p>
<p>Have you received any financial aid? If Work-Study is part of your award, the dining halls will be more than willing to accept you.</p>
<p>Without a work-study, getting entry might be relatively difficult if you don’t have much prior work experience. Not too sure though.</p>
<p>I know I didn’t help you much, but hope it works out for you.</p>
<p>For cooking most of the time for myself, it would cost roughly $100-$150 per month.</p>
<p>In terms of grocery stores within walking distance, there is an Albertsons that is roughly a 10 minute walk from AV. Then there is a Trader Joe’s closer to the core UCI campus, roughly a 25 minute walk from AV (but might be less if taking the free campus shuttle).</p>
<p>Further out (which would likely require a car, bike, or bus pass) would be Ralphs, close to an hour walk from AV (but took me ~40 minutes from University Town Center). Then there is H-Mart (korean grocery store) which would be ideal with a bike. Are you considering taking a car or bike? It might be easier to provide suggestions otherwise.</p>