Lunch on a Budget | Mara Khabie

Lunch on a Budget

by: Mara Khabie

Going off for lunch everyday can add up to a lot of money. With only a little over half an hour for lunch, there are not many places to drive to. Adding on to this struggle, it is also hard to come across food that is not only reasonably priced, but also substantial. As a second semester senior, I have been going off for lunch for a while now, and my friends and I started to get sick of our lunch options. With limited money to spend on lunch, we began our search for cheap and creative food options. This is what we found:

1. Everyone loves acai bowls. They are a very healthy lunch option, and many are located close enough to our school. However, most of them cost at least $8, which could get very expensive. Java shack (yes, it is actually a shack), has acai bowls that are only $6! They are not only cheap, but also surprisingly filling. Being located in Sorrento Valley may seem far, butthe route mainly consists of cruising down the 56 freeway. I always get back to school without speeding and with time to spare.

2. Souplantation is not just a sit down restaurant, but it is also a good place to get food to- go because it is cheap, close, and can be made healthy. To get a plate to go, its $6.99 and is meant for salad but can be filled with some warm food as well. To get a small bowl to go (which is actually pretty big) the price is $4.99; this is meant for warm food, but can be filled with salad as well.

3. Mendocino Farms has great sandwiches and wraps, but it also has amazing side salads. These salads come in medium sized containers and are less than $5. They typically have six pre-made salads up front and many of the options are vegan. I especially love their couscous salad as it’s very healthy, tasty, and filling. If you want a healthy, cheap, and substantial salad, Mendocino Farms is the place to go.

4. Philz Coffee has exceptional beverages, but it also sells some great food. They have avocado toast with egg (my personal favorite) and if you get it without the egg it is $4.75 instead of $5.75. They also have an amazing bagel (Philz Bagel), which is priced at $4.75.

5. I love going to Rubios for lunch, but so does our entire school. Instead of going to Rubios and having to wait a while to receive my food, I go to Caliente. The burritos at Caliente are around $5, whereas the burritos at Rubio’s are around $7. The Caliente burritos are also, in my opinion, much more flavorful and authentic than those of Rubios. If you are looking for a quick, cheap, and authentic burrito, Caliente is the place to go.

These are just a few great places to venture out for lunch. If you get sick or are already sick of your normal lunch places, then make sure to check these places out. You won’t regret it.