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| View of Westwood |
Do you work in Westwood and are trying to keep that budget? Are you so tired of eating the same foods that don’t offer any excitement, or health benefits?
After working 3 months in Westwood, and paying some heavy food bills like $17 for lunch, I thought I would sit down and do a little pre-planning about it. Over time, I found my routine foods that serve me well and keep my taste buds satisfied, all staying under $10. Some might be a little unconventional but bare with me. These options are meant to be with a health focus, but not all of them are. Sometimes you feel like indulging.
What I can guarantee is that they are under $10 and that’s something to be happy about in a land where day parking can cost you $20 (park on Veteran instead)
It’s a shame that the Westwood area seems to be always going through transition. When I went to UCLA a few years ago, some of the eateries that were busy have now closed. Half of the block of certain streets are empty too. I’m not sure why, but these places in the list below have been around the whole time and I’m pretty sure will remain.
Without further ado, here’s the list (all are in walkable distance from the Hammer museum)
- Whole Foods- Small salad from salad bar (my choice is kale caesar) and slice of pizza
- Whole Foods- Mac n cheese (if fresh) and salad
- Veggie Grill- “You pick 2” from favorites list. My favorite is the kale caesar and sweet potato fries. But other options include Buffalo mini wrap and mac n cheese (all vegan)
- D’Amores or Lamonica’s pizza– Slice of pizza, 1 garlic knot, and a salad
- Trader Joe’s– prepacked salads that can be even under $5 (treat yourself to Diddy Riese afterwards). While they don’t have a place to eat, you can find a nice spot on the UCLA campus to eat if you’re willing to walk a little.
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| Whole Foods entrance, some seating available outside |
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| Cheese slice from Whole Foods |
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| Great Pizza at Lamonica’s, near Whole Foods |
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| Trader Joe’s Westwood |
Side tip: If you go to Le Pain Quotidien before they close (6pm) you may be able to get some baked goods for 50% if you buy a few. They have a nice green tea and such a nice atmosphere to sit and meet with friends, or do work on your laptop.
I must say that none of these places paid me to write about them, and I have no affiliation with them besides being their big fan.
