When Kate Sheridan moved into her off-campus apartment in September, she was ready for the culinary challenge.
“I was really excited about cooking for myself,” the Medill senior said. “It’s really nice to have control over what groceries I’m buying and what I’m making.”
When some students move off campus, they fear the unavailability of pre-made food, but others, like Sheridan, turn that fear into an opportunity.
For the students who wish to explore beyond standard grocery stores, there are several inexpensive specialty food stores in Evanston that can help them meet their culinary goals.
Whole Foods Market, while convenient, can be expensive for students living on a budget, Sheridan said.
Jewel-Osco is a popular option, but it has a limited variety of specialty items like gluten-free or organic products, said Diness Patel, owner of J D Mills Health Foods, 635 Chicago Ave.
J D Mills is a low-price specialty food option for students living off campus. Patel, who opened the shop 20 years ago with a goal of helping Evanston become more healthy, said several NU students shop at his store.
“My store is cheaper compared to Whole Foods,” Patel said. “This store has over 50 items that can be only found in this store.”
J D Mills has organic coffee, cosmetics, vegetables and dried fruit. The store also carries gluten- and wheat-free products, Patel said.
The Sea Ranch, 518 Dempster St., is a sushi restaurant with an Asian food mart located inside the shop. The store’s grocery section carries Japanese candies, rice crackers and other Asian items that might not be found in a typical grocery store.
Alissa Hickler, an employee of the restaurant and market, said that NU students like to come to the store, especially because they offer a WildCARD discount.
The Spice House, 1941 Central St., provides high-quality spices at a low price, said store owner Tom Erd.
“We have a line of 311 blends and the spice blends are really what sets us apart from Jewel-Osco,” Erd said. “The blends are just outstanding. If you start with everything fresh and make the blends fresh, the result is super-duper.”
A shopper at The Spice House can buy a bulk amount of cumin for just $2.50. Erd said the prices are low because the store makes its spices fresh, so it doesn’t have to pay shipping costs or shelf fees.
The store doesn’t necessarily target NU students, however, because often students who have the means to cook are too busy to do so, Erd said.
Sheridan said she understands this sentiment.
“I think it’s hard to balance out homework … with grocery shopping, but it’s something that I’m interested in getting better at,” she said.
Still, Erd said he is happy when NU students come in to his store.
“Kids who live off campus, once a week they’ll make a special dinner and invite everyone over and they need more than just a little cumin,” he said.
