Food Trends Of College Students
A look at college dining trends over the past five years finds that interest in “healthy eating” options is based on interest in the nature of food itself. Students are interested in eating higher quality foods, driven by unique food preparation and flavor profiles, as opposed to being interested in the healthfulness of specific ingredients.
The dining habits of youth are important predictors of the nation’s future eating habits. Specifically, college represents the first moment in a young adult’s life where they are truly free to establish their own eating habits, independent of their households.
An examination of college eating trends over the last five years shows that they are most interested in quality food experiences, which is often interpreted as an interest in healthy eating. Students were interested in eating higher quality foods, leading to a focus on food preparation and flavor more than health. College students are rejecting institutional foods, and this is likely to carry over into adulthood.
For food businesses, this analysis suggests that tomorrow’s consumers will demand two important components: unique flavor combinations that exude high quality, and the perception that the food was not produced by the global food production system.