ARAMARK Surveys Students About Food Preferences, Campus Life
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Jan 23, 2002--College and university students are changing their eating habits to accommodate their on-the-go lifestyles and are seeking more quality in their campus dining experience, according to a recent survey of college and university students across the country.
The ''Current Trends In Campus Dining'' study, conducted by ARAMARK Corporation, asked more than 2,300 full-time students, 75 percent who live on campus, about their eating habits and how those habits fit with campus life.
Sixty-four percent of students said they eat on the go - eating ready-to-eat foods or buying fast food -- at least a few times a week. Fifty-seven percent of students eat between the hours 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. When asked what barriers exist to eating a meal at breakfast, lunch and dinner, students almost unanimously responded that there is not enough time to get a healthy, balanced meal.
Statistics from the study reflected that the quality of the food is also important to students. Sixty-seven percent agreed they would eat on campus more often if the quality of the food was better; in the study, quality was directly related to freshness. Most students related freshness and quality to home-cooked food.
Nutrition ranked high in priority for students` eating habits. Seventy percent of students are concerned with nutrition in their daily lives, echoing that today`s students are active and health-conscious.
The study also suggested that eating is a social occasion at school. Eighty-five percent of students surveyed said they eat with friends more than a few times a week and identified dinner as a time to meet and socialize with friends.
ARAMARK is using the results of this and other studies to develop new dining concepts and programs to meet the changes in student lifestyles.
ARAMARK is a leading provider of food and support services to colleges, universities and preparatory schools, serving more than 200 million meals annually to students, faculty and visitors at over 350 institutions. ARAMARK is a world leader in providing managed services - including food and support services, uniform and career apparel, and childcare and early education.
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