For many students, college is the first time they can make their own choices. However, being away from home presents challenges when it comes to eating healthy, mainly due to easy access to less nutritious food.

The 459 and 5 dining halls don’t provide students with well-rounded meals. They often serve the same food repeatedly with little variation.

Recent studies have shown that only 44% of college students eat a balanced diet sometimes. In another study, 95% of students don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diets.

Students turn to other sources like fast food due to its cost and convenience.

In a survey, 94% of students reported consuming fast food 1-2 times a week.

In 2020, 30% of students reported having food insecurity. Students were forced to eat less and skip meals because they couldn’t afford food.

Budget, convenience, and time are significant factors that impact a student’s ability to consume healthy food.

Victoria Cole, an LSU student, weighs in on the topic,
“Grocery shopping is hard because I will end up spending upwards of 200 at the store,” Cole said. “And I don’t have that money to spend weekly on groceries.”

However, stores like Sprouts offer budget-friendly options for students to maximize their healthy choices.

Check out the LSU Health Center website for resources to help with improving eating habits. https://www.lsu.edu/shc/wellness/index.php