Students opt for unhealthy food to save cash

Cash-strapped students are resorting to the unhealthy option and even skipping meals in a bid to make their money go further, according to research carried out by Sodexo.

42% of students are adapting their diet in order curb spending and many are missing meals altogether according to the Sodexo University Lifestyle Survey, published in association with Times Higher Education.

More than 63% of those who have changed their diet due to financial pressures admitted they are eating less nutritiously as a result. The trends indicate that students tend to equate healthy eating with spending more.

The survey also found that students don't have regular eating habits, with almost half of them (46%) missing lunch at least once a week and one in ten claims they never eat breakfast. Regarding attitudes to healthy eating, 66% of students say they try to eat healthily and only 4% don't worry about the issue at all.

Price is the key factor for 79% of students when it comes to eating out and quality rated as the second most important factor to 65% of students, but branding was only considered important by 5% of students.

The last survey showed that there was a growing interest in where and how food is produced, and on the welfare of farm animals, and although for many students this is still a key issue their concern has diminished.

Although more than half (51%) of those asked in 2010 said they care about food being free range, in 2008 the figure was 63%. The number of students that want to eat British produce rose only slightly to 37% in 2010 from 34% in 2008.

However Fairtrade was found to be the produce students are most losing interest in. In 2008, 52% said it was important but this fell to 36% this year. Farm assured and fish from sustainable fisheries has seen the smallest drop with 44% and 46% in 2008 stating it as important, compared to 35% and 37% (respectively) in 2010.

Lastly, just over one in five (21%) want to eat organically-grown produce, down from 35% of students who considered it important in 2008.

Over two thirds of students cook their own evening meal with a pasta-based dish the top choice (17%), and in particular spaghetti Bolognese which a further 12% of students cited as their favourite dish to cook followed by curry with 9% of students favouring this dish.

Usually going hand in hand with a curry is a cold pint of lager but stereotypical twelve hour pub crawls and drinking competitions seem to be becoming rarer. Contrary to popular belief, many students today are not regular drinkers. A quarter of students (23%) said they do not drink at all, and a further half (49%) drink 10 or less units a week.

Today's students are set to leave university in more debt than ever before, with 28% expecting to accumulate debts of over £20,000 by the time they leave - a significant jump from 2004, when 2% predicted they would end up with debts of over £20,000. With the growth in levels of debt, one might have expected more students to be worried about leaving university in the red. In fact, the proportion concerned about the amount of money they will owe when they graduate has dropped from 42% in 2008 to 37%. Evidently, they are becoming more relaxed about significant debt.

"With top-up fees adding to the financial pressures students face, it's no wonder they are seeking value for money wherever possible," says Peter Taylor, head of universities for Sodexo.

"Learning that students perceive healthy food as more expensive is a real concern to us and it is important that all catering providers deliver a range of meal options to suit every student pocket. By offering good quality foods at a range of prices, universities will be in a great position to entice students to eat healthily and on campus."