Food Selection and Dining Practices of College Students: Basis for Campus Dining Sustainability Initiatives

Abstract

Students in higher education institutions have the liberty to select the food they want to eat. However, this freedom to decide places them in situations that may cause harm or risk for their health. Thus, the purpose of the present quantitative-descriptive correlational study was to verify college students' eating preferences and dining practices, especially during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dining practices involve food consumption, choices, and behaviors of diners. This study will also present the individual, social, physical, or macro factors affecting those practices to confirm if they are directly related to their dining practices and if they are sustainable. Thus, this study intends to formulate interventions that can be proposed to promote and adopt sustainable dining practices. Data was collected from the college students utilizing a survey questionnaire. Research findings and output can be relevant as an instrument for future interventions that promote and support the adoption of sustainable dining practices on campus and strengthen the sustainable dining practices of the students. Keywords: COVID-19; dining practices; eating; food selection; sustainable dining; sustainability; hospitality; Polytechnic University of the Philippines