Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 8/15/11


College students are putting a high priority on the food choices and dining programs offered, even when choosing which school to attend, according to Technomic.

Technomic's College and University Consumer Trend Report showed 44 percent of college students polled indicated that their school's dining program was at least somewhat important in deciding where to enroll.

The survey showed 21 percent of students limit their consumption of meat by sticking to a vegetarian or vegan diet, eating only certain types of meat, or eating meat only occasionally.

It also found that customization is an increasingly critical issue for college diners with 47 percent of students polled saying it is important that they can omit or substitute ingredients in their food, compared to 43 percent of those polled in 2009.

Technomic noted that with nearly 16 million college and university students in the United States commanding over $300 billion in spending power, college and university foodservice is establishing itself as a promising foodservice revenue channel.

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