Spotlight on: student eating habits

Kebabs, Pot Noodles, Coco Pops and toast. The four staples of the student diet according to folklore. But how true is the stereotype? What do students really eat, is it all about convenience and how do students choose their snacks, meals and confectionery?

Increasingly, research suggests student lifestyles are changing. Reports say students are becoming more sophisticated in their choices. Mike Bond, managing director of Scholarest, which runs university catering outlets, says this applies to food too: "Students are more cosmopolitan about food and drink than ever before. In terms of what is offered to them, they are looking for lots of variety, quality and taste, and probably that reflects what they can find in the high street."

But this trend away from cheap and basic foodstuffs towards exotically flavoured products does not mean you're likely to find undergraduates crammed into the communal kitchen every night, experimenting with rare spices. Students don't do a lot of cooking. In fact, they're doing even less cooking nowadays: "Students are now eating more on the hoof," says Graham Crump, who manages catering facilities at Warwick University. "This is partly due to timetable demands, which is why snack foods have become increasingly popular."

Research by the National Union of Students supports this. Penny Hollings, national secretary of NUS, explains: "Students are moving towards snacking as lectures are held any time of day, and some do part-time work. It's about convenience."

The rise of the convenience noodle market is evidence of the student trend towards no-fuss meals. Mintel reported that noodle sales rose by 45% over the period 1998-2003, reaching an estimated £189.6 million in 2003. The overall rise was driven, they said, by sales of easy-cook and instant snack products, and they acknowledged students as the core market. It's clear that if you have a product that meets their needs, students can deliver brands dramatic success.

Market Research Solutions found that on average students spend £3.88 a day on meals on campus, with first-years spending the most (on average £4.03) and postgraduates the least (on average £3.65). Students in London and the south west tend to spend the most on food (up to £4.26) compared to students from Scotland and Northern Ireland, who tend to spend an average of £3.43. Most students said they were more likely to buy their lunch from supermarkets than on campus.