Understanding Food Insecurity: An Analysis on Impacts and Solutions for Undergraduate Students at the ASU Tempe Campus

The food-insecure population in the United States is significant, with a disproportionately large food insecure population being college students. Food insecurity is an issue of great concern not only because of the presence of malnourishment, but especially because of the many negative effects on health it can have on individuals that come as a result of malnourishment. In addition to the many health issues that can arise, food insecurity has also been found to be correlated with poor academic performance in school which is especially important when it comes to the food insecure college student population. Among the many reasons that college students might be food insecure, one issue that is explored is that college students do not have the capabilities to prepare adequate meals for themselves, so their lack of ability to do so contributes to their food insecurity. One way to combat this issue is to encourage college students to take the initiative to learn how to cook meals. A survey evaluated the food insecurity status of undergraduate ASU students and explored various food habits such as meal preparation, fresh produce consumption, and various influencing factors and obstacles of eating healthy, among others. Results found that those who identified as food insecure were less likely to cook meals for themselves as often as those who are not food insecure, nor were they as likely to consume fresh produce as those who are not food insecure. Additionally, all students have reported improved academic performance and/or physical/mental wellbeing. With the support that eating healthy meals is important for college students’ academics and physical and mental wellbeing, as is having the knowledge on how to prepare healthy meals, a fresh produce resource guide was created with the purpose of encouraging ASU students to learn the basic skills of cooking and meal preparation.