Cooking in College: Improving Access to Cooking May Reduce Food Insecurity at Universities (2024)

Compared to the U.S. population, food insecurity may be more prevalent among university students. Using a cross-sectional survey of 338 undergraduate students, this study assessed how various food preparation abilities are associated with the risk of food insecurity. Food insecurity (FI) (41.4%) and very low food security (VLFS) (21.0%) were prevalent. Loan borrowing predicted VLFS (OR = 2.234). Controlling for financial strain indicators, food procurement skills reduced FI (OR = 0.466) among male students. Among female students, employment positively predicted FI (OR = 1.677) and VLFS (OR = 1.966), while cooking facilities access reduced FI (OR = 0.436) and VLFS (OR = 0.433)