According to the research, university students are now more likely to buy ingredients such as olive oil, herbs and fresh fruit and veg than previous generations, cooking up a variety of dishes such as stir-fry and pasta bake.
A study of 2,000 students and graduates was carried out by OnePoll and commissioned by Linda McCartney Foods as part of its meat free Fresher’s Week campaign
45% of students who studied within the past ten years reckon they had a healthy diet while at university, with just 38% of older generations agreeing.
63% put this down to there being a better education of food and what you should be eating today, while 62% said access to a wider range of ingredients helps.
The average modern student also cooks something they have never tried making before four times a month, with half of today’s students claiming to be creative in the kitchen, compared to 37% of those in previous generations who said the same.
While the student staple of baked beans was a shopping essential for 47% of previous generations, just 37% of today’s graduates said the same.
A OnePoll spokesman said: “Many people perceive students to be people who don’t ever cook and rely on nothing by takeaways, fast food and ready meals to get by during their years at university.
“But it seems modern students are becoming more creative and experimental with their food. Far from the stereotype, many are now cooking meals from scratch and enjoy coming up with own concoctions in the kitchen.”
With 16% of students now following a vegetarian diet, and a further 19% saying they would consider it, it’s no surprise that meat substitutes have also seen an increase in sales.
The number of students purchasing meat substitutes has more than doubled, with six% of students buying them in the past compared to 13% now.