Uncovering Student Perceptions of Green and Healthy Food Options
and Davidson Dining Services
Through this project, our group attempted to uncover whether or not Davidson students feel that they have agency to make green or healthy food choices within the Davidson College food system. In order to do so, we sent out a survey to 100 random students in each year to gauge general understandings and impressions of Davidson Dining Services. In our survey, we addressed primarily addressed the topics of cooking and eating habits. In addition, we also found 12 volunteers to participate in a photo-based focus group discussion. Participants were asked to take photos of food, places, and people involved within their “Davidson food ecosystem” and then discussed those experiences in a focus-group environment. Based on initial results, personal experiences, and student-held discussions on campus, we expect to find a general dissatisfaction with Davidson Dining Services in its provision of green and/or healthy food choices to students. We hope to share these findings with Davidson Dining Services so that the school can be better equipped to make knowledgeable decisions about where and what Davidson students eat on campus.
