Exploring Perceptions of Plant-Based Proteins Dining Among University Students and Food Service Providers
Open Access Depositedstudents reported limited variety of whole-food plant-based options and an overreliance on meat alternatives, alongside a desire for improved labeling and more appealing, culturally diverse meals. Differences also emerged in how plant-based initiatives were conceptualized and implemented. Dining administrators emphasized educational activation, storytelling, and creative integration of plant-based meals to shape preferences and normalize consumption. In contrast, food service providers focused on operational feasibility, often relying on plant-based meat alternatives and perceiving plant-based options as costly, reflecting procurement and budget constraints. Overall, the findings illustrate reciprocal relationships between individual behaviors and institutional environments. Knowledge, self-efficacy, and expected outcomes interact with dining practices and structural constraints, underscoring the need for coordinated, multi-level strategies to support plant-based protein adoption within university dining systems.
High consumption of animal-based foods, particularly beef, contributes to increased risks of chronic disease and environmental degradation through greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock production. Increasing plant-based protein intake represents a promising strategy to improve public health and mitigate climate change
however, adoption depends on both individual motivations and supportive food environments. Generation Z has been identified as an environmentally conscious population with growing openness to plant-based eating, positioning universities as critical settings for advancing sustainable dietary change.This qualitative study examines perceptions of plant-based proteins among students, university dining administrators, and contracted food service providers at a private urban university. Guided by the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the study explores how individual-level determinants (e.g., knowledge, self-efficacy, and expected outcomes), social influences, and institutional structures interact to shape plant-based food provision and consumption. Data were collected through document review, environmental observation, and semi-structured in-depth interviews. Findings highlight multi-level influences on plant-based eating. At the individual level, students demonstrated awareness of the health and environmental benefits of plant-based proteins
however, their confidence in preparing and selecting nutritionally adequate meals (self-efficacy) varied and was shaped by prior exposure, cultural background, and education. At the interpersonal level, social norms, cultural traditions, and peer dynamics influenced openness to plant-based foods, alongside opportunities for social learning through coursework, media, and campus engagement. At the institutional level, the dining environment shaped expectations and behaviors
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Faulkner_gwu_0075A_17821.pdf | 2026-06-24 | Open Access |
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