Decoding Your Diet: Awareness, Alternatives & Everyday Nutrition

Abstract

University cafeterias do not generally take into account the demands of exam weeks. This paper suggests that they do. This study examines food choices made by students experiencing increased academic pressure, limited time to shop for groceries, or cognitive issues due to stress. Additionally, this study will review how a low-cost, behaviourally informed intervention can improve students' food choices. To conduct this study, sales/footfall data were collected over a three-year period at Ahmedabad University, along with interviews with students and faculty members, a structured survey, and a live menu intervention, the "Special of the Day", which ran from January until March 2026. The findings of this study indicate that students' eating behaviours are influenced to a greater degree by the institution's rhythms and architecture of choices than by their own personal preferences or nutritional awareness. According to the research, only 18% of students used the cafeteria as their primary food source during exam weeks, with many resorting to home-cooked meals, online delivery, or skipping meals altogether. This study demonstrated measurable behavioural change at both Global Bistro and Truly India, with year-on-year increases in footfall of 27% at Global Bistro and 16.6% at Truly India in February. The study presents three practical recommendations: an exam-time menu, integration of the "Special of the Day" into SmartQ, and transparency of nutritional information through the SmartQ ordering system.