Studying on an empty stomach is a reality for too many students in Quebec.Between the rising cost of living and a lack of time and resources, the silent crisis of food insecurity is becoming more widespread. Équiterre surveyed 667 post-secondary students (CEGEP, college, and university) in order to gain a better understanding of their situation and help them break the silence, so that we can identify concrete, accessible solutions for eating healthy without having to break the bank.
Why is this report important ?
To understand the reality of student nutrition and the challenges faced by this community when it comes to eating well;
To identify the barriers to food assistance (lack of information, time, resources, or fear of judgment by others);
To amplify the voices of young people in support of healthy and affordable food on Quebec college and university campuses;
To subsequently support meaningful solutions implemented by student associations.
Context
Food security is an important lever in reducing healthcare costs, as well as a key factor in social inclusion and economic development. However, as food inflation continues to worsen, more and more postsecondary students in Quebec are experiencing food insecurity. In September 2024, a survey of students enrolled in six colleges of different sizes and regions revealed that 44% of students experience some form of food insecurity, ranging from severe to moderate or mild.
Food insecurity has serious repercussions on academic success, which is why the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ) and the Union étudiante du Québec (UEQ) have been sounding the alarm since late 2024 about this disturbing and growing problem.
This is why Équiterre, working with the FECQ and UEQ, carried out a province-wide consultation on postsecondary student nutrition in the Fall of 2025. This consultation marked the launch of the Shop Smarter, Eat Better Student Mobilization Project, an initiative designed to help post-secondary students eat nutritiously, affordably, and sustainably, to avoid more of them ending up in situations where they need to resort to food banks.
Methodology
The public consultation was carried out all across Quebec during November 2025. An online survey gathered responses from students enrolled in post-secondary institutions throughout Quebec.
Three main topics were covered:
Eating habits and strategies known and used to feed oneself on a limited budget;
Structural solutions that could be implemented or improved to support students in eating nutritiously, affordably, and in an environmentally responsible and culturally appropriate way.
Appropriate themes for the Shop Smarter, Eat Better communications campaign and its associated Instagram account.
Results
A total of 667 college and university students participated in the consultation carried out by Équiterre in the Fall of 2025 in collaboration with the UEQ and the FECQ.
Here are the key findings:
The main challenges related to food in postsecondary education are affordability, lack of time, eating alone or skipping meals, uneven knowledge, skills, and food literacy, and lack of cooking facilities.
“I never felt like I had the time to sign up for activities on top of my studies, and I never encountered any information kiosks on my way to school.” (Female university student, 18-24)
The stigma surrounding food insecurity and lack of awareness of available assistance are issues that need to be addressed.
"It's too far from where I live, and I don't want it to look like I'm broke.’ (Non-binary college student, 18-24)
“I think some people need it more than I do.” (Female university student, 18-24)
“I tell myself that I can stand it, but I have some difficulty taking care of myself.” (Female college student, 18–24)
The students expressed a desire for autonomy by relying on accessible, less stigmatizing solutions that are part of their everyday living arrangements, such as shared fridges and community food pantries, cafes, and grocery stores where the prices are affordable.
Food literacy initiatives appear to be less popular, but offer potential added value by enhancing structural food aid solutions on campuses.
Key Numbers and Highlights
Precarious access: 33% of students report having experienced either limited access to desired foods, or a lack of food over the past year.
A very real crisis: 20% of people who lack food report that they skip meals.
The silence of hunger: Among those who reported occasionally or often going without food in the past 12 months, half never sought food assistance.
Shared fridges often empty: Although community fridges are the most popular form of assistance (43% in colleges), they are often victims of their own success and get emptied out too quickly.
Cost as a barrier: For those who rated their food as ‘fair’ or ‘poor,’ the high cost of groceries was one of the main obstacles cited.
Lack of tools: Only 24% of students who reported not having enough food had the equipment needed to make elaborate meals.
[ZOOM TO] Increased Vulnerability for International Students
This portion of the student population is significantly more likely to experience some form of food insecurity, when compared to the overall respondent population:
Limited access to food: Only 27% report having enough of the types of food they would like, compared with 49% for the total sample.
Physical barriers: Less than a third (28%) have the equipment needed to prepare elaborate meals, and 56% would like to have better equipment in order to be able to do so.
Limited support network: They receive significantly less help from their parents for food (17%), compared to the overall average (50%).
Targeted solutions: In order to get by, they are increasingly turning to food banks (24%), community fridges (26%) and discount shopping apps (49%).
“Groceries have gotten expensive, and as an international student, I have a limit on the number of hours I can work per week.” (Female college student, 18–24)
It is critical that more effective and appropriate action be taken in colleges and universities to promote nutritious, affordable, environmentally responsible and culturally appropriate food for all. Involving students in the design and implementation of awareness-raising and mobilization activities, structural initiatives or food aid programs can have a positive impact on the entire community.
Recommendations
Food insecurity among students in Quebec is not the result of individual failings, but rather a profound and largely invisible structural imbalance. It is fundamentally an economic issue rooted in insufficient income, precariousness and increased living costs, the solution to which cannot rely solely on young people themselves.
What is needed is an effort to mobilize the entire student, food and political communities to ensure that students are in a position to eat their fill, without having to compromise on health, the environment or, above all, their budget.
What students are asking for
Above all, post-secondary students are calling for more affordable food options, both on and off campus. This is the solution that they most often mentioned spontaneously. The report highlights a preference for less stigmatizing solutions that promote autonomy, such as:
- Food services and grocery stores with prices in line with their limited budgets;
- Better quality food options available on campus;
- Occasional free meals and student discounts for everyone.
Furthermore, initiatives designed to equip students with the tools they need in order to reduce their grocery expenses and enjoy a nutritious, affordable and environmentally responsible diet are a useful complement to more broad-based initiatives.
What student associations can do
Despite the challenges faced by student organizations—such as a lack of budgetary resources, high staff turnover, a lack of expertise, and complex institutional regulations—many still hope to implement beneficial initiatives on campus. Sustainable and transformative collective actions could indeed be established, improved, expanded, or replicated in collaboration with students to better address identified needs:
- Facilities such as shared refrigerators and community food pantries, along with cafés or grocery stores offering reasonable prices, could be established or improved upon in collaboration with students in order to better meet the identified needs;
- Students would benefit from greater awareness of the support available, and student associations could play a role in directing them towards these resources;
- Although less frequently mentioned, initiatives promoting ‘eating together’ and reducing social isolation are needed, and should be explored with students. Additional efforts may be required to build support for these solutions;
- Added support needs to be provided during exam periods;
- Joining a community of practice would allow for feedback during the implementation of collective solutions and create a space for dialogue, enabling us to speak with one voice to decision-makers.
Furthermore, student associations could play a leading role in promoting food literacy on campuses. They could co-organize kiosks, workshops, or promotional activities on topics such as nutritious, eco-friendly, affordable, and culturally appropriate food.
However, for these initiatives to be sustainable, they would need to be run in close partnership with college and university administrators. These actions would also benefit from the support of external organizations that are able to provide the necessary tools, content and expertise.
Next steps
For Équiterre and its partners, this report marks the beginning of a much-needed undertaking. The students' recommendations point us toward solutions that respect their autonomy and dignity:Take action on campuses in partnership with student associations: by promoting access to affordable food.
Combat isolation: through support for initiatives that encourage ‘eating together’ and community mutual assistance.
Be the voice of young people: by raising awareness among policy makers regarding the importance of including the student population when formulating policies on food security.
Specifically, Équiterre will be working with student associations to:
Roll out a digital communications campaign directed at students designed to raise awareness, equip them with tools, and help them become more familiar with the resources available to them;
Work more closely with student associations at 12 college and university campuses to mobilize the entire student community in implementing activities that will increase literacy and provide greater access to nutritious, environmentally responsible, and culturally appropriate food;
Share and promote student food aid initiatives so that they continue, improve, expand and also multiply across a greater number of campuses, through the sharing of tools;
Support young people through a community of practice designed to amplify their voices and propose socially beneficial solutions.
Food should never be a barrier to academic success. Let's work together to ensure that every student has access to nutritious, affordable, environmentally responsible and culturally appropriate food.
Learn more about the detailed findings from this survey of 667 students from all across Quebec
See the consultation reportÉquiterre would like to thank the project partners, as well as the many organizations and contributors who helped enrich this consultation and promote it.
Organisations
Banques alimentaires du Québec (BAQ)
Centre d’innovation sociale en agriculture (CISA)
Centre NUTRISS - Université Laval
Chaire de recherche du Canada sur les inégalités en nutrition et santé (CIENS)
Collectif Vital
Comité d'éthique de la recherche, Cégep du Vieux-Montréal
Environnement Jeunesse
Groupe de recherche Territoires et systèmes alimentaires du Centre de recherche de Montréal sur les inégalités sociales, les discriminations et les pratiques alternative des citoyenneté (CREMIS)
Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF) - Université Laval
Regroupement des cuisines collectives du Québec
Réseau des carrefours jeunesse-emploi du Québec (RCJEQ)
Partners
Shop Smarter, Eat Better is a mobilization project project organized by Équiterre in collaboration with the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ) and the Union étudiante du Québec (UEQ).
This project is made possible thanks to funding from Fondation Dufresne & Gauthier and the Government of Quebec as part of the 2025-2030 Youth Action Plan, coordinated by the Secrétariat à la Jeunesse.
