1. Food Insecurity : The Student Experience
B.J. Fletcher
University of Nebraska Omaha

2. Overview What is Food Insecurity?
The “lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods” (Feeding America, 2017).
Food Insecurity in America.
National average ~ 13.4%.
Nebraska ~ 12.3% (Feeding America, 2017).
Food Insecurity on College Campuses.
21-59% (Chaparro et al., 2009; Patton-López et al., 2014).

3. Introduction What is Food Insecurity?
The “lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods” (Feeding America, 2017).
Food Insecurity in America.
National average ~ 13.4%.
Nebraska ~ 12.3% (Feeding America, 2017).
Food Insecurity on College Campuses.
21-59% (Chaparro et al., 2009; Patton-López et al., 2014).
Among the population of food insecure individuals “exists an invisible student population on college campuses – those who are experiencing food insecurity”
The studies that have been done tend to find that college students experience food insecurity at higher rates than both the national average and their respective states
Current studies are beneficial by taking necessary steps to shed light on the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses
Past studies take a quantitative approach
Skeleton in the university closet
Stereotypes of Ramen-noodle diets and couch-surfing prevent us from seeing the problem of food insecurity among college students.

4. Current Study
Contribute to the literature by using a qualitative approach.
Takes a Phenomenology approach
To date, it appears no studies have attempted to apply a qualitative approach (Morris et al., 2016)
Provide a deeper understanding of the essence of the students’ experience with food insecurity.
To understand the experience of college student food insecurity.
Takes the first steps to provide the understanding of food insecurity from the student perspective

5. Research Questions How do UNO students experience food insecurity?
What are the experiences and challenges UNO students face when it comes to being food insecure?
What barriers do UNO students face in addressing food insecurity?

6. Methodology Phenomenological in-depth interviews Site Selection
College and University Food Bank Alliance.
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Participant Selection
Students who either have experienced or are experiencing food insecurity at UNO.
Sample Size
6 total participants.
A phenomenological study describes the common meaning for several individuals of their lived experiences of a concept of a phenomenon
The research aims to understand the shared experiences of being food insecure as a college student
Bracketing out my experiences and speak with other colleagues who also research food security and other colleagues
One way to identify the existence of food insecurity among college students is the expanding list of college and universities with college food pantries
UNO is an appropriate choice because it is a university with an active food pantry. It is currently the only college or university in the city of Omaha to be an active member of the College and University Food Bank Alliance.
By participating in this alliance, UNO has established itself as a university concerned about students experiencing food insecurity and has taken steps, by maintaining a food pantry, to address this issue among its student body.
Letter sent via Food Pantry  other interested parties for outreach, Weekly to PA students, one recurred by word of mouth
6 volunteers; puls 1 by word of mouth. 2 did not respond to attempts to schedule interviews; 5 total participants.
Typically 5-25 individuals are asked to participate in interviews; for student-based project such as this one Smith and Osborn (2007) suggest that 5-6 is a reasonable sample size.
Horizonalization allowed for a better understanding of how UNO students experience food insecurity by reviewing the interview transcripts to identify potential significant statements, sentences, and quotes.
“clusters of meaning” (Creswell, 2013) from these significant statements, sentences, and quotes to identify to form themes.

7. Findings
Trade-offs:
Quality for access - “when I look at my budget for the month and think, I've spent a ton this month so I think the next month I can't spend as much, so where is the easiest spot to cut back groceries. And so I'll buy less groceries the next month because in my mind I've got to make cuts somewhere.” (Kelly)
Sam bought a van to live in to “save money from rent so that I could spend it buying food.”
“Students have to suffer for a good four years before they can live comfortably” (Morgan).
Students have to make a choice about how to address these trade-offs between buying food or paying their other obligations.

8. Findings Continued Logistics:
Skipping meals – “I often load up on food like once a day because I figure I won't have big meals until the next big meal the next day” because when “you get home and you realize that you don’t have as much time to cook as you thought you would” (Kelly).
“I don’t have that much time for cooking either. I have to find the time to cook, class, [sport], training, extra training, and then resting” (Sam).
“Eating out isn’t something I do very much because I don’t have the money, so it is not easy for me to grab a quick meal” (Morgan).
“Professors don't care, they don't care that you are hungry, they care that your paper is done on time. That's not a reflection on professors, just anyone, they care that the thing they need from you is taken care of, not whether when you go home do you have anything to eat in your fridge” (Dakota).
Facing logistical challenges such as having limited places to turn, even limited help from government programs, students feel lost.
From the students’ perspectives and experiences, time or logistics play an important role in how they experience aspects such as access to and quality of food.

9. Findings Continued Psychological Impacts:
“I find it stressful when I go to the store and don’t know if I have enough in my budget to get enough food” (Kelly).
“It is very stressful, and the problem has many levels to it, because not only just stressful like ‘I’m hungry and I need money to buy food, ’ but also my mind should be focused on my academics, but I’m focused on how do I survive?” (Dakota).
“Students that don’t have money for food, they just have to think about it…somebody who is constantly thinking about, well do I have money to buy this, will not and so that can be emotionally burdensome” (Morgan).
“To some degree you don’t talk about it with people because you don’t want them to know what you are going through because it’s embarrassing…I should be able to take care of myself, but I can’t … [needing to access the food pantry] I feel like a failure walking in there” (Dakota).
Considering when and how to give up food to meet trade-offs, weighs heavily on students’ experiences of being food insecure.
It's very devastating
It's crushing
Depressing
Anxiety
Stress
A failure to some degree
Stigma around asking for or seeking help

10. Findings Continued Accessing Assistance:
No respondents reported enrollment in public food assistance programs
Lack of awareness of availability and location of on-campus assistance
Off-campus strategies

11. Discussion Policy implications:
For students who are in need of assistance, many do not know what resources are available to them or if they qualify for assistance.
Aspects of food insecurity and homelessness are becoming more common on college campuses, affecting students’ abilities to perform well in their personal as well as academic lives (Morris et al., 2016; Goldrick-Rab, 2018).
More students qualify for financial aid than in the past, college and states are increasingly seeing fewer and fewer dollars allocated to students (Morris et al., 2016).
The risk of food insecurity can be linked to a lack of student loan money to pay for adequate amounts of food (Morris et al., 2016).

12. Discussion Continued Policy implications:
Research suggests that individuals’ food insecurity can be offset by participating in food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Students who struggle with food insecurity find it difficult to, trust in, and to access the government safety net programs (Gaines et al., 2014; Goldrick-Rab, 2017, 2018; Bruening et al., 2018).
There is a gap in current federal policies addressing food insecurity in college student populations.
“Most able-bodied students age 18 through 49 who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half time are not eligible for SNAP benefits” (USDA, 2016).
The application process is arduous.
Federal Financial Aid does not consider food expenses as a part of living expenses.
SNAP benefits requires recipients to work between 20 and 30 hours per week.
For students this can be challenging, often pitting their school requirements against trying to find and maintain part-time, low-wage positions.
Students are often disadvantaged in the context of looking for part-time work, lacking flexibility, and often required experience.
Miss representation of income to expenses related to college fees.
Misalignment of government policy
inadequate financial and other support for students
get public assistance benefits under a Title-IV-A program of the Social Security Act or they must meet the requirements to qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
receive benefits from Social Security Income (SSI).
Students also may qualify if they take part in either a state or federal financed work-study program or work 20 to 30 hours per week.

13. Key Takeaways
Trade-offs, Logistics, Psychological Impacts, Accessing Assistance
More qualitative research is needed to understand the experiences of students
“Invisible problem” (Goldrick-Rab, 2017)
Stop treating the issue as the “skeleton in the university closet” (Hughes et al., 2011)
Policies play an important role in addressing food insecurity.
Stereotypes of Ramen-noodle diets and couch-surfing partiers prevent us from seeing it. They trick us into thinking about food insecurity as a rite of passage, that hunger and even homelessness among our students is normal, a point Morgan makes.
Stigma around seeking help acts as a barrier
Future research is needed to further understand students’ experiences around stigma and how they function as barriers to students seeking assistance.
Having an open and honest conversation about the student hunger to help address the stigma and feel like a failure for seeking help.

14. Questions?
Thank you!

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