European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety

Generally, “Eating out” refers to food that is prepared or purchased and consumed outside the home. Eating habits refers to what we eat, how we eat and why we eat. Outside eating habits were influenced by a wide range of complex and interrelated factors. To investigate the factors affecting the outside eating habits among the students the present has undertaken. To know their general profile, to assess the factors affecting outside eating habits and ranking the affecting factors based on Henry Garett ranking technique were the objectives of the study. For this investigation exploratory research design has chosen and google forms were used to collect data from students. A total of 220 responses were received through google forms from two community science colleges. The received responses were scored and analysed by using Garett ranking method. The results indicated that, most of the respondents belong to 18-22 years age group, similar per cent were pursuing graduation, more than half of the respondents prefer both home delivery and going to restaurants and the students preferring friends to go out with and eat. Respondents prefer to have evening snacks at outside.  It was also found that peer group, special events and Taste/flavor were the major affecting factors simultaneously religion, eating disorder and advertisement were the least influencing factors to eat outside.