With the busy schedules most college students keep, they don’t always have time for a home-cooked meal. But some experts believe that eating out frequently is not always healthy for people.

“Students are just like everyone else these days,” said Jim Huss, ISU Extension specialist and associate professor of hotel, restaurant and institution management. “We are raised eating out.”

The trend of eating out was confirmed recently by a NPD Group report on American eating patterns. The 14th annual study of eating habits in the United States found the average American consumed 917 home-cooked meals and 139 restaurant meals from February 1998 through February 1999.

That number is considerably up from 1990, when the average U.S. citizen ate 933 home-cooked meals and 122 restaurant meals, a 14 percent increase.

The study also found that fast-food restaurants are responsible for more than 80 percent of the growth in the restaurant industry in the last five years.

Huss said people choose to eat out because in many cases it’s simpler, but he noted students have a tendency to order foods that aren’t always healthy.

“We like food if it tastes good and is not expensive,” he said.

Huss said people have “a preference for fat,” and the healthier foods are not always available for a low price.

For example, Huss said students could find healthy food at fine dining restaurants, “but unless their parents are in town to pay for it, students probably aren’t going to eat at a place like that.”

Huss said although most people know they should try to keep a balanced diet, it’s hard to do when they frequently eat out, especially at fast-food joints.

“Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, and you can’t find many of those at fast-food restaurants,” he said. Huss said even the salads at most fast-food restaurants usually don’t provide enough calories in the fruits and vegetables category.

Ames restaurant managers said a majority of their business comes from students.

Henry Muljadi, store manager of Burger King, 2418 Lincoln Way, said students provide about 70 to 80 percent of the restaurant’s business.

“The peak times for student business are in the evenings and on weekends,” Muljadi said. Because the residence halls’ dining services do not offer an evening meal on Sunday, Muljadi said those evenings can be very busy.

Steve Amundson, general manager of DaVinci’s Pizza & Hoagies, 2514 Chamberlain St., said student business is high at his restaurant.

“About 50 to 55 percent of our business comes from students, and it’s busiest on the weekends,” he said.

Huss said one of the top reasons students choose to eat out is because it’s quicker than making a home-cooked meal.

“It’s a function of time,” he said.

Amanda Sutton, junior in child and family services, said sometimes she eats out because she has no other choice.

“I don’t like eating out as much as I like to cook my own food,” she said, “but sometimes I just don’t have the time, and I have to eat out.”

Some students had other reasons for eating restaurant foods.

Mark Chappell, graduate student in agronomy, said he usually packs a sack lunch to eat. “Sometimes I forget though, so I have to get my lunch from a restaurant.”

Scott Huston, sophomore in art and design, said he eats out because he has no other option.

“I basically can’t cook anything beyond Cap’n Crunch,” he said.

Huss said students can keep a balanced diet when eating out if they concentrate on choosing healthier foods.

“There are all different types of restaurants,” he said, “and you can find healthy food at any one of them, even the fast-food ones.”

And as for pizza, probably one of the most popular foods among college students, Huss said it too can be made healthy.

“Most of us go for the big, thick, supreme pizza,” he said. “That isn’t always best. If you’re watching your health, you should order thin crust, more vegetables and minimal cheese. It’s the cheese that gets us. Everything else is fine.”