A suitable diet in terms of quality and quantity of nutrients promotes the development, and maintenance of good health in all age groups. A disturbance of this balance has conditioned the appearance of chronic pathologies, especially those related to over nutrition. <span name="style_bold"> </span> <span name="style_bold">Objective:</span> Is to interpret the perception about nutrition by students during the stage of higher education. In order to achieve this goal, a phenomenological qualitative design was used. A semi-structured interview was applied as a data collection instrument, administered to 13 students who fulfilled the study’s selection criteria at Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción. <span name="style_bold"> </span> <span name="style_bold">Results: O</span>ne of the major identified factors, which jeopardize a healthy diet, among the interviewed students, while they are going through higher education studies, is the lack of time availability. This limitation conditions the quality of the food consumed, its selection and purchase and also the maintenance of mealtimes. <span name="style_bold"> </span> <span name="style_bold">Discussion:</span> Therefore, that even though students understand the importance of maintaining a healthy diet, the stage of higher education it is perceived as an instance that limits the achievement of this objective Therefore, that even though students understand the importance of maintaining a healthy diet, the stage of higher education it is perceived as an instance that limits the achievement of this objective

Students; Staple Food; Qualitative Analysis; Chile