Optimal health and academic achievement necessitate healthy dietary practices; yet, student nurses frequently encounter demanding schedules, psychological stress, and restricted access to nutritious options, fostering suboptimal eating patterns. Paradoxically, despite their expertise in health promotion, many student nurses engage in detrimental behaviors—including meal skipping, reliance on fast food, and disregard for balanced nutrition—that potentially undermine their physical well-being and educational performance. This investigation assessed the attitudes and practices surrounding eating habits among student nurses at Lagos State College of Nursing, Igando, Lagos, Nigeria. Objectives encompassed identifying determinants of unhealthy eating, evaluating attitudes toward healthy nutrition, and examining actual dietary practices. Employing a cross-sectional descriptive design, the study targeted 260 student nurses, drawing a sample of 173 via Taro Yamane’s formula at a 0.05 significance level. Stratified random sampling facilitated participant selection. A structured, selfadministered questionnaire gathered data, analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics using the Statistical Package for Nutrition Sciences. Demographics indicated 130 (75.1%) female respondents, with 85 (49.1%) aged 15–20 years. Key results showed 70 (40.5%) held positive attitudes toward healthy diets, 65 (37.6%) maintained regular meals, 50 (28.9%) often consumed unhealthy snacks, and 93 (53.8%) occasionally or infrequently ate breakfast. Chi-square analysis confirmed a significant association between attitudes and practices (χ2=32.456,p=0.001χ2=32.456,p=0.001), rejecting the null hypothesis. In summary, student nurses displayed inconsistent attitudes andsuboptimal eating practices, predominantly driven by stress and temporal limitations. Recommendations include nutrition education initiatives, wellness seminars, accessible healthy meal provisions, and peer support mechanisms to foster improved dietary behaviors.