Eating, drinking and checking social media is something most of us do everyday. There’s no doubt that technology is changing the way we go about our everyday lives. At the beginning of the year, research found that 83% of the UK’s adult population are active on social media. While we are using this platform to stay in contact with each other, we are also posting snaps of our days in a way to ‘boast’ about our activities, whether this is regarding our latest adventure, or most recent choice of food.
Here, with plastic cutlery suppliers, Inn Supplies, we discuss how social media is indeed changing our eating and drinking habits.
Meal Sizes
A study has shown that due to the amount of time we spend on social media increasing, the time we spend eating our meals has went down. This is due to the fact they aren’t willing to part with enough time to eat a large meal. Whether this is the case or not, it’s concerning to think that people are putting their social media addiction ahead of gaining the nutrients needed to fulfil a balanced diet.
Food Jealousy
Taking photos of meals before we consume them has become somewhat of an addiction, as we constantly look to broadcast our best lives.
Stats found that in America, half of the population take pictures of their food, with food they’ve cooked being the most photographed meal. As well as this, over one in five US residents share images of the food they’ve received at a party or wedding.
When we see food that has been altered to the extreme, i.e a 10 stack burger dripping in melted cheese, this can provide us (the viewer) with a sense of food envy. We appreciate a good thing when we see it, and often, due to social media, we can get cravings for certain food and drink. After all, nowadays it’s seen as an art form, with dinners being specifically laid out to wow the recipient.
Food Choices
Despite the fact that sites like Instagram are providing us with more options, it’s actually encouraging us to eat healthier. We keep sharing images of our delicious dishes, we are also sharing recipes, education, tips and a whole lot more.
Kathy Smart, CEO of Live the Smart Way says: “You are more apt to try a recipe or a new food when you see a picture of it and have a friend or person you trust recommend trying it or how to use it.”
Many healthy recipes are being shared online by aspiring food experts that are quick and easy to make, which is appealing to the majority. Putting an image alongside them is quickly grabbing our attention as healthy foods are often the most photogenic due to their vibrant colours.
Churning Out A Career
Intuitive individuals have used social media, working alongside companies to craft themselves entrepreneurial roles, from the comfort of their own home. This role allows the user to establish credibility and persuade a large audience to purchase goods. Some influencers, including Shisodelicious, have an estimated value of over £20,000.
To be a social media influencer, you must share your life transparently in order for companies to recognise your ‘importance’.
With more of us using social media daily, it’ll be interesting to see how our future diets are affected because of technology, and how our approach to eating and drinking change as technology continuously updates..
