When social media usage has already affected our sleeping habits, how we interact with each other, and the way we work, can the food world be really far behind?

Taking snaps of dishes before we gorge on them, learning how to whip up the perfect Dalgona coffee with the help of YouTube videos, and of course, sharing impassioned reviews whenever we can – technology has become deeply intertwined with dining and eating experiences. As has been pointed out at several food conferences and summits, this trend will only continue to boom as we go forward.

Let’s take a detailed look into the influence the digital arena has on our eating habits:

Nutritional Guidance

Monitoring our nutritional intake now no longer requires you to shoot darts in the dark. You can accurately calculate the amount of proteins, carbs, and nutrients going into your body by simply downloading a fitness mobile application. Some even let you scan labels of food items to check for allergy triggers!

Now, you can simply go online to educate yourself about healthy food choices and how you can make weekly meal preps easier and faster. Because of increased accessibility to resources, people have the window to make better food choices.

On the other hand, constantly coming across supposedly healthy eating schedules and weight loss routines of influencers can greatly impact our equation with food, often causing feelings of guilt and frustration. This is a particularly concerning arena as increased social media usage has been linked to several eating disorders, especially in women. Several post COVID food events in the USA will take a deep dive into this subject to find solutions to this growing problem.

The Social Media Impact

Social media platforms have become something of a haven for foodies. It gives you a platform where you can show what you like to eat, your favorite haunts, and of course, your go-to food buddies.

But there is another aspect to it. While we have never primarily looked at food as a mere biological need, it is important to note how the need to make your meals look “Insta-worthy” is slowly, but surely, heightening cooking to the mantle of an art that needs to be practiced and perfected. Therefore, social media is causing tectonic shifts in even how we prepare our food!

Food trends popularized by influencers have led to price fluctuations (just take avocado toast, as an example) and also caused a spike in interest in certain dishes. Another interesting development that we have seen recently is the hype around Korean food - a phenomenon that has been largely attributed to the K-pop and K-drama wave online.

As you can see, our eating and culinary habits are being heavily influenced by the technology of the 21st century and the relationship will only grow deeper in the years to come. If you are interested in exploring this subject further, do attend the Food 2.0 Conference, an international food and beverage conference that will take place in Dubai and Las Vegas in 2022.