The phone eats first - 'Fuel is food'

Social media has an influence on the way we consume food, and it could help contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Gone are the days when hunting for new meals and recipes took huge amounts of work. In our digital world, everything imaginable can be sourced through the internet, including your next favourite meal you had no idea existed. The saying that “the phone eats first” is a rising concept in the digital age, as people constantly post their lives onto media platforms, including presenting their visually appealing dinners. Although there’s a huge variety of content that people consume online, food has always been a basic human need. And as it remains important fuel for our survival, it’s safe to say it won’t be going anywhere any time soon. The ability to find different foods and recipes to indulge in exists with the way social media is used ‒ the same way we consume media can be translated into how we consume food in our kitchens. The question is, how can this transfer of information on food be used to best enhance our fuelling habits?

Some accounts on Instagram, such as @mindfulchefuk, remind us of ways to remain healthy while eating tasty food.

Food is fuel. Any successful athlete or fitness enthusiast knows this to be true. However, food has also been embedded into many different cultures around the world and remains an important part of life. In today’s world, it brings people together, and many hobbies and activities have been shaped around its consumption. Through social media, this consumption still has the ability to bring people together, and now more than ever before, it presents the opportunity to be aware of the food you are fuelling yourself with.

Trends on social media can affect how we consume

As social media has grown, there have been various “trends” and “challenges”. Looking back at the past decade, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the Mannequin Challenge, and Planking emerged as global phenomena. The internet has seen virality of tweets and posts become a thing, and there are even influencers telling people what to consume and why. However, one trend seems set to stick around. The culture of posting food to social media accounts has only increased as people have continued to contribute their own creations and food interests. Dale Pinnock is a nutritionist and best-selling author who says that eating healthier can become a joy rather than a chore. It’s another example of producing food content and recipe ideas to influence trends and make eating more enjoyable.

On Instagram, there are currently over 218 million food posts, and this number continues to rise every day. The desire for aesthetically pleasing food photos has snuck into the lives of internet users, and it can be interesting to wonder if people have chosen meals because of their visual appeal. But what if instead of choosing your food for its looks, you choose it based on health benefits? Instead of scouting out a good-looking desert, social media and food virilisation now allows for the opportunity to find a meal for that next triathlon. And as social media is all-encompassing, it could even be that next recipe you’ve been wanting to try!

Pair your new social media food lifestyle with your active lifestyle

Using social media to reflect your own needs and interests not only makes for a positive experience on different platforms, but it can change your life away from the screen as well. How can people start to fuel their bodies with the food that will make them the best they can be? As general as the food interest population is online, many people are able to tailor their experience towards foods with health benefits that interest them. So, the next time you think about trying that healthy active lifestyle, search food trends on media platforms and see how you can add healthy food lifestyles to the mix. Get creative with it and see which fuelling plans work best for your lifestyle, and maybe even contribute to “the phone eats first” phenomenon. Incorporate your best #food and join the community of social media food consumers.

Partner with a digital marketing agency that understands content, inside and out

Different kinds of information can be showcased to engage consumers via social media and through adopting a well-thought-through content marketing strategy. With the way information spreads, there are numerous fresh and creative ways to market your brand. Get in touch with Roger Barr, our Chief Digital Officer, to learn about how your company could take advantage of new content marketing strategies.