We Love Food…Too Much?
As crazy as this sounds and although I am majoring in Economics, food and eating are among my top passions, not only to actively consume, but also to research and to read news on. I find it fascinating that we can get so much satisfaction and joy out of a simple pleasure some tend to overlook: eating. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are the three activities I look forward to during the day, because each meal is unique and also has completely different effects on our physical and mental performance, not only that day, but also the next few days or next week. On a simpler note, creating dishes can spark a creative side in me, and cooking makes me feel satisfied, less stressed, and mentally sound. Even if I go out to dinner, I read the menu like it’s a book, take pictures for my food Instagram account that I share with my older sister, and type down a review in my personal restaurant guide on my iPhone. At times though, like anyone these days, I’ll admit to ordering delivery if I’m feeling especially lazy or if everyone’s busy and can’t eat with me. Also, in the past year, I have seen first-hand some of the downsides of a food obsession- having gained weight from spending a good portion of my paycheck on groceries and food experiences, often spending considerable time on my phone looking at food blogs, affecting my sleep.
The food industry has become one of the largest, most lucrative arenas today because of foodies like me. Farming, food production, restaurant businesses, TV shows, food Instagram influencer channels, food festivals, and food tours are just some of the wide array of industry sectors that have continued to trend and generate revenue for individuals around the world. Eating has become such a major part of human life, happiness, and also how people make a living. With our brains thinking about food for an enormous portion of the day, foodies like me have built an obsession around it. We feed into these sectors of the industry that are starting to drain us of our money and our health, rather than nourish us and allow us to be the happiest, most productive we can be. But do we feed into it, no pun intended, and obsess over food to the point where it affects our wallet and our health?
We love too much of a good thing. Specifically, in the film Feeding Frenzy, the filmmakers draw the parallels between consumption, deceptive advertising, and food insecurity. They shed light on how food companies try to maximize profits by designing advertisements that make people consume more, especially in the case of processed, fast foods. These over consumption patterns result in an increase in diabetes and health problems, which increases global health costs. Feeding Frenzy points out that overconsumption is a large part of the problem, stemming from companies being under so much pressure to sell, produce, and maximize profits. And lack of restrictions on marketing have made it socially acceptable to eat larger portions and foods high in sugar and fat.
We love our convenience. Convenience versus quality, and how these factor into our food consumption choices. In a world where convenience is increasingly valued, are people prioritizing “fast food” over quality food? Restaurants can now benefit from participating in food delivery apps — apps like Uber Eats, Grubhub, Postmates, and Seamless. These platforms have changed the dining experience, constantly advertising and offer daily discounts. It’s easier for people like me to spend more money, while also not having to cook, and also having the ability to consume a large portion of any food with any quality level. People once ate out as an event or activity for pleasure to connect with another person or a group of people. It was considered a full, fancy, destination event planned with high expectations. Now, with delivery services and Netflix, a whole different issue of anti-social tendencies has arisen. This partly explains why when people do eat out, casual dining is more appealing to the millennial generation, since it is a way of bridging the gap between take-out and fine-dining. Although most of us are tending to eat cheaper and more casually, we still value the entertainment factor.
We love our food and social media. Consumer social media affects the way restaurants operate may give insight into why we keep getting drawn further into this health and money pit. On the days we are not ordering delivery, trendiness trumps quality when choosing a restaurant. The ways in which social media has contributed to the restaurant world in the past five years is astounding. Media has totally changed the restaurant industry, where every restaurant is feeling increasing pressure to show off their dishes on their restaurant’s social media accounts and encourage followers and food influencers to do the same. Food photography and trendiness go hand in hand. Lately, the saying “Phone eats first!”, highlights the notion that millennials are eating with their eyes before their mouths to show off for their own social media followers. I believe the interest in amateur food photography and trendiness stems from individuals wanting their friends, family, and acquaintances to see what type of life they live and what they value. This means that restaurants have to prioritize their plating design game, making sure their dishes look artfully thought out and on point.
As our love for fast food, food experiences, and delivery eats away at our wallets, we have to recognize that 1/3 of Americans are obese and have food-related health issues. To resolve this, we must try to create a healthy balance of receiving satisfaction from cooking, delivery, and food experiences while watching our weight and phone and TV time. To avoid increases in obesity, through increased media regulation and awareness in schools and universities, I think we must force companies to focus less on maximizing profits through harmful advertising and more on consumer well-being and health. Right now, we could be headed for serious trouble, and when looking for who to blame, we might just have to point to ourselves.
