Food Influencing and Reporting: Tasting the Culture

Grab n’ go. It’s another side effect of our fast-paced world. But, when savoring a meal on social media, the story behind its preparation often gets overlooked. Social media has made it easier to spread knowledge about different cultures. However, platforms could be more productive in food influencing by bringing more awareness to the time, energy, people, and histories that go into creating their meals. There are many moving parts that come together when preparing. You’re capturing the artistic presentation of the food itself on camera. But, how did it get to your plate?

Before creating a post about a meal you have experienced, be curious about what it took for the food to get to your plate. Social media makes a large impact on our perception, whether we consciously notice it or not. When sharing food on your social media page, your followers can be impacted by the way you market your food. By educating yourself on the culture behind the meal, you can educate your followers and inspire them to do the same.

Who prepared the food, and how? Where did the meal originate from? How is it traditionally eaten? Cuisine is one of the factors that shapes a culture. And, there is so much to learn from a simple meal. Cuisinology.com writes that “The Westernization of the world’s cuisines is a real issue. And the customer is not always right, regardless of the popularity of the saying”. Distinct and unique, each culture has different ways of preparing and sourcing their ingredients. It is necessary and important to appreciate the cuisine authentically by embracing the rich culture behind it. Furthermore, making an effort to educate themselves so they can respectfully and accurately share with others.

Meals connect us across cultures because they are shared necessities, yet represented in such diverse ways. This shines a light on our individuality with the way we perceive cuisine and our interconnectedness when we learn about its origins. Food is prepared differently depending on the region. The process of preparing a meal you experience may be much more complex than meets the eye.

Especially when it comes to travel, it is important to respect the people there and the process specific to their preparation. People travel all over the world to experience different food and cultures. Asking questions about your meal is one way to embrace the culture you are experiencing and look at your food beyond its surface. Seek to understand the tradition, the history, process, and art of the food you are sharing with others on social media. By doing so, you can connect more respectfully with the cultures behind the food we eat.

Featured Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash