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Food and Social Media #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

March 3, 2018

“You like cooking and experimenting with food, why don’t you open an Instagram account and share pictures?”

Tossing new ingredients together and giving twists to traditional recipes was always my hobby but this random suggestion by a friend of mine instigated me to venture into the unknown territory of food photography, an exercise I confess almost has me addicted now.

Social media is a powerful tool to gain knowledge, exposure and explore opportunities as I discovered from this experience. Blogging had taught me to use platforms like Twitter and Facebook for promotion of posts, yet the chord one can strike with some appetising food images was a revelation for me. Food, as we all know, connects with everyone.

Little wonder then that we have renowned chefs, culinary experts, restaurant reviewers, relevant startups and even inveterate foodies use social media extensively to connect with each other for information, prospects, tips and most of all, visibility. In today’s competitive world one can never be ‘out there’ enough to self-promote or flaunt, isn’t it?

Youtube videos and online recipes by home cooks, food bloggers and chefs have occasionally assisted me in differentiating between genuine recipes and its variations and choosing the best possible one. Simple presentation and serving tips too have been immensely useful. It is a thrilling moment when someone you see on television responds to you, albeit online, and appreciates you and your efforts, yes.

Is the whole essence of celebrating food getting lost in the whole social media endorsement-obsessed arrangement though? Authenticity and reputation of self-proclaimed online experts boasting thousands of followers cannot be easily verified. These people tweak brand and restaurant reviews at a price and can be treacherously misleading.

Questionable half-hearted reviews by ill-informed food experts who won’t know a Sambar from a Rasam are again amateurish and hurtful. Additionally, the freebies they demand to merely show up can set dangerous precedents and deter brands from considering the clout reviewers truly command. That cannot be good for us, right? Our standards and knowledge shouldn’t be compromised. With its wide reach social media should be used constructively and responsibly.

Food is lot more than nutrition for our body. The joy of creating something tasty, presenting it well and sharing it with the world is incomparable. Chefs make their work look fun and exciting but only someone who cooks can understand the hard work that goes into getting it ‘just right’ every single time. Social media has enabled me to follow, learn from and interact with some of the best. I’m grateful.

This prompt was given by celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani whose food show Vickypedia on Living Foodz is one of my favourites. This topic is close to my heart because as someone who loves food and uses social media to share it I feel responsible for my work and want to be taken seriously.

This article is written as part of the #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 by #Instacuppa conducted by HealthWealthBridge.com, FashionableFoodz.com and AllAboutTheWoman.com and should not be re purposed, republished or use otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any infringement caused.

49 thoughts on “Food and Social Media #SuperBloggerChallenge2018”

  1. Hi Varsh,
    I cook but am not a so good. But whenever I make something, sharing it with world gives happiness. I liked your post.?
    #superbloggerchallenge

    1. We all learn and get better, Mann. Sharing is something that gives me happiness too. Am sure you’re better than you think.
      Thank you so much for your kind words. 🙂

    1. Indeed, Dipika. The feedback and recipe requests that I get after posting pictures motivates me to try and get better. It is fun and motivating.

  4. Nice article , agree with you , all reviews on social media are not genuine . I have learned a lot from Youtube channels as some are really useful ones 🙂
    #Superbloggerchallenge2018

    1. I guess with experience one can make out fake and genuine reviews, but not sure how worthwhile it really is. Youtube has taught me a lot in terms of methods and procedure too.
      Thanks for reading, Ghazala. 🙂

  5. “Anna purna brahma”, is the spirit that runs in our blood. And when such ethos are given a disregard, it pinches, it hurts. Agree you completely that one needs to have an authenticity, genuineness while presenting food on social media.

    1. That is so well-put, Anagha. Food is respected and even prayed to in our culture. To see people behave irresponsibly in its regard is disturbing.

  6. You took the inspiration from the celebrity chef and made it your own. You have outlined the pros and cons of social media wrt food industry beautifully in this article.

    #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

    1. Thank you so much, Namratha. This prompt appealed the most to me and I chose to share my honest views on it. Seeing the kind of following and interest food commands on social media we need have a healthy balance.
      Thanks for visiting my blog. 🙂

    1. Hi Tina! Thank you so much for appreciating my efforts for this post. I do believe that anyone who cooks or enjoys and shared food or reviews should do it respectfully and honestly.
      Will surely visit your blog. Thank you! 🙂

  8. A very thoughtful article. We should all use social media responsibly and when it comes to acquiring knowledge from social media always maintain a healthy skepticism so that we do not get easily taken in by unscrupulous people who are mis-leading. This is especially true of food which is so important for good and healthy living. I enjoyed reading your article. #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 #Instacuppa

    1. ‘We should all use social media responsibly and when it comes to acquiring knowledge from social media always maintain a healthy skepticism so that we do not get easily taken in by unscrupulous people who are mis-leading.’
      This line sums up my entire post beautifully, Jai. We have to keep an open mind and not get taken in by anything on face value, especially when it comes to food.
      Thanks a lot for visiting and commenting. 🙂

  9. Very well expressed! Social media is like a double-edged sword – using it wisely is advisable. Looking forward to reading more posts from you. Keep writing 🙂
    #AlexaTheIncredible #womenbloggerwb

    1. The double-edged sword analogy is absolutely true for social media. Every other day there are new fads and diets that are blindly followed without a thought to its consequences. That can never be good.
      Thanks for commenting, Mayura. 🙂

  10. We are at the peak of human evolution and being thoughtful is the least that could be expected while using social media.

  11. ice article , agree with you , all reviews on social media are not genuine . I have learned a lot from Youtube channels as some are really useful ones.A very thoughtful article.

    1. Thanks a lot, Poornima. Can I take a moment and mention that I love the way you write reviews? They are quite detailed and take us on a virtual trip to the place.

  12. Such an interesting pick, true so that food and social media both have become a must in our lives and so we need to learn how best they go hand in hand along with our ethos.

    1. Thanks a lot, Jhilmil. Considering that I share food images and recipes on Instagram and my blog I thought this was a good topic to write about. Some people take this responsibility casually, I wish they didn’t.

  13. Yes I absolutely liked what I read 🙂 A blogpost which is bang on the topic. It is important to share food related pics on social media, but that should be done if someone enjoys it and also knows the responsibility to post. Overall, a well written article. #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 #Instacuppa

    1. Thank you so much Snehal for your lovely comment. I shared my honest thoughts on this topic and am glad you agree with me on them. Being true to yourself is important and social media sharing does have responsibilities.

  15. Hello Varsh! I really enjoyed my visit and your blog. Social media has great advantages especially when we are talking about food. Many a times I browse internet to find nee recipes.I live to share the pics of food prepared by me and its recipes on instagram.
    Enjoyed reading your posts .
    Ms Arora #superbloggerchallenge2018

    1. Hi dear! I’m so glad to know you like my blog and the post. I browse a lot too and admit it is fun to know and learn about new things.
      Please do share your Instagram handle with me, will you? Would love to follow you and drool over your food pictures. Thanks a lot for visiting and commenting. 🙂

  20. Totally agree Varsha! The food is created with a lot of hard work, knowledge and passion. The reviewer too should be at par if not more when it comes to attention to detail and knowledge. Hope this new crop of social media food experts get that.

  21. So agree with you. The power lies in using social media effectively. I myself check recipes and videos for experimenting my daily food. Social media has great hook especially when we are talking about food.

  22. I totally second you that social media should be used responsibly enough. I love cooking but can only do it occasionally owing to shortage of time, but whenever it looks good, I try to get a picture and post it on instagram. :p

  23. good points.. definitely like clicking pics of good food… i still have to learn how to make them look good, but i find the nofilter pics too evoke the same emotions everytime.
    and yes, reviewers are hard to believe… that’s why i trust recommendations of people i know or have been following for long and so trust

  24. Very nice i would like to add what I do. I make something and then give it to my daughter to decorate it and then we share the pic on social media groups 🙂

  27. Amateur people have jumped onto this bandwagon without understanding the value of real people who work tirelessly to create their content. Very thoughtful post! Thank you for sharing!

  28. Social media is indeed a great place to share our creativity and the appreciation brings a lot of confidence… But as you said, due to the tweaked reviews and amateurish reviews, the essense of social media food reviews is lost

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