Your healthy Instagram post is minimizing food insecurity
I never given much thought to how my eating habits reflect the economic and cultural structure I grew up in until eating became an event worthy of social media attention. Food, to me, is simultaneously a need and a pleasure. I like vegetables, but they will never be quite as satisfying as a McDonald’s cheeseburger. I drink plenty of water, but there’s a certain joy associated with cracking open an ice cold can of Coke. It isn’t in my nature to deprive myself of the things that make me feel good. My food choices are directly tied to my mood, not to how I want people to perceive me.
Yet, social media is a constant reminder that, quite literally, you are what you eat. I follow several food accounts online because like many other social media users, I like to look at food. However, there is an unexpected guilt that flashes through me when I come across beautiful photos of paleo, keto, vegan or other dietary-restrictive cuisine I don’t have the self-discipline, time or budget to create. I like to think that I am secure in my food choices, yet I suspect that if my online friends and followers knew how much I indulged in Taco Bell, there would be some severe judgment.
As we have become more intertwined with technology, there is an unspoken expectation to share any and all aspects of our lives online. Food seems as innocuous a topic as any to share on our social media accounts. Yet, posting an ordinary bologna sandwich on Instagram isn’t going to get you many likes. So unless you’re eating “clean,” it can feel like what you’re eating is not “in.” The obsession with Instagram-worthy food neglects our personal realities and leaves us feeling like we’re food failures.
One glaring issue we tend to ignore — there are millions of Americans that suffer from food insecurity. According to the USDA, food insecurity is, “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” In 2019, the USDA reported that 10.5% of US households had experienced food insecurity at some point during the year. This percentage dramatically increases for single-mother households and households where income is below the poverty line.
It’s easy to dismiss processed food as unhealthy because it’s not fresh, but for many, these options may be all they can afford, or all they can find in their local grocers. When we demonize processed food, we neglect to acknowledge that these options provide people affordable nourishment that won’t spoil. These options are money-savers. So while the majority of social media users aren’t promoting canned and boxed goods, these options are lifelines for millions of families.
I’m one generation away from food insecurity. Both of my parents experienced poverty as children. They always managed to put food on the table for their kids, but our staples were whatever was on sale, could be purchased with a coupon or off-brands. My mother cooked almost every night, a blend of homemade dishes and packaged foods. On the nights my mom was too tired, fast food provided cheap and tasty options. My sister and I were allowed to split a soda with dinner and have ice cream for dessert because these were small affordable joys.
Because my parents often went without as children, food was somewhat of a luxury. Why deprive yourself of sugar, fat and salt when you know what it’s like to not know when your next meal will come? Why not enjoy all the delights food has to offer while you still can? I was raised to know that a meal is a meal, no matter where it comes from or what’s in it.
Even if a person desires to eat healthy, they may be unable to due to their proximity, or lack thereof, to fresh, healthy foods. The article, “What are food deserts, and how do they impact health?,” defines a food desert as “regions where people have limited access to healthful and affordable food. This may be due to having low income or having to travel farther to find healthful food options.” Food deserts prevent people from accessing the nutritious food they want and need. Promoting healthy food online, while admirable, can reinforce the idea that people aren’t eating healthy simply by choice. However, they can’t eat healthy because they don’t have convenient access to fresh meat, fruits and vegetables.
What does sharing food online look like in a food desert compared to other more food-stable regions of the country? An assistant professor at Georgia Institute of Technology analyzed Instagram to see what this might look like. The analysis involved digging through food tags and geotags on Instagram, and then further dividing areas of the country by whether or not they were considered food deserts. Research found, in every region, “the foods shown in Instagrams posted from food deserts had higher cholesterol, sugar, and fat than the posts from non-food deserts.” Without adequate access to food, people must make choices with what they have. Food deserts leave people with more processed options when the alternative may be to not eat at all.
So, is there any positive side to sharing our eating habits on social media? Research does suggest there is some value in posting our food choices. One study found that people reported choosing healthier options because they perceived other people were eating healthier. If this is the case, this could mean that the more people see healthy options on their social media feeds, the more inspired they feel to make healthy choices. This is undeniably a good thing. Although I am fortunate to have access to healthy foods as an adult, I could use more motivation to make better choices. And while this is promising, we still must address how promoting healthy foods doesn’t reconcile with the harsh reality that it’s not easy for everyone to access these healthy foods. Motivating someone to eat healthy is one thing, but the challenge lies in actually being able to find it and afford it.
Social media amplifies America’s issue with food insecurity. It should come to no surprise to anyone that too much sugar, salt and fat is not good for our bodies. I know that if I did make healthier choices, I would probably feel more energized and generally better. Yet the demands of our modern lives dominate our time — work, school, family obligations, and somewhere in the 24 hours you have in a day, sleep. More importantly, our economic status directly affects our access to food, whether we want to eat healthy or enjoy an indulgence. So while we could all probably use more clean eating in our lives, the problem is more complex than just going to the store and choosing fresh over canned.
Our obsession with sharing our meals on social media is most likely here to stay. Yet, we can be more thoughtful of how others may not have the same means we do to put food on the table. Instead of judgment, we can support the idea that some of us cannot afford to eat healthier, or perhaps we simply don’t want to eat that way. Nourishment can come in the form of a kale salad, a home-cooked meal, and even in a paper bag. While sharing our meals connects us virtually, we must understand that our relationship with food goes deeper than just filling our bellies.
Food is a multifaceted element of our lives, affected by economic status, personal preference, self-identity, health and culture. Sharing a dish you’re proud of on Instagram can feel good, but our intentions must not be putting ourselves on a healthy pedestal. Instead, we should view food as a window into each other’s lives. The food is telling us a story. We need to start understanding how the food made it on the plate, and not judging the person for what’s on it.
