According to a new survey, three out of four Americans experience FOODMO, the fear of missing out on new food trends.
The survey of 2,000 Americans who use social media found that 77% felt FOMO related to food and nearly as many (75%) said they instantly crave food when they see it online.
To avoid the fear of missing out, half of those surveyed (57%) have tried making recipes they found online, and on average they make four recipes online per month.
Fifty-four percent had their last social media-inspired meal within two weeks of taking the survey.
According to the survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of EnvyTM Apples, social media plays a significant role in what recipes people are drawn to making: on average, people feel the need to post their food on social media six times a month.
Nearly a quarter (24%) said they use YouTube and Facebook more when it comes to finding trendy food inspiration.
Since the average respondent spends four hours of their day on social media, food content appears on their social media at least seven times throughout the day. As a result, the average person follows at least 10 food-related accounts on social media.
Some of the respondents wanted to go beyond just looking at the content of food. Sixty-seven percent would want to become a snack influencer given the chance.
“Many people often think that they have to compromise taste and flavor to eat ‘healthy,’ but this mentality of thinking that they have to sacrifice is often what leads us to crave foods that we consider ‘unhealthy’ and drives our FOMO when you see an indulgent snack on social media that you’d rather have,” said Ashley Hawk, dietitian and Food Network star of the TV show ‘How Healthy Happens.’ “My simple advice to my followers and clients on how to combat this is to start with whole foods that are naturally delicious and use them as the backbone of your recipe.
“For example, instead of going straight for that slice of cheesecake, try a cheesecake sauce and use fresh apple slices to go with it. This allows you to still enjoy the sweet flavors we all crave, but the fiber and other nutrients in apples will actually allow you to feel full and avoid overindulgence.”
The survey also revealed a decisive split on whether snacks should be healthy or indulgent.
For 61%, healthy recipes are attractive due to their perceived taste, while almost the same number opt for healthy recipes because of how simple they are to make (60%) and how easy they are to share with others (49%). ).
Meanwhile, 62% like the appeal of “indulgent” recipes, also for being easy to prepare (61%) and perceived taste (59%). However, 41% of those who prefer indulgent recipes like their inherent trendiness and instagrammability.
Sixty-nine percent find they “like” and “favor” healthy recipes they see on social media. By comparison, 63% like and prefer the delicious recipes they see online.
Even when it comes to their own recipes, 73% admitted that they spend more time preparing their meals just to make them more picturesque for social media.
When trying a new recipe, 46% of respondents enjoyed the food, but also shared the food with family (25%) or friends (10%).
“With searches for healthy recipes being just as popular as searches for indulgent recipes on social media, it’s clear that consumers don’t want to miss out on any,” said Cecilia Flores Paez, Marketing Director for EnvyTM Apples. “There’s a real sense of FOMO when it comes to flavor, so flavor matters to consumers, even when it comes to the purest form of snack food, like an apple.”
Top 5 feelings that arise when people see food content on social media
- I’m impressed that someone could make that dish – 43%
- I feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in the person who did it: 42%
- I feel inspired to make my own food – 41%
- I feel envy of the person who eats it – 39%
- I feel hungry – 35%
Top 5 Types of Food Influencers People Follow
- Professional cooks – 50%
- Restaurant influencers: 49%
- Hobbyist home cooks: 48%
- Baking influencers: 47%
- Health/fitness professionals – 45%