Exploring the convenience of social media ‘meal inspo’
Everyone knows recipe books are expensive. So it’s no wonder uni students reach for their phones to find quick and easy two-minute recipes on Instagram. Why would you, as a student, spend your much-needed money on a recipe book when you could just watch someone do it on your phone for free? In a time full of deadlines, stress, and budgets, why would anyone even consider buying or flicking through a recipe book when you can access it at your fingertips?
There’s a sense of nostalgia when it comes to recipe books. Scrawled writing in the margins telling you the real way to make this 50-year-old recipe. Your grandmother giving you a taste as it’s cooking. You wanting to help, trying to read between the messy writing between the lines to give her a hand. It’s safe to say Instagram and other social media apps don’t give the same warmth as a physical recipe would.
But is there really anything wrong with that? Uni students maybe aren’t looking for nostalgia and a sense of comfort with every meal. Realistically, they just need a quick recipe that isn’t microwavable to eat before studying or going to the pub. Who needs a big chunky recipe book in the way? Students’ budgets are already tight, and Instagram recipes are free to access and do things that recipe books can’t. For example, online recipes in an algorithmic form, especially, are very quick to absorb, and usually offer visuals that match up to the recipe, something that a recipe book lacks. With these online recipes, a sense of experimentalism is also found; you’re able to try new things, which can be found in recipes online where the demographic is aimed at young people who are tired of the same old meals within their families. Recipe books can feel stuck in the past with their techniques, and a more modern recipe book would most likely cost a fortune! It just seems much more convenient for a time-swamped student to watch a quick video rather than flick through countless pages.
Another benefit that comes with online recipes is the discovery of new cultures you perhaps haven’t tried before. Traditional recipe books that have been passed down for generations are unlikely to contain any new and diverse foods that you haven’t seen before, whereas you can access many foods from many cultures in just a few taps on your screen. As a student, I always want to try new things, and sometimes a recipe book just can’t fulfil that desire.
However, physical recipes can be much more accurate. One typo on a recipe online and all of a sudden you’ve added six tablespoons of salt to your pasta sauce instead of teaspoons! A published book full of recipes isn’t likely to make that same mistake. Not that I’m saying you shouldn’t trust the random influencer who came up on your feed, but perhaps double-checking your portions would always be a good idea when it comes to trusting chefs on Instagram. A physical recipe will always seem more credible, especially if it’s a recipe that’s been passed down through generations!
It really is up to the individual, though. If you have a hobby of cooking then I’m sure you own recipe books and enjoy the art of figuring out the kinks within the recipe to suit yourself, and that’s fine. That’s impressive, even, because most of us wouldn’t have the patience. That’s why online recipes can be so useful when you’re a student, and there’s nothing wrong with that either. If you’re in a rush, or not a big cooker, you should just be proud of the fact you’re making something instead of buying ready-made food. Not that there’s anything wrong with that either; we’ve all been there. But putting in the effort of following a recipe, no matter what form it takes, is something to be proud of, especially during the hustle and bustle of university.
