How Millennials Became the Foodie Generation

From curry fries with Sriracha ketchup to quinoa with baked squash and soy chorizo, the millennial generation will eat it. But first, they will check into the establishment on Facebook and Foursquare. Then, they’ll take a photo of the dish and Instagram it, tweet it or share it for the world to see. As they begin to eat their now less-hot meal or snack, they will document the progression with a short Vine or Keek made with the applications of the same names.

Finally, when they have completed the dish, they will leave a review, or should I say reviews, using their smartphone. They’ll tweet that the fries were soggy, leave a tip on FourSquare that the quinoa with squash and soy chorizo was the best, give the establishment a thumbs up or down on Urbanspoon and rate it on Yelp. Millennials have become the foodie generation through the use of social media, creating an interconnectedness of food culture.

Millennials are defined by the digital world we grew up in. The world is more connected than ever. We have the ability to share information between each other at a rate and volume that was never possible. This allows people to be connected with other cultures they may have not had access to without these new-ish tools.

This interconnectedness contributes to the true melting pot that is the United States of America. In the case of food, it really is a melting pot including different spices, herbs, proteins and grains derived from around the world. We want to experience different cultures, and nothing brings everyone together like food.

The ability to share information so quickly has made millennials more show-offy and narcissistic, too. We need people to know we went to that Ethiopian place in Cambridge or vegan restaurant in the village. For some reason, we think people care about what we’re doing and what we’re eating constantly. That pretty tapas plate, if placed in front of a millennial, will likely be seen by hundreds or even thousands. It’s because we want to create a perception of ourselves through the food we are eating.

Also, we might just be the foodie generation because of the opportunities provided to us in this modern age. Did previous generations have trendy vegan or Ethiopian restaurants, or gourmet grilled cheese food trucks to go to? Not really. And if they were eating something complex or simply delicious, how were they supposed to share it to the world? I guess email or fax bursts could be sent out with a food photo, or to be even more stone age, by letter. Maybe if previous generations had the amount of culture we are subjected to today through establishments that serve all different types of food or the ability to share their eating experience so quickly, they too would have been supreme foodies like us.

Finally, we just adore food. Not just because we share it and we can eat many different kinds, although those are important to our love. It's hard to explain. Food is just, good. It is something we can always connect with someone about, because we all eat. It's the perfect topic for small talk if you can't connect with someone on any other level.

So, other generations, be prepared to talk about food. Please don't ask to have a bite of our curry fries or quinoa with squash and soy chorizo. When it comes to food, we don't like to share. But if you could take video or photos of us eating so we wouldn't have to do messy selfies, that would be great.