Never have I ever...

[NurseJackie]

... taken a photo of what I'm about to eat for dinner and posted it on Facebook. Some of my younger friends and family do it (often!)

I guess it's somewhat interesting when they're at a restaurant for some special occasion... and it's a very nice presentation that's impressive and memorable. (ie: "Here's my birthday dinner!" or "Look what I'm having for our anniversary!'')

But I've noticed that it's happening a lot more. I'm not sure I fully understand the reasons that some of my friends and family post a photo of (damn near) EVERY plate of food that crosses in front of their faces. Unfortunately, these are not appetizing menu-style photos or cookbook-cover photos... some of it looks absolutely disgusting. Is it a trend? Another fad?

Oh well... getting old sucks. I'm not cool and with-it! I just don't understand kids-these-days. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to chase some youngsters off my lawn and then check my email at AOL.

[Tadpole Raisin]

1. I'm with you. It's darn incomprehensible.

Of course I don’t get most selfies. If I want to take a picture it will be because of the people I’m with, not myself or food.

[Irish_Dem]

2. The older I get, the more societal norms and behavior elude me.

I had a similar moment yesterday. My daughter is reading a novel, a love story I think, involving gender identity and global warming. She loves the story and read some passages out loud to me. I confess I had no idea what the characters were talking about. I am not a stupid person, but I am sure feeling like one.

[TxGuitar]

19. Something similar for me

I subscribed to Poetry magazine for years and years but finally had to stop it because I really don't get what's being written--and I'm not one to shirk from the avant garde at all, I embrace it, so it's not that it's too "out there". Some of it for me is "really? you wrote this down? and it was published?", some of it is basically in a foreign language. More power to the new poets and their work, I'm not knocking them, but it's not for me anymore, alas.

(although American Poets still keeps my interest)

[Irish_Dem]

22. To me it all sounds like flowery, trite, narcissistic stream of consciousness.

And yes, some of it does not sound like the English language to me.

It is like Catcher in Rye (a fabulous novel) gone very wrong.

Like you, I have always embraced new styles and love to keep abreast of the younger generation.
And yes I love avant guard and way out there stuff. But it is all beyond me now.

[Lars39]

3. They may also be recording their meal

to a food diary app for weight loss.

[GoCubsGo]

4. It ain't just kids.

A friend of mine, who is in his 60s, regularly posts pictures of what he cooked for dinner on Facebook. Granted, he just retired, and has taken up cooking as a hobby. But, he's far from alone with the meal photos. I don't get it, either.

The same goes for the whole "selfie" thing. Which is mostly the kids. I consider it extremely narcissistic. Why do they think everyone wants to see them posing in front of the bathroom mirror, pretending to be a fucking Vogue model?

[Tadpole Raisin]

11. Here's a picture of me on vacation. And look here's another picture of me on the beach!

Your right. I don’t get it, never will and am proud of it.

[ProfessorGAC]

34. Like Your Friend...

...I took up cooking when I retired. I think it somewhat replaces experimenting, for me.
I'm BIG(!) on presentation, but it would never occur to me to take a pic & post it somewhere!
Geez, I saw 3 egrets on one of the ponds at the golf course & I didn't take a pic. Instead I told my wife about it. Duh!

[IHaveNoName]

5. "Food Porn" is actually pretty popular on social media

I admit, I've done it myself. It's a big Instagram thing (although I'm not an Instagrammer).

Basically, I do it when I'm on vacation in some far-off place eating unfamiliar food, so I can remember the experience (like taking a pic of the Coliseum would do). Also, when I'm eating in a famous restaurant, with unusual food/plating. But the meal itself has to be memorable.

[NurseJackie]

7. Yes, those examples certainly make good sense to me. But...

... one of my relatives (a grown man) takes photos of everything he throws together as a "skillet meal". He knows how to cook ONE meal, and it's all some form of succotash. He cooks at home with all the skills of a boy-scout's single pot campfire cuisine. (And for some reason, he's damn proud of it... as disgusting and repetitive as it is.)

"Food Porn" is actually pretty popular on social media

Oh my! That's a perfect description! I've never heard it called that, but it definitely describes what I'm seeing.

[mercuryblues]

6. I do it occasionally

when it is one of my daughter's favorite meal. It makes my daughter jealous. She then calls or text to let me know how mean I am.

[NurseJackie]

8. That's funny!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Ok, here's what's for dinner, mmmm.

[underpants]

10. The pads of butter seem to be unaffected but what in God's name did they do to the turkey??

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[NurseJackie]

12. Actually, that looks more appetizing that some of the "one-pan" meals...

... that I've seen. The ones with EVERYTHING fried up on a single pan.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. Yeah, but Swanson's TV Dinner never had Gen. Tso's chicken.

FWIW, this evening I'm grilling some fish. There will be no pictures of it on the internet, no facebook, no twitter, no nothing.

Bon apetit.

[NurseJackie]

17. I love grilled fish.

[GusBob]

14. I'm a foodie. My feed is full of food

From cooking shows, recipe slingers, food magazines, bars and restaurants I follow. I get some good recipes from FB!
So I dig food pics. But I only post pics of meals I make for parties or group meals. I cook lunch routinely for my colleagues ( we have no access to lunch at our remote clinic)
I will post that pic so they know lunch is coming tomorrow, great way to get the word out.

But as far as my FB friends, not too many meal pics, drink pics are far more common. Coffee in the am and adult bevs in all sorts of pics

[unc70]

15. I might take a picture but never post to FB

Never post anything to Facebook or other social media. I do take pictures sometimes of what I am eating, particularly when traveling. It makes it a lot easier to remember a wonderful trip. With my iPhone, I can be unobtrusive.

While I don't post pictures, I'm quite willing to invite you over to see all the slides from my trips to Europe! I can accompany the slides with an extensive narrative.

[Beausoleil]

16. I confess that I did take pictures recently

of my first smoked pork butt.

It came out so good that I had to take a picture of the big bowl of pulled pork.

I did not post it. It was for my own satisfaction.

[NurseJackie]

18. I've taken a few photos of a thanksgiving turkey and the spread (BEFORE it's devoured).

And that's always fun to have.

[brooklynite]

20. The very fact that you said "posted it to Facebook" dates you...

You should be not posting it to Instagram instead...

In the meantime, let me introduce you to...https://www.airlinemeals.net/

[NurseJackie]

24. Lulz.

You know what else dates me? "Oh well... getting old sucks. I'm not cool and with-it! I just don't understand kids-these-days. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to chase some youngsters off my lawn and then check my email at AOL. "

You should be not posting it to Instagram instead...

I'm having great success in that. Thanks for the tip!

[LizBeth]

21. I just went to a yummy restaurant and coconut prawns and crab cake delish and presentation so pretty

I get pictures from son often when he goes somewhere fun and I get to see different things he likes to try. I get pictures from both kids and send my own and my niece also when we cook something different and we are proud or taste particularly good.

It is fun. I do not know why anyone would start a thread to disparage such a harmless fun activity.

[Lisa0825]

23. I take pics sometimes...

If it is an awesome presentation or a celebration. Also, sometimes I post a restaurant review on fb, so I take pics to go along with it.

I often take a pic of my margarita to post as a "toast" to my friends

[NurseJackie]

25. Mmmmm.... margaritas!

[MurrayDelph]

26. As a former restaurateur

I hated when people were so busy taking photos that they let the food get cold.

[NurseJackie]

30. I can see how that would be a problem.

[Vinca]

27. At least you know which dinner invitations to turn down.

[NurseJackie]

28. Ha! You're right about that! 😂🤣😂

[Mr.Bill]

29. I think because of the pandemic

people are doing more of their own cooking and perhaps trying things they never cooked before, and are rightfully proud of what they are doing. We don't put ours on the internet, but when my wife or I cook something new or interesting we love being able to show and share it with each other.

[NurseJackie]

32. That's a possibility I hadn't considered. But...

... honestly, the "pre-chewed-stew" photos and burned steak photos I've seen are fairly disgusting. (Maybe they're looking for sympathy, or someone to offer to take them out to dinner for a meal that's healthy and varied.)

[highplainsdem]

35. I wish it were only home cooking. If it was something newly learned and viewed as an accomplishment

it would be more understandable. But I've seen way too many photos of restaurant or even cafeteria meals.

[highplainsdem]

31. It's been going on for years, and it's always been dumb as hell. Social media tempt way too many

people to think their every boring move, or every boring selfie, should be shared with account followers they view as adoring fans.

[NurseJackie]

36. "every boring move" ... YES!! I have one cousin (in his 50's) who posts on FB all day long:

"Good morning. Just got up."
"Making coffee now." (Photo of coffee.)
"Having a cigarette with my 2nd cup of coffee."
"Walked the dog."
"Feeding dog leftover scraps."
"Time to take a shower and get ready for work."
"Just finished shower. I feel better."
"Need more coffee."
"How come nobody clicks like on my updates? Are you all asleep?"
"Car needs gas. I think I need to get some before work."
"Stuck in traffic. Hope I don't run out of gas."

I had to "unfollow" him it was insane. (But it was also like a trainwreck... you can't look away. Sometimes I'll peek at his FB page to confirm that he's still worth NOT following.)

[highplainsdem]

37. People like that think they should be reality TV stars. I actually have a family member, an

embarrassing one, who once posted on social media that one of her ambitions was to be a reality TV star.

In the meantime, and it's been about a decade of meantime so far, anyone who follows her accounts gets "treated" to endless photos of meals, the new hair style or color, and so many duck face selfies I'm surprised her face isn't stuck that way permanently.

Sigh...

[NurseJackie]

38. "Duck-face-selfies!" 😂🤣😂🤣

Yes! I've seen those too! Forced-puckered pouty-lips... cheeks sucked in... camera held overhead to make the body look smaller and eyes look bigger.

Ridiculous.

I'm trying to think of what I may have done at that age that would make me look absurd... but, honestly, I can't think of anything. (Maybe tye-die and macrame sun-dresses and bell-bottoms?)

[highplainsdem]

40. I have fond memories of those late '60s and early '70s fashions.

But if I'd known anyone then who spent a lot of their time taking photos of every outfit, let alone hair style/color or meal, and trying to get other people to look at the photos, I'd've thought they were idiotic, too.

[Treefrog]

33. I find it odd too.

I can’t imagine taking out my phone to snap a pic before eating.

[albacore]

39. I posted one pic of dinner...

Halibut that I caught, yellow Romano beans that I grew, bread that I made, and a marinated homegrown-tomato salad with my own basil.
I posted it as VANITY.. and as an advertisement for eating local.

So sue me.

[NurseJackie]

41. LOL! See? Now THAT sounds like something worth posting about! Definitely!

It sounds delicious! (I'm impressed with anyone who can bake bread... I've tried, but never had much luck. But I can make good Bisquick biscuits.)

[albacore]

42. For good biscuits, maybe I'd trade halibut for biscuits. No... wait.... never mind! nt

[Pathwalker]

43. They're called "Foodies" and they represent a very large number of people who

love to cook and eat, as a way of celebrating their love of food. As the saying goes: There are people who eat to live and there are people who live to eat. They are the latter group.

PS: You may want to avoid the Cooking and Baking Group - the pictures may upset you.

[NurseJackie]

44. LOL!

It's only the pre chewed garbage that's disgusting and "upsetting" ... Yuk! 😳😜🤪