A complete guide to plating: The importance of aesthetics in food

The phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ stands defied in the case of social media. In the era of online mode, what is attractive to the eye sells more. Aesthetic pictures, locations, clothes, accessories, food and beverages are grabbing the spotlight in 2021. The presentation of a particular product should be appealing to the eyes and this will grab the attention of the users. Nowadays, before eating a beautiful food item, we make sure that we click a picture of it and post it on our social media handles. Instagram is the hub for food trends. From mukbangs, dalgona coffee, keto recipes, boba milk and ice cream burritos, we have come a long way.

Colours are a very important aspect in order to grab attention of the people. Bright and beautiful colours like red, pink, yellow and purple scream for attention. On the other hand some people like subtle or earthy colour themes which comprise of colours like white, grey, brown and black. The green subtle colour of the matcha powder used in making beverages was liked by a lot of people. The food colour black is very popular among the GenZ. Black ice cream, shakes and snacks shook the internet with its unique colour and aesthetic pleasure. People could relate to this colour because they felt that it showcased the dark side of the often colourful food.

Some other parameters on which the aesthetic levels of food are judged by the consumers are texture, shapes and packaging. For example, glazed fruits were in trend for its sparkling and soft texture. When we post pictures on Instagram the background on which we have placed the food item is also very important. The background must be in sync with the colour and texture of the food item. Packaging of food is another one important aspect of visually pleasing food trends. Aesthetic packaging with bold letters is totally in. Less creativity is used accompanied with solid pastel colours which are often opted for in social media.

During the pandemic, hundreds of people started small home businesses for selling food items like cakes, muffins, syrups, jams and savory food. The pictures posted by these businesses had an essence of homemade and raw textures which pulled the attention of people towards them. The packaging used was very interesting and raw. Some businesses used plain brown papers to pack the food with thin ribbons that made it very unique. The jars used by some of them were of different shapes and colours which people thought of as cute.

The science behind why visual appeal is important in food is that humans tend to eat more if the food is beautiful and tasty. Before we even dig into the food, we have already judged the dish by its appearance. If the food looks good, even if we are full we will not be able to resist ourselves from taking a bite from it. Food appearance is as important as appearance of humans. First impression is everything and if our visual senses do not approve of a food dish by looking at it for the first time, then our brain will automatically signal us to not go for it or eat it.

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