Social media has created a new fear. What is FOODMO?

Food is essential for our survival, but for some time now it has also become a way to be present on social media. The phenomenon called FOODMO shows that TikTok and Instagram have changed our lives even in such an aspect as eating habits.

Let's make a strong statement right at the beginning: Social media has changed the whole world. Even if you avoid Instagram and TikTok and are unfamiliar with the concept of FOMO ( fear of missing out), you've certainly come across trends that have been fueled by social media .

Illustrative photo / photo: Unsplash, Solen Feyissa

Influencers advise us on what to wear, what to listen to, where to go, how to take care of our health, and even… what to eat.

This has been visible since about 2020. Suddenly everyone started baking bread at home , drinking matcha latte or eating Dubai chocolate . Heck, even pickles became a hot trend at some point !

Many people started going to specific establishments not to eat well, but to try a dish that had gained popularity on the Internet.

In connection with this, around 2023, the term FOODMO was created, a combination of the classic FOMO with the word "food" . It was intended to describe the fear of missing out on a culinary trend .

Illustrative photo / photo: Unsplash, Jonathan Borba

Every day, a ton of posts about food hit online platforms , and creators get millions of views thanks to their delicious-looking tutorials. They are supposed to make recipients feel like they are the only people in the world who have not yet tried a given dish or snack . And what do we not want most these days? Feelings of exclusion.

But it 's not just users who chase trends . Restaurateurs , confectioners and ice cream makers also follow trends to introduce dishes or desserts inspired by them to their offers. This was visible, for example, in the case of the aforementioned Dubai chocolate . Pistachios appeared literally everywhere, in very different forms. But is it a good thing?

Unfortunately, in addition to the fact that we prefer to eat or drink what is fashionable, instead of what we like the most , tiktok trends also lead to the uniformity of culinary offers . Some establishments try to copy them and thus attract new customers, but... because of this they lose their identity.

Remember, food is like music . Everyone has their own taste, everyone enjoys something different, and whether it's a trend on Instagram or not... Let's not worry about it. Enjoy!