The Hartman Group has released a study (yours for the bargain price of $7,500) titled "Clicks & Cravings: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture," that explains in great detail how social networks have systematically replaced mom and grandma as trusted sources of culinary guidance.

 

When I came across this study, I realized that I hadn't ever consciously acknowledged the digital takeover of my own kitchen. Perhaps you can relate:

 

I'm organizing recipes not within a book or binder, but on Pinterest. I've got them categorized by main dishes, sides, desserts, appetizers, drinks, and healthy options. If I see something that looks appetizing, I pin it. Even better, I have awesome Pinterest friends who share some pretty amazing recipes of their own. It is the ultimate online recipe swap. 

 

I'm using apps to generate shopping lists from recipes. I used to sit down and write out exhaustive lists from piles of recipes I'd printed out. Now I can use an app like MealBoard to import recipes and automatically generate shopping lists for pantry staples and special meals. 

 

I'm constantly using my smartphone at the grocery store. And I'm not only using it for shopping list storage. I'm scanning items using apps like FoodScanner to determine how they might fit into my nutritional needs for the day. 

 

I'm searching for recipe ideas by ingredient. Sure, I'll still call up my mom to ask if she has any clue what on earth I could do with my leftover roast beef, but I'm also relying on websites like Supercook.com to search for ideas by ingredient.

 

I'm posting to Facebook. If I have a recipe question, I'll poll my friends. And if I'm eating alone, I'll often take the opportunity to catch up on Facebook, Twitter, etc. while I eat. 

 

So how has social media changed the way you approach food? Let us know in the comments.