“Phone Eats First” – How a desire for picture-perfect food drives wasteful behavior

“Enjoy your meal!” the server says over their shoulder as they scurry off to care for another table. Before the plate is even fully down, my phone is a foot above the table, camera in 0.5 mode, sliding left and right and up and down to capture a picture, justifying my ridiculous habit by muttering to myself “phone eats first!” Once the shot is secured, the phone goes back in my purse and remains there for the rest of the meal until a dessert order arrives, and then the routine starts all over again.

Why I am compelled to photograph my food is a mystery. Occasionally I look back in my camera roll at the good eats I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy, but most images remain embedded in some album, never to be viewed again. And, ironically, some of the most visually appealing plates I’ve consumed were lackluster in taste, and the meals that I deemed unworthy of capturing turned out to be the most delicious. When I chose to let my phone eat first, my thoughts were on the photographic value of food, not its intrinsic value. I was ignoring the fresh water, human labor, land, energy, and sunlight that went into its creation. It is so easy to get caught up in the idea of picture-perfect food because it bombards us everywhere we turn. 

This idea plagues me in my everyday life too, especially when I go through my fridge at the end of the week. On Monday, when I swing open the door, I am pleased to see an organized array of crisp produce, perfectly stacked lunch containers, and snacks. As the week progresses, I find myself increasingly turning my nose up at softening strawberries, wilting greens, and crumbling hunks of cheese. Until my food waste internship this summer, I saw the trash as the unfortunate yet inevitable place for items like these. I had forgotten that the appearance of food does not necessarily equate to its taste and nutrition.

Fortunately, I have been able to combat this thinking, because the desire for good-looking food and the ability to make food look good are not mutually exclusive. By setting myself up for success with proper storage, keeping my fridge stocked with some good staples, and a little creativity, I found a new appreciation for even the most questionable items lurking in my fridge.

Proper Storage: Appreciating food starts with proper storage to extend its shelf-life and keep it vibrant and fresh longer. Here are a few places I keep foods so they look their best:

• Cool, dark, non-refrigerator place
  • Potatoes, hard squashes, onions, garlic, shallots
• Fridge crisper drawer
  • Leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, ears of corn
• In a glass of water in the fridge
  • Carrots, celery, asparagus, scallions
• On the counter
  • Tomatoes, citrus and stone fruit, apples, pears, bananas

Pantry Staples: Just as a wardrobe needs some good basics, food staples can jazz up leftover items. Some of my ride-or-die ingredients include:

• Rice wine vinegar
  • Fabulous for freshening up a sauce or making a quick pickle of veggies on their way out (I like to “quickle” cucumbers, carrots, and onions the most)!
• Mayonnaise
  • Hellman’s has a series of recipes called “Flexipes” that help use up what is left in the fridge (with a dollop of mayo, of course)!
• Sriracha
  • Sriracha is a perfect blend of acidity, sweetness, and a touch of heat that can take leftovers to the next level.
• Eggs
  • Omelets, frittatas, scrambles, oh my! Sauté wilted greens and some leftover onion, then crack in an egg or two for a nutritious kitchen-sink breakfast.
• Sourdough bread
  • There are very few things one cannot eat on top of a piece of bread. Need to finish some hummus? Pesto? Cream cheese? Jam? An avocado? You name it, you can probably smear it on a piece of bread. 

Creativity: I heard somewhere that food waste results from a lack of creativity, and I could not agree more. With these creative ideas, I now turn my fridge “uglies” into masterpieces:

• Treat my home kitchen like an episode of Chopped
  • Seriously, I pull out 4-5 things that need to be used up and then do some mental acrobatics to prepare them or try one of the many websites or apps that find recipes using a list of odds-and-ends items. With friends over, I can set a time limit and have someone shout “Chef, your time is up!” at the end.
• Find innovative ways to use scraps
  • Carrot peelings, onion tops, and dried-out celery stalks can be kept in the freezer until I’m ready to simmer them in water with herbs to make a delicious, from-scratch veggie stock.

While it’s not an overnight change, these days when I eat out or cook at home, I try to take a moment to appreciate everything that went into the dish. And I let myself – instead of my phone – eat first!

And always remember… Maine food is too good to waste.

-Kate P., Ahold Delhaize USA Summer Intern

I am a foodie who loves hot girl walks, curating Spotify playlists, and driving with the windows down.