Each week, I will contribute an article to my food column: College Cooking, where I will share recipes and opinions on food trends and culture. To see more of what I like to cook and bake, check out my personal food Instagram at @healthy_eclair.
Despite my efforts to lower my weekly screen time, I so often find myself following new foodies, food influencers, wellness bloggers, and nutritionists without much abandon. This, of course, becomes rather overwhelming as my Instagram feed turns into a neverending Tumblr spiral.
But over the years I have found several accounts which not only provide delicious recipes, body-positivity mantras, and nutritional facts but also bring calmness to a chaotic world whenever I see a new post pop up on my feed. That may have been the most Gen Z comment to ever escape my lips, but let’s not pretend we don’t tap away at Instagram stories to distract ourselves from that day’s anxieties.
So, without further adieu here are some food accounts you should really consider following.
- @nytcooking
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The New York Times cooking Instagram @nytcooking is a classic account to follow for drool-worthy recipes written by chefs and columnists of the Times. Although the majority of the meals posted are not dairy-free, I still archive a slew of recipes and often “veganize” them so as to save my stomach. As someone who enjoys food photography, this is also a great account to keep tabs on when considering how you photograph your pesto pasta and Nutella banana bread.
- @maddibragg
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Speaking of drool-worthy dinner and dessert ideas, Youtuber Maddibragg @maddibragg posts approachable dinner ideas coined from her restaurant background, along with grocery hauls and mirror selfies galore (because not everything is about food). She also uploads videos of her recipes to her Youtube channel. I have made her vegan enchiladas and Thai peanut noodles with tofu. Both are easy dinners and are delicious!
- @blkandvegan
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If you follow a dairy-free diet or are vegan, I highly recommend following Emani @blkandvegan who shares delicious vegan recipes. She often will share meal prep videos on her Instagram story which I find not only soothing after a long day (especially when I am at college and missing my kitchen) but also helpful when it comes time to recreate her recipe for yourself.
- @wellnesswithsoph
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For aesthetic oatmeal bowls and mug cakes with a side of lifestyle hacks, Sophia Rose @wellnesswithsoph is your person. While I have personally not tried one of her recipes yet, her weekly journaling prompts have helped me get back into the swing of journaling which I am forever grateful for.
- @megeatsworld
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Megan Rivenburg’s Instagram @megeatsworld actually popped up on my popular page a few years back, but I didn’t start following her until last year. As a dietetic intern and someone who has recovered from her ED, Rivenburg shares her famous overnight oats recipe (which I can confirm is marvelous) as well as daily meals in addition to infographics debunking food fears. While a lot of my feed is food-related, it is important to surround ourselves with the nutritional facts we need to understand in a world where so many share their daily meals without considering the implications for those who struggle with an eating disorder.
- @lisahayim
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Last but certainly not least, is Lisa Hayim @lisahayim. While she is currently on a social media break (which she encourages her followers to pursue as well), her Instagram account is devoted to fighting diet culture through approachable reels and photos from her daily life. She also has a weekly newsletter that I subscribe to. Hayim’s account combined with Rivenburg’s is a healthy balance (pun intended) with the slew of food accounts out there that may be more focused on aesthetic.
All things considered though, there are so many food- and wellness-related accounts out there but what I encourage you to keep in mind when falling down that rabbit hole is what is not shown in the picture.