Like all the best creators, Caroline Elise was raised on Youtube vlogs, iMovie edits, sequined outfits from Justice, and wearing a full beat to school every day in the 2016 era of matte lipstick. Born and raised in California’s Bay Area, Elise could only dream of having the kind of positive, empowering platform she’s cultivated on TikTok, as she takes us around on shopping trips, workout videos, OOTDs, and more.
Known for her “what I eat in a day” videos, often beginning with her signature “Let’s eat!” mantra set to the tune of GloRilla, she has built a safe space for viewers of all sizes, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing how you feel over how you look.
But before Elise decided to post lifestyle content on her socials, she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology, a field she continues to work in alongside her content creation. Spoon chatted with Elise to talk about the origins of posting as a creative outlet, her decade-long obsession with Justin Bieber, and how she balances it all amid the noise of online criticism.
Spoon University: How would you describe your content in three words?
Caroline Elise: Oh, no, in three words? I’m trying to think of something catchy or clever. I definitely need to include something about food or eating. The first thing that came to mind — this is not my final answer — but A Good Time. But, I think I want to go with food, fun, fashion. I love a good alliteration, and I feel like that captures what I want the pillars in my content to be — I post a lot about what I eat, what I wear, and then whatever else is fun.
SU: If you could share a meal with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
CE: The first person that came to mind immediately: Justin Bieber. I love him. But I feel like I actually need to go with the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. And, like, if she made the meal? Chef’s kiss, I just know it.
SU: How did you decide to pursue content creation at the same time as your studies and career in criminology?
CE: I think it’s been two years now since I started posting on TikTok, and I’ll give some background. When I was in middle school, I loved making random videos and edits — they were all of Justin Bieber — and I would use iMovie on my mom’s laptop. I thought it was so fun and I’d post them on my Facebook. As I got older, I kept doing it, but would never post anything. I’d watch a lot of YouTube — vloggers, fashion content, that sort of thing. And I didn’t have a lot of friends in high school, so I felt like YouTube was my go-to. But I always thought, “Oh, it would be so fun and cool if I posted. But, no, I don’t want to watch that. Or I’m not funny enough, I’m not cool enough.” So I didn’t.
But a couple years ago, I had been at my first full-time job after grad school, and I was feeling really down about myself and things going on in my life. I was more depressed than I’d ever been, and it was really hard for me to get out of bed. Work was hard, going outside and socializing was hard. And one day, I just decided that I was going to get ready every morning and do something that would help me feel better every day, which was taking a shower, getting ready, putting on a cute outfit, even if it’s sweats, and doing my makeup. But I didn’t have that internal motivation yet, so I was like, “I’m gonna give myself some external motivation by filming it every day and posting it on TikTok.” That was the first series I ever posted, and I called it, like, “Day one of getting ready, even when I have nowhere to go, to feel more confident and productive.” I loved filming those videos and editing them, and even if I scroll back, most of them probably have ten likes, but it got me in the routine of doing something that I enjoy and that makes me feel better about myself. That’s when my account started to grow. Everyone, no matter what you look like, or what your body looks like, has insecurities, and so it resonated with people that, even though I have insecurities, I like wearing fun outfits.
And with food, not only is it fuel, but it’s connection. It can bring joy, it can bring comfort; food is very powerful. I love the idea of “what I eat in a day” content, but I have so many pet peeves when I watch them that I decided to just make my own. One day, I was trying to think of a fun intro and I moved my phone and I whispered, “Let’s eat,” I don’t know why, and the video went viral and people really loved it. I really liked doing it too and things went up from there.
SU: Do you feel like your relationship with food has changed since you became a content creator and act as a safe space for a lot of followers?
CE: I feel like in a way, yes. When I first started posting the initial “Let’s Eat” video, I thought I was going to be posting one every day. And in theory, I would like to get back to that because I love making them, but I’m also very proud of the relationship I have with food now since I’ve had such a long history of ups and downs with it over my life — which sounds weird because I’m in my 20s — but you know what I mean. There’s been times when I’ve let the comments get to me, and I’ll find myself deciding what to eat and thinking about those comments. I’m like, “Okay, well, this random gym bro on Instagram said that I’m just sitting at my desk all day and I don’t need to drink a protein shake.” So there’s moments where I’m like, “I know this is stupid; why am I listening to this random troll on the internet?”
I love posting these videos, but maintaining my relationship with food is more important to me, and I want my videos to reflect that — I don’t diet or track calories, I don’t track macros, I don’t stick to certain food groups. And so every day looks different, which is realistic. I’m also mindful that food can be a tricky subject, along with body image, where people will always bring their feelings about those subjects and project it onto content, which is human and normal. But my relationship with food is my number one priority, and if I find myself falling into old thought patterns, I don’t want to reflect that in my content so my page can be a safe space.
SU: If you ever moved out of the Bay Area, where would be your dream city to live in?
CE: Okay, this is the boring answer, but it’s true. I love Southern California. I went to college in Southern California, and I love the weather, and it’s just so fun. I might say Studio City specifically, which is right next to LA. But I also went to grad school in Philadelphia and loved it there — it’s so different from growing up here. I always see myself ending up in the Bay Area though because this is where my family is, but maybe going back to the East Coast for a little stint.