Secondary Instagram pages dedicated solely to food, aka “Foodstagrams” aka “Foodstas” are an ever growing trend in this day and age. Foodstas are a fun way to establish presence and credibility in the foodie world—whether you’re a Spoon member or just passionate about food.
In case you need some guidance for when it comes to starting up or maintaining a dank foodsta, I have devised a series of suggestions to get you on the right track:
Create a clever handle
I’m not gonna lie, I think my foodsta handle is pretty genius: @k8bytheocean__. How neat is that? It’s a play on words of my name and the song “Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE. I’m still not 100% sure what that phrase means but you cannot look me in the eye and tell me it’s not catchy AF.
Hashtags, hashtags, hashtags
#SuhFood. #SpoonFeed. #NeverForks. There’s so many people that search and click on food related hashtags. They’ll stumble upon your photos from time to time and hit you with a like and maybe even a follow.
Don’t be afraid to follow a few randos
You’re gonna have to fraternize with other users. You’ll get some weird comments here and there from accounts you’ve never heard of. Embrace it! These folks are likely to be loyal followers.
Have an eclectic food repertoire
Don’t post too much pizza. Don’t post too much sushi. Don’t post too much froyo. You get the idea. Make sure to keep your viewers on their toes and eat at a wide array of restaurants.
Post as often as possible
This isn’t like your primary general account consisting of photos of you and your homies at parties or bars. People get sick of those posts if you overdo it. They don’t get sick of food posts, however. People lose interest pretty quickly if you don’t keep them entertained.
Don’t use flash
The above photo was taken when I was just an amateur. A novice. A naive, sophisticated newborn baby. Flash often washes out the details of the food and make the colors not as bold. It could also create a reflection of the flash, kinda like the one on that dank burger from the Rainforest Cafe. Lame. Natural light is key. When I say natural light I don’t necessarily mean the sun—an overhead lamp or light works too.
Use a simple background
Don’t use a plate or a table with an intricate pattern on it. Solid colors are best. You don’t want your background to outshine your food. A scenic background works though.
Follow and tag the pages of the restaurants you eat at
Show em’ some love. They’ll probably reciprocate and maybe even repost! @rocknrollsushittown always has my back.
Be a vegan
Or just be one for a meal or two. I’m super carnivorous so Lord knows I don’t possess the kind of discipline that being a full time vegan requires. Ultimate shout out to my mom and sister. But vegan trends are HUGE and appeal to lots of people.
Still feeling a little lost? Here’s a few more guidelines from some other Tuscaloosa foodies:
#SpoonTip: “I’d never post a photo of food from a restaurant that I’ve yet to eat at because I’d have no way of knowing what the food tastes like.“ -Shelby Cohen, Bama’s photo director (@thelatestindulge)
#SpoonTip: “I choose the most intriguing submissions. I like to use more colorful pictures during the day and then darker ones at night.” -Sorcha Price, @spoon_bama’s Instagram manager
#SpoonTip: “It’s all about dank food, great lighting and the ‘Clarendon’ filter. It makes everything look better.” –Walker Bowen, writer (@awalkerandeater)
#SpoonTip: “The most important thing about maintaining a good foodsta is being yourself. Having fun with it is crucial! Don’t take it too seriously. Make people laugh and make them hungry. Don’t over edit your pictures! It’s all about the experience.” –Virginia Dodenhoff, writer and photographer (@diaryofahungrygirl)
#SpoonTip: “We like to post both healthy and mouthwatering unhealthy foods to appeal to everyone’s taste buds.” -Carly Brothers, marketer and Addison Moore, UA student and fellow passionate foodie (@smallgirls_bigappetites)
#SpoonTip: “I love food so maintaining a good foodsta is easy. The hard part honestly is remembering to take a picture before you eat. I’ve always loved taking photos of my food so it made me very happy to start a foodsta.” -Kat Nein, UA student and fellow passionate foodie
#SpoonTip: “Hole in the wall restaurants sometimes end up having the best food! Try to have a variety of different foods to keep your followers interested!” -Hillary Conheady, UA alum and fellow passionate foodie (@anotherlittlepizzamyheart)
I hope this article imparted some wisdom on you regarding how to foodsta like a pro. Be sure to follow all the accounts listed, whether it’s for inspiration on what to post or for your own amusement. You won’t regret it!