The States With the Most Foodies, According to iPhone Camera Rolls

The “Food Pic”

A foodie is a food aficionado: someone with a great appreciation for enticing cuisine and the experience that comes along with it. Some of our most priceless moments revolve around good food. Who doesn’t love sharing an intimate meal with their partner? It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures — as most relationships begin with a conversation shared over some delicious grub.

As the saying goes, “it was love at first bite” — so snap a picture. Common foodie knowledge is that their camera eats first to feed social media’s hunger. In 2022, foodies across the U.S. pepper their Instagram feeds with aerial photos of mouthwatering dishes from their recent culinary jaunts. The food lovers at Shane Co. couldn’t help but wonder, where in the U.S. do most foodie photographers reside?

Methodology

In order to determine where the most foodies are located, Shane Co. asked 2,153 iPhone users across all 50 states and several demographics to record the number of food pictures they currently have in their camera rolls. From there, we were able to calculate the average number of iPhone food photos in each state. Our goal was to cook up some foodie insights to find the states that are the most and least obsessed with their food and food photography. The survey ran from November 24 to December 6, 2021.

States With the Most & Least Foodies

CARBe Diem, right? States with the most iPhone food photos — Colorado, Florida, and Arkansas — surely think so, averaging 174.5, 152.5, and 151.5 in their camera rolls, respectively. It’s clear that many states are keeping their eyes on the fries — we mean, prize. Alternatively, Montana averaged 51.7, 48% lower than the national average. Sometimes a well-balanced meal is a slice in both hands, instead of the camera. 

Female Millennials Are the Biggest Foodies

Food is the muse, but who is behind the camera? Averaging 115.9 food pics in their camera rolls, millennials have 15.8% more food photos on their iPhones than the national average. Survey responses show that millennials snap food photography more than any other generation. Apparently, posting artistic food photography, accompanied by the hashtag #foodporn, is a favorite pastime of the “me” generation. In contrast, baby boomers let their mouths eat first. Boomers average 71.6 food pics in their camera rolls — 28.5% below the national average. 

Furthermore, women dominate with 14.7% more food pictures on their iPhones than the national average. Female respondents average 38.2 more food photos in their camera rolls than men. So it’s confirmed the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach — not through food photos. 

Closing Thoughts

Overall, we found that Coloradans and female millennials are the top foodies when it comes to being camera-ready. Whether it’s a snapshot of steaming cappuccino foam art or a picture of a street taco, they likely have the memory tucked away in their camera roll. Whether your camera eats first or you do, any experience shared with your significant other, partner, or spouse and a divinely delicious dish is picture-worthy. If you’re thinking about popping the question over a decadently frosted dessert, make it even more memorable with a sparkling engagement ring from Shane Co.