Have you noticed this trend? Whenever we’re out in a restaurant with our kids, we cannot eat the food until they have taken pictures of it. The food cannot be touched by anyone other than them until the food is properly staged and the picture is taken. Once the photo is taken, it is then checked before we can dig in. If the photo is not “Insta worthy” then the photo has to be restaged and taken before the food can be eaten.

After the photos are taken and approved, we insist that their phones be put away. We have one strict rule in our family; no cell phones at the table. But, once we leave the restaurant and we’re in the car the phones are once again brought out. At that point the pictures are examined and possible captions are discussed. Once the perfect picture and accompanying caption are chosen, it is posted on Instagram. Then, the conversation turns to how many “likes” they each received on their picture with each of them competing for the most “likes.” Of course, I’m asked to quickly add my “like” to their totals.

When did taking pictures of food become a competitive sport?