We’re all aware of how the smartphone has impacted our day-to-day lives — but how has modern technology shaped the way we eat? Read on to find out how technology has impacted the way food is bought, grown and how it arrives at our table.
Argiculture
Recent technology has permanently changed the way food is grown, picked, and distributed. Many of the seeding, watering, and packaging processes that once required intense labour have now been replaced by machines and automated processes. In fact, food technology is now so technologically advanced that some foods no longer need to be grown on a farm. For example, this underground farm in London uses UV light and an automated watering system to grow cress and other micro-herbs.
Technology has also improved food logistics by removing barriers and friction from supply chains. For example, Pinduoduo — now the biggest online marketplace for agricultural products in China — allows farmers and food growers to reach a bigger. Visit Pinduoduo’s website to find out more about their work.
More technological advancements help improve various agricultural processes. For instance, there are now Crop Spraying Services that use machines that make it easier to spray fertilizers on different types of crops. However, it doesn’t have to be expensive. You can just purchase a few used farm equipment that are in good working condition.
Meal Planning
Many professionals are turning to meal planning to save time and energy. This usually involves preparing a large amount of food to eat in advance, and freezing or storing it, so it can easily be accessed after a long day at work. However, technology is really revolutionising the way meal planning and prep works. New apps and information available online can tell you the exact macros in everything you eat, meaning professionals can make sure they get the right amount of nutrients, protein, and other key dietary groups with a simple press of a button.
Combine this with the rise of fitness and meal planning apps available on smartphones across the world, and you have a society that’s much more aware of what they’re eating and the effect it has on their body.
Online Ordering
It might not be the healthiest way to eat, but ordering a takeaway is now easier than ever, thanks to mobile apps like Uber Eats and Deliveroo. With just a few clicks, users have access to thousands of restaurants and menu options, to suit all tastes. Pick your favourite dishes, enter your card details and a freshly prepared meal will arrive at your door within minutes.
Online grocery shopping is now more popular than ever too, with most major supermarkets offering a bespoke delivery service, allowing customers to pick their groceries online and schedule delivery for a convenient weekly slot.
For many, online grocery shopping has proved a great way to save time going to the shops and budget home-cooked meals more effectively. But for others, who want to pick out their fruit and veg or select their favourite cut of beef, nothing beats a trip to the shops.
Substitute Foods
The advance of food technology has run alongside an increasing awareness of the environmental damage to factory farming and excessive meat consumption. As a result, companies like Quorn and Beyond Meat have developed meat substitute products, which offer a similar taste and texture to meat, but with improved nutritional content and much lower levels of carbon emissions.
In addition, products like vegan cheese offer an alternative to dairy-based cheese which both provide a way to avoid eating animal-based products and offer a solution to those unable to eat dairy products due to allergies or intolerances.
A Changing Food Landscape
Perhaps one day, we’ll all be able to take a daily pill that provides us with all the day’s nutritional content! Until that day, however, take time to consider these four ways technology has affected the way you eat, and how you can use these changes to make a difference in your life. Or maybe all this thinking about food has made you a little peckish. Time to order a pizza!
