There is nothing better than taking that first bite into your favorite meal.

It’s as if the world has been put on hold and all the stress, anger and chaos paused for one minute, while you devour and drool over that all-star meal.

However, then the world keeps moving, and the realization of that perfect bite not lasting forever hits you. It’s over. That unreal cheeseburger stacked with bacon, cheddar cheese and a warm toasted bun has come to an end. Seven-layer cake buried with thick chocolate frosting and topped with clouds of whipped cream is now in crumbs. It’s over.

Oh, but just wait. There’s a secret to an everlasting meal. Before digging into that dreamy sandwich I suggest one thing. Take a picture! Food blogs and Instagrams are the next best thing to eating the meal itself. When I can’t physically hold a deep-dish pizza, I scroll to my Instagram and simply stare at one instead. It’s just as satisfying. The food profiles I follow have saved my cravings and my boredom in accounting lectures (probably explains my grade in that class). I love searching for new food blogs and Instagrams to explore some of the most insane food I have ever seen. Honestly, some of the meals I come across are so crazy I can’t believe someone could come up with the recipe. My goal: to go to all these restaurants and try every meal. Great news is that it might actually be possible.

Food around the world is displayed through social networks, and it is only become more popular as years pass. A visual revolution has evolved with photos on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook being immediate eye grabbers. 

People are drawn to photos when they see one pop up on their home page. I am the girl that gets drawn to the photos of mouth-watering cuisine. Desserts, cocktails, and entrées are my “go to” photos.  Recently, I started following a couple food Instagrams that are based off of amazing meals located in Chicago, my home. The other day, I came across a profile called Chicago Food Authority. As I scroll down and down through over 1,000 posts, my eyes widen as only the most delicious and creative meals are captured. Burgers topped with fried eggs, cheesy fries covered with chili, and cupcakes topped with every sweet possible are just a few of the pictures I drool over. 

Egg sandwiches, famous Chicago pizza, and bagels loaded with anything possible fill this Instagram. Every post describes the sensation, as well as the location. Surprisingly, I have heard about half of the restaurants posted, and you can bet I will be checking each and every one this summer. Chicago Craves is another great Instagram profile I follow and stare at daily. While posting hundreds of Chicago cuisine pictures, my love affair for food expands. We all feel we have to capture the once in a lifetime, gourmet meals, but that’s not the only case for these profiles. Pictures of a cheap ballpark hotdog or a greasy Al’s Italian Beef sandwich are just as mesmerizing. There are no rules when capturing these eats.

Photos are conquering the art of food. People are following their passion, literally, by exploring and searching for new and different dishes. Each post is different than the last. Infatuation is similar to the others, yet still brings in different bites than the others. Everyday I search for new profiles to follow and I am still waiting to be disappointed.