The generation born on the cusp of the technology boom is turning to social media for help in the kitchen.

Through their TikTok and Instagram feeds, people like University of Arizona junior Lilly Fine are discovering their inner Gordan Ramsay, or at the very least learning their way around a kitchen.

They also are taking cues from social media when it comes to eating healthy. Nearly three-quarters of Gen Z followed a diet or nutritional lifestyle in the past year, more than twice the rate of baby boomers, according to the National Provisioner, which tracks national food trends.

Many of them, who are predominantly in their early to mid-20s, cite eating healthy as the top reason for cooking at home. However, 80% say they don’t cook as often as they’d like to, mostly because they don’t know how.

Winging it

Marissa Orr comes home from an eight-hour work day and rummages through her grandfather’s refrigerator, piecing together dinner from whatever’s available.

Orr, who moved in with her grandfather to help him with his health issues, considers herself more of a functional cook. She gets home at 7 or 8 p.m. most weeknights.

“I usually just put together what’s available in the house and what’s easiest for both me and my grandfather,” she said.

Orr shops for groceries, but rarely follows recipes or meal plans, improvising based on what’s in the pantry.

“I definitely sometimes like to go all out and cook a big, good meal, but most of the time it’s late and I’m tired so I eat leftovers or heat up something frozen,” she said.

Planning ahead

University of Arizona dancer Savannah Harris portions grilled chicken and vegetables — her fuel for the week ahead — into identical containers.

Most Mondays you will find Harris, a journalism senior, in her apartment preparing meals for the week ahead. It’s a major part of her training for a professional dance career. 

Eight months ago, she hired a coach who took her measurements, discussed her goals and created a customized meal plan that she’s followed since.

“It’s really become convenient being in school and dancing, still having my meals ready,” Harris said.

The structured routine saves her money compared to eating out and keeps her on track with her performance goals. She finds most of her recipes on TikTok, especially when she wants to make a cheat meal.

Harris grew up watching her mother meal prep every week, which she thought was something only her mom did. But what she once considered a niche practice has become increasingly common among her peers, amplified by social media. 

According to the findings from Publicis Commerce, a consumer research think tank, nearly three-quarters of Gen Z get their meal inspiration from social media, double the number who rely on cookbooks. 

Among 18- to 27-year-olds, 84% turn to TikTok and 75% use Instagram for food ideas, while only 32% consult traditional cookbooks and 45% chat with family and friends. 

Gen Z is more inclined to count calories and follow clean, mindful or plant-based diets to improve their physical appearance, better manage health conditions and improve their relationship with food. 

Cooking for connections

UA junior Lilly Fine has her Instagram feed open to a new recipe she is trying out with her boyfriend; it calls for fresh chopped herbs and Mediterranean vegetables.

Fine has been cooking since childhood, watching her mother in the kitchen and eventually preparing meals for herself by seventh grade.

Now Fine’s Instagram and TikTok feeds are filled with food content, and she saves new recipes daily, essentially curating a digital cookbook. Even when motivation wanes, she pushes herself to cook because it often jumpstarts her energy.

“I’ve never found myself to be creative, at least artistically, but when I’m able to cook, I get that creative sense and I feel very passionate about it,” Fine said.

Each week, she asks her boyfriend what he’d like to eat, then heads to the grocery store to prepare. Cooking for others brings her the most joy. 

She spends around $100 for meals that last almost a week, finding it easier to eat healthy when she cooks herself rather than relying on fast food.

“I think people that grow up where they receive home-cooked meals are definitely more inclined to become cooks as well,” Fine said.

Pro’s advice

Janos Wilder, the James Beard Award-winning Tucson chef who pioneered the local farm-to-table movement, said cooking for him has always been about more than just preparing food. 

Wilder’s passion for cooking and food came from his mother’s kitchen as a boy.

“She would carry me around the kitchen, actually dance me around, while she was cooking and listening to Frank Sinatra,” said Wilder, who launched his Tucson restaurant career in 1983 with his upscale Southwest-leaning restaurant, Janos.

“I remember all those aromas and all those flavors, and that music really translated that love she had for me and that she had for music and cooking.”

His advice to Gen Z? Start simple and cook what you like to eat. 

Make a list of 10 things you like to eat, master those, then add two more gradually. 

Wilder views social media recipes as neither good nor bad. The more avenues to get people cooking are positive, but he encourages young cooks to also seek out family recipes and trusted sources.

Most importantly, he said, cooking shouldn’t feel like a chore.

“Whether it’s you and your honey, you and a friend, or you and your kids, spend some time in the kitchen with them making a really delicious meal together,” Wilder said.

He emphasized that perfection isn’t the goal. Even as a professional chef, he and his wife still have daily conversations about what to make for dinner and sometimes fall into ruts. 

When you’ve had a long day, he said, give yourself a break and pick up a pizza. Don’t be afraid to adapt.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.