Food and drink are Filipinos’ favorite subjects for discussion on Twitter with at least 7 million mentions in 2020 alone, according to the microblogging platform.
Data from Twitter showed that last year, home-cooked meals and preparations were among the most shared tweets.
Since March last year, the national government implemented tough lockdowns to limit movement outdoors and help curb the spread of the coronavirus which causes COVID-19.
However, more than a year into granular quarantine phases, the country continues to struggle with pandemic with thousands of additional infections per day.
To cope, Filipinos shifted to online platforms such as Twitter to interact with their friends and families albeit virtually.
“Conversations on food are highly welcome because people are very passionate about it. They actively engage in these discussions and the buzz just keeps on growing. In fact, food conversations on Twitter increased in 2020 as more foodies became active in sharing their activities or thoughts related to food,” said Chandan Deep, Head of Emerging Business, Southeast Asia, Twitter.
Here are four interesting findings based on Twitter trends and conversations about food in 2020.
1. Food dominated the convo
More than half or 57% of conversations on Twitter centered on food, according to their data. This is followed by drinks (20%), alcohol (9%), and beauty (7%).
It cited the catchphrase “sana masarap ulam niyo” as among the most common tweets to flatter other Filipino Twitter users.
2. Home-cooked meals were the fad
Indoor dining in malls and restaurants was among the businesses that were temporarily prohibited from operating during the first few months of the pandemic.
Most Filipinos also had to spend most of their at home during this period and were only allowed to go outside unless for essential activities.
This prompted them to return to preparing home-cooked meals rather than ordering takeout.
The hashtags #homecookedmeals greatly increased with 50% of Filipino users shared that they had spent more time cooking at home.
Moreover, more than ½ of Filipinos also searched for food products to purchase online.
The new San Marino Corned Tuna Spanish Style is here, and it’s brimming with rich spices and favorite savory corned tuna – all in a package!
Try it now to give your favorite Spanish recipe a corned tuna twist.
— SanMarinoCornedTuna (@iloveSANMARINO) March 8, 2021
3. Tweeting before eating
In line with food conversations, most Filipinos also tweet before they eat wherein conversations about food peak either before lunch and dinner.
“Mealtimes are sacred, so before they put down their phones to eat, it’s best for brands to consider reaching out to their audience when they are most available. If a brand sells lunch meals, it makes sense to promote products while consumers are still deciding whether to cook or order food,” Twitter said.
4. Lockdown didn’t water down celebrations
Despite the strict restrictions and threat of the virus, Filipinos still get to celebrate important occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and even virtual hangouts with food.
“They tried baking and cooking special meals to celebrate at home. Of course, they proudly shared their creations on Twitter to celebrate their cooking progress. Others also celebrate by ordering food from their favorite restaurants or newfound local shops,” Twitter said.
