Everyone has those tried-and-true beef recipes, the ones in decades-old cookbooks with worn out dog-eared pages. They may be frayed around the edges and splattered with various ingredients, but that’s what makes them so special. 

Pull out that favorite cookbook and take a look at the recipe photo. What cut of beef is featured, what else is on the plate and what are the dominant colors? Now, click on a recipe online and what do you see? There are probably some differences between today’s digital recipe photos versus those retro images. 

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, regularly updates recipe imagery to meet changing consumer trends and tastes. As fashion and hair styles change through the years, so do tablescapes and side dishes. When considering beef imagery in need of updating, old and outdated pictures are prioritized based on popularity and content on Beef.ItsWhatsForDinner.com. 

“Our goal is to make sure recipe photos look approachable as well as delicious,” said Sarah Reece, senior executive director of Brand Marketing at NCBA. “Cooking can be intimidating and when consumers see pictures of beef recipes, we want them to think ‘I can do that.’” 

While the recipes themselves may not change how they look and the stylized elements around the entrée do. Beef is showcased by modernizing the environment, colors, props and including appropriate colorful garnishes. 

Details such as plate color play an important part in making food look appealing. Beef tends to stand out on lighter color plates, while raw beef does not look good on lighter blues. And for those dishes where beef may be tucked in a puff pastry as an empanada or combined with other ingredients in a casserole, beef is still the hero in recipe photos. Another trend in recipe photography is including step-by-step photos in addition to the final dish. 

“Consumers like to see different steps of the cooking process,” shared Reece. “We have been including more photos showing how ingredients are utilized in Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. recipes.” 

Nutrition is also a focus when highlighting beef in recipes. Current recipe images often feature a full meal, with beef in the center of the plate accompanied by a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables highlighting beef’s role in a healthy diet. 

Consumer trends may have changed imagery over the years, but equipment and lighting have also improved, opening the doors for better food photos. Images are also created in different sizes and orientations so they can be utilized in a variety of platforms including advertising, on social media and in print. 

The next time you grab that go-to cookbook, pay attention to the photos and think about what they may look like today. Not only have trends changed because of new cooking methods and kitchen equipment, but consumers are also reevaluating what’s important to them when they see food. Recipes in the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. collection are keeping up with consumer desires by taking a modern approach to food photography.