That perfectly grilled steak, a milkshake that's almost obscene in its decadence, the most perfectly composed summer salad.
The internet is chock full of drool-worthy food photos. Search for the hashtag foodporn on Instagram, and you'll find more than 92 million hits.
Why do so many people feel the need to share pictures of something as humdrum as food on the web?
According to trend researchers, the phenomenon is a means of showing individuality in the smartphone-influenced spirit of the times.
A recent US study has even shown that food photographed by participants is perceived to taste better.
According to a study in the Journal of Consumer Marketing, meals can taste more delicious when the photographer interacts with what's on their plate.
The New York Magazine has argued one reason for this was that taking time to consider the lighting and angles before the actual eating of the food, builds up anticipation and, consequently, pleasure.
However, not everyone may be happy to be a part of this trend: sharing some photos might put food photographers in legal trouble, argues German media professor Stefan Engels.
Taking a picture of an artistically arranged dish, such as those found in a fine-dining restaurant, could lead to legal issues if the creator claims copyright on the design of the dish.
"It cannot be ruled out that dishes where the presentation took a great deal of effort, or is truly one-of-a-kind, could be protected by copyright law," Engels explains to dpa.
"That would mean that photographs of the food couldn't be shared or published without permission, similar to laws protecting artwork."
And yet a recent survey by the opinion research institute YouGov found that 61 percent of participants in Germany are taking pictures of their food, while at least one in four of these food photographers shared the picture on a social media website.
Especially popular hashtags for these photos include foodlove, foodorgasm and, of course, foodporn, which describes not only the often glamorous and perfectly staged nature of the pictures, but the visual aspect of the entire trend itself.
"Foodporn characterizes the phenomenon in which people show off what they're eating and communicate it with the outside world," Hanni Ruetzler, a trend researcher in Austria, said.
"Food has truly become a way for people to communicate their tastes and values," she adds, and is a "wonderful medium" for expressing one's individuality.
In the same way that people used to come together at the same table to share a meal and socialise, today they connect over food on social media, creating a sense of community in an entirely new way.
"People used to express their individuality, as well as their membership in certain groups, through fashion or music styles. Nowadays, they do it through food and drink," Ruetzler says.
How do others feel about the food pic phenomenon that seems to be everywhere they look?
The YouGov survey showed that opinion was divided on the foodporn trend. Some 43 percent said they find the pictures inspiring, while 40 per cent said the trend usually just gets on their nerves.
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