Can Google Search Data Reveal Hidden Patterns in Our Food Trends?

NOVEMBER 2020

This data visualization, which is a collaboration between Google News Lab and Truth & Beauty, gives a detailed look at Google search interest in the United States over the last 15 years related to food. The creators analyzed hundreds of ingredients, recipes, and other food related search terms and compiled them into different graphs that show food search trends in several categories.  

Explore the different graphs and categories. Pick a few of your favorite foods to take a look at. Are there any patterns that stick out to you? What kinds of foods receive more searches during the holidays? What impact might the Covid-19 pandemic have on these search trends? Can you tell what time of year certain foods are "in season"? Try to gather as much information as you can from the graphs.  

Students

  1. After viewing the map above, think about these three questions:
    • What do you notice?
    • What do you wonder? What are you curious about that comes from what you notice in the map?
    • What might be going on in this graph? Write a catchy headline that captures the main idea. If your headline makes a claim, write what you noticed that supports your claim.
    The questions are intended to build on one another, so try to answer them in order. Start with “I notice,” then “I wonder,” and end with “The story this map is telling is ….” and a catchy headline.
  2. Next, join the conversation by adding to the discussion below. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)
  3. After you have posted, read what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting a comment. Use the “Reply” button to address another student directly.
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