From Fillets to Diversity: How Online Recipes Shape What Seafood We Eat
The internet has become our kitchen companion—an endless source of recipe inspiration that profoundly shapes our food choices. But what happens when the seafood we see online doesn’t reflect the wealth of species and edible parts our oceans provide? A recent study dives deep into the digital foodscape, revealing how the way seafood appears on top UK recipe websites could be both a challenge and an opportunity for shaping more sustainable, nutritious diets—and for expanding our seafood horizons[1].
Seafood Online: Spotlighting the “Big Five” and Beyond
Researchers analyzed over 8,000 seafood recipes from the UK’s most-visited food and recipe sites. Their key questions were simple: Do online recipes mainly feature the “Big Five” (cod, haddock, salmon, prawns, tuna), or are other fish and shellfish getting a chance to shine? Are alternative cuts—like bones, roe, and skin—part of home cooking, or are we stuck in a cycle of fillets and whole fish? And does the complexity of recipes limit which seafood makes to our plates?
Here’s what they found:
- The “Big Five” species dominated, making up 55% of all online recipes. Salmon and prawns/shrimp led the pack, while tuna and haddock trailed.
- Fillets and whole fish reigned supreme together featuring in 92% of recipes. Cuts like bones, roe, skin, and belly were significantly underrepresented.
- Non-Big Five seafood (mainly white fish and shellfish) made up a promising 45% of recipes, indicating a slow but steady expansion in what people see and potentially cook.
Why Does Online Representation Matter?
Online recipe platforms aren’t just about meal ideas; they’re powerhouses for food education and trendsetting. As more consumers, especially young and urban and people new to seafood turn to these sites, the types of seafood and cuts promoted there can:
- Influence purchasing decisions, normalizing some species or parts while ignoring others.
- Create barriers to sustainability: By reinforcing high demand for the same few species, online platforms can unintentionally drive overfishing and limit culinary exploration
- Narrow our nutritional intake: Underused species and fish parts (rich in unique nutrients like omega-3s found in skin, roe, and oily fish) are overlooked.
When websites focus mostly on familiar fillets from a handful of species, it limits both environmental and culinary diversity.
A Double-Edged Sword: Familiarity vs. Innovation
Why do the Big Five and easy fillets get so much attention? There’s an upside—these options are widely available, easy to cook, and fit consumer expectations on taste and texture. This supports those new to seafood. But it can also:
- Mask the value and flavor of less familiar seafood, whose stocks are often healthier, and which can be just as delicious.
- Overlook the environmental advantages of using by-products and “nose-to-tail eating,” which maximizes what the ocean provides.
- Reinforce traditional consumption patterns, making it harder for consumers and chefs to break out of the mold.
Signs of Change: More Diversity on the Menu
The good news? Nearly half the recipes surveyed did feature seafood outside the Big Five, such as white fish (like hake or pollock), a variety of shellfish, and even oily fish. Some high-profile websites and campaigns are making a difference by:
- Promoting underused species and “alternative” cuts, broadening our ideas about what counts as seafood.
- Sharing success stories of “ugly” or lesser-known fish, showing them off in mouthwatering, achievable recipes.
- Educating cooks on the nutrition and taste benefits of exploring beyond the usual suspects.
What Can We Do? Recipe Sites as Catalysts for Change
The study’s authors argue for using online platforms as levers for change, encouraging sites to:
- Highlight non-Big Five species and nose-to-tail cuts more frequently.
- Feature step-by-step guides and videos that demystify prepping and cooking unfamiliar options.
- Partner with sustainability groups and seafood producers to educate on sourcing and certification.
For consumers: The message is to embrace curiosity. Let online recipes nudge you toward something different—oily mackerel, mussels, or a whole roasted fish. Try recipes that make use of skins, bones, or roe, turning what was once considered “waste” into dinner.
The Takeaway: A More Inclusive, Sustainable Seafood Plate
Digital recipes are a powerful, yet often underestimated, tool for cultural and environmental change. While tradition has its place, the door is wide open for innovation, health, and sustainability by diversifying the seafood we see, cook, and eat. Next time you browse for a seafood recipe, consider searching beyond salmon or tuna and your plate, your palate, and the planet will all reap the rewards.
Inspired by “Exploring the representation of seafood species and parts in the online landscape” (2025), published in the Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology[1].
1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15378020.2025.2538068?src=exp-la