Grocery Delivery Kit Recipe Food Photography

Food Styling for Hungryroot

CLIENT

Hungryroot

SENIOR PHOTO & VIDEO MANAGER
Jenna Haufler

ASSIGNMENT

From 2021-2015, Food Photographer Mary Lagier and I produced nearly 3,500 recipe images (yes, you read that number correctly!) for the grocery, recipe, and meal delivery service Hungryroot.

Hungryroot promises big flavors at small prices while delivering a trifecta of direct-to-consumer offerings: 1. Clean-Ingredient Groceries — everyday staples made with simple, recognizable ingredients; 2. Chef-Crafted Recipes — easy, shoppable meals that automatically add everything you need to your cart; and 3. Ready-to-Eat Meals — wholesome, flavorful options designed for quick breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

We churned out quality AND quantity: consistently producing 12 recipes per shoot day for the duration of 4 years. At our peak output we were on retainer with the company for 12 shoot days/month during a many-month huge marketing push and company growth spurt! It was a freelancer’s dream scenario to essentially be ‘in-house’ working alongside their fabulous marketing team from the comfort of our remote food photography studio (while also taking on other client work in tandem). 

Our goal in each recipe image was to highlight the subtle texture of roasted vegetables, the mouth-watering glisten of sautéed proteins, the way a drizzle of sauce evokes comfort, indulgence, or excitement. This goliath set of top-down recipes images went on to live in their recipe rolodex on their website. We had a dedicated tabletop prop collection specific to the Hungryroot brand featuring modern plateware, minimal flatware, sleek surfaces, contemporary linens—making everything feel fresh, refined, and unfussy, just like their easy-to-execute recipes. 

As an added value, my deep familiarity with Hungryroot’s products and distinctive recipe voice allowed me to offer thoughtful copy suggestions when appropriate. While food styling, I reviewed and tested recipes in real time, providing feedback and refinements before they were published live on the site.