Most of our generation spent our teen years feasting our eyes on the hot bodies of “Singled Out” and “MTV Spring Break.” We salivated at the drama that ensued when seven sexy singles were put in one house to find out what happens when people “stop being polite and start getting real.” We are the premier generation of reality television, and popular culture feeds on the cheap thrill of watching the follies of celebrities and real people in their natural habitats.

But a new trend has surfaced on the tubes of the college-age population — the Food Network. Students at Binghamton University seem to be making the move from hot bodies to hot sauce, which begs the question: have our tastes matured, or is food the new way to watch reality TV?

The Food Network offers infinite ways to add creativity and style to everyday cooking. Once solely intended for teaching adults cooking techniques, the network now has over 80 TV shows, many with a reality edge, such as “The Naked Chef,” “How to Boil Water” and “Boy Meets Grill.”

Between that term paper and slew of group meetings, such interesting food entertainment offers the perfect distraction. The network’s popularity is prevalent among BU students.

Food Network appears in the “Favorite TV Shows” and “Interests” of many Facebook profiles, and groups such as “Everyday Italian: Food has never been so sexy,” exist to honor the sexier aspects of the network.

Hosted by Giada de Laurentiis, “Everyday Italian” is like porn for food.

Those who aim to learn the best sauce recipe must look elsewhere, as the show’s primary focus is on Giada’s sex appeal.

Kris Yelverton, a BU junior, says he enjoys the thrill of the Food Network.

“It’s just for entertainment,” he said. “I watch it every time it’s on; it’s the greatest when I’m hungry.”

Yelverton favors “Iron Chef America” for its mix of food and competition. The show challenges distinguished American chefs to create a multiple-course meal based around one ingredient, such as a certain type of fish or vegetable. The battle resembles a sports event, sharing the same level of intensity and takes place in a Kitchen Stadium.

Drawn to the network’s lure, Roman Zelichenko, a BU sophomore, enjoys its reality aspect.

Zelichenko likes “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” where Bobby Flay, a well-known New York chef, challenges the best barbecuers, bakers, pizza-makers and other experts to a battle in their particular expertise. In each episode, one of these cooks thinks Food Network is shooting his/her profile for a show, not expecting it when Flay later appears and proposes an unexpected cook-off.

“The best part is to see whether or not the challenged person does it better than Flay,” Zelichenko says. “It’s the anticipation.”

Both Yelverton and Zelichenko agree that the Food Network’s popularity comes from its reality-style programming.

“The shows are aimed for a younger audience now,” Yelverton said. “Back when it was only Emeril, they weren’t as many, but now with Iron Chef, it’s basically reality entertainment. Only 30 percent of the population would probably try to actually make something they were watching.”

Zelichenko said it would be difficult to reproduce a featured meal, as most shows are only for entertainment.

“It doesn’t really give recipes,” he said. “I wouldn’t try something because they don’t explain how to do it; they show it step by step, but don’t give the ingredients.”

Jimmy Massar, a BU sophomore, said he watches the Food Network for its incredible dessert competitions.

“They’re really creative and entertaining,” he said.

In addition to watching the network, Ryan Vanhalle, a fifth-year senior, is the proud owner of a Rachael Ray manly cookbook. Despite the popularity of Ray’s show, Vanhalle said the cookbook doesn’t have her same on-screen inspiration.

“I haven’t made anything yet,” he said. “There’s too many ingredients.”

The book might have broader appeal if it sacrificed some ingredients for more cleavage shots, as in Ray’s TV show.

But if you decide to watch the network for its original purpose, fear not. The network still airs programs where you can learn new ways to cook.

Maame Darko, a BU senior, said she started watching the Food Network after a friend suggested she use it to learn some new tricks in the kitchen.

After moving off campus, Darko tended to repeat the same few meals all the time and needed new options. She now favors “30-Minute Meals” for its quick and easy recipes and likable host.

“It gives you different ways of making food with more variety,” she said. “Mostly, I like that fact that it’s convenient. As a college student, I don’t have time to be over the stove cooking, and the recipes they show are practical and useful.”