OMG-DINNER TIME MINDFULNESS

Look at all that yummy food on that plate. mmmm my taste buds are active and I can't wait. Im already nibbleing at my plate as Im serving myself some yummy food...

How many have thought this way? How many have nibbled food while putting more on our plate? O/ me

Well lets sit down together and enjoy our meal with some mindfulness

Look at your plate, all looks so yummy. Mmmmm smell the way the food all has its own delicious smells. Notice how your taste buds are already ready for that first bite. Grab that fork and notice does it feel warm or cold to the touch? Now that first bite of food-dont chew right away. Notice the texture, notice how your mouth feels. mmmmm

Now chew that first bite and enjoy what the food is in your mouth without spooning up another mouthful enjoy this on as you chew it up. Swallow it now...feel it going down your throat? What does that feel like?

As you sit there and enjoy your dinner being mindful of just doing that sends signals to your brain and it actually gets to experience all these sensations. It is very important to slow down when we eat at least. Here are a few more mindful things to do while you are eating.

Eat slower
Eating slowly doesnt have to mean taking it to extremes. Still, its a good idea to remind yourself, and your family, that eating is not a race. Taking the time to savor and enjoy your food is one of the healthiest things you can do. You are more likely to notice when you are full, youll chew your food more and hence digest it more easily, and youll probably find yourself noticing flavors you might otherwise have missed. If you have young children, why not try making a game of it — who can chew their food the longest? Or you could introduce eating with chopsticks as a fun way to slow things down.

Savor the silence
Yes, eating in complete silence may be impossible for a family with children, but you might still encourage some quiet time and reflection. Again, try introducing the idea as a game — lets see if we can eat for two minutes without talking — or suggesting that one meal a week be enjoyed in relative silence. If the family mealtime is too important an opportunity for conversation to pass up, then consider introducing a quiet meal or snack time into your day when you can enjoy it alone.

Silence the phone. Shut off the TV.
Our daily lives are full of distractions, and its not uncommon for families to eat with the TV blaring or one family member or other fiddling with their iPhone. Consider making family mealtime, which should, of course, be eaten together, an electronics-free zone. Im not saying you should never eat pizza in front of the TV, but that too should be a conscious choice that marks the exception, not the norm.

Pay attention to flavor
The tanginess of a lemon, the spicyness of arugula, the crunch of a pizza crust — paying attention to the details of our food can be a great way to start eating mindfully. After all, when you eat on the go or wolf down your meals in five minutes, it can be hard to notice what you are even eating, let alone truly savor all the different sensations of eating it. If you are trying to introduce mindful eating to your family, consider talking more about the flavors and textures of food. Ask your kids what the avocado tastes like, or how the hummus feels. And be sure to share your own observations and opinions too. (Yes, this goes against the eating in silence piece, but you dont have to do everything at once.)

Know your food
Mindfulness is really about rekindling a relationship with our food. From planting a veggie garden through baking bread to visiting a farmers market, many of the things we locavores have been preaching about for years are not just ways to cut our carbon foodprint, but also connect with the story behind our food. Even when you have no idea where the food you are eating has come from, try asking yourself some questions about the possibilities: Who grew this? How? Where did it come from? How did it get here? Chances are, youll not only gain a deeper appreciation for your food, but youll find your shopping habits changing in the process too.

Like I say, mindful eating does not have to be an exercise in super-human concentration, but rather a simple commitment to appreciating, respecting and, above all, enjoying the food you eat every day. It can be practiced with salad or ice cream, donuts or tofu, and you can introduce it at home, at work, or even as you snack on the go (though you may find yourself doing this less often).

And while the focus becomes how you eat, not what you eat, you may find your notions of what you want to eat shifting dramatically for the better too.

@MissZ @Amelia @Pat @SoulSings @KrinkTheMellowUnicorn