Mindful eating means bringing full attention to meals: noticing what we eat, enjoying it and feeling grateful for it. Lilian Cheung, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, describes it as a way to encourage choices that satisfy and nourish us.
It also has a wider dimension: being aware of how we eat makes us more aware of our habits’ impact on the planet.
Five tips
- Eat slowly: give each meal at least 20 minutes.
- No distractions: keep phones and screens away from the table.
- Use your senses: notice colours, smells and textures.
- Portion snacks: put them in a bowl instead of eating straight from the packet.
- Chew well: it helps attention and digestion.
A practice to try
Before you start eating, take three breaths. Look at your plate. Think about where the food came from and who made it possible. Then eat the first bite with your eyes closed.
It’s what we do on the mat: being present in what we are doing.
Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – How to practice mindful eating.
