“What’s so great about eating a meal mindfully? Don’t you get bored eating without doing something else? How do you make time to eat mindfully?”
These are common questions about mindful eating, so I thought the best way to answer them is to describe how this works for me. This example happened on a Saturday, when I wanted to reclaim mindful eating for myself after a busy workweek.
I had a light breakfast after my walk then spent a couple of hours cleaning up the yard after some heavy storms. By midday, I definitely felt hungry, having a sort of “running on empty” sensation. From experience, I know being hungry helps me appreciate my food even more. As Michelle May says, “Hunger is the best seasoning.”
I prepared a salad, including green beans, blanched red onions, almond cheddar cheese, quinoa, with a nice dressing. As I put it together, I paused to admire the colors; the lovely greens of the beans and parsley, pinkish-red onions, and the orange cheese. I smelled each ingredient, anticipating how they would taste.
Before eating, I took a moment to be grateful for my food, as well as for being in a cool house, dry house during this muggy season.
Then I began to eat, focusing on my food. First I noticed the flavors. The onions gave a hint of sweetness, the vinegar a touch of acidity, all blending with the other flavors to form a lovely whole. Then I paid attention to the textures. The beans had a slight snap, which added a nice crispness that contrasted with the creaminess of the cheese.
Then memories came up, triggered by the food. I remembered growing up, helping pick and snap green beans with my mom. I thought about the farmers who grew the onions, and wondered who came up with the idea of making “cheese” out of almonds for those who can’t or don’t eat dairy.
I ended my meal with an apple. As I took small bites, appreciating the crunch as well as perfect balance of sweet and tart, I looked at the trees swaying in the buffeting wind and thought about apple picking. I realized that the orchards where I like to pick endured the same weather, and that this apple was a testament to everything its parent tree survived in order to produce it. How miraculous, too, that the small seeds within could produce yet another tree, and yet more apples.
I also noticed how the food affected my body. I could literally feel the bites nourishing me, my energy returning as I chewed and swallowed, replacing the emptiness with a sense of well-being and focus.
Finishing it all off with a cup of herbal tea, I felt replenished in so many ways. I had gained energy not only from the food but from the mindfulness of it, of allowing myself time to truly engage in what I was doing and appreciate it in all aspects.
This served as a useful reminder to me about why eating mindfully is important, especially when I feel like I don’t have time, because that’s when I need these moments of tranquility and recharging the most!
This article is updated from a previous version.
If you enjoyed this article, here are three more to help you:
Sensuous Eating: Make eating a multisensory experience
It’s a fad and 6 other Myths about Mindful Eating
