It’s the week we’ve all been wating for…. Mindful tasting is here! I have several students this year who participated in my after-school Mindfulness group last year that have been begging since we started focusing on mindfulness last month to do the mindful tasting class. It’s finally here and we’re having a great time! I’ve never seen any child eat one small piece of food so slowly in my entire life and I love it!
How many times have we shoveled food into our mouths without putting thought into what or how much we’re eating, or even if we like what’s going in? I think I’m guilty of this on a daily basis! By slowing our bodies and brains down and mindfully tasting and eating what we’re putting into our mouths (in addition to creating healthier eating habits) we’re training our brains to really see, feel, and smell what we’re eating in addition to just tasting. Talk about making the neurons connect and letting the dopamine flow!
This week we tried eating several different foods by first familiarizing ourselves with the foods’ color, size, texture, shape, and smell. Then we put it in our mouths, but before we chewed, we drew attention to what it felt like in our mouths, what part of our tongue could taste the flavor. Finally we slowly chewed and swallowed, enjoying one small piece of food. You could have heard a pin drop during our experiments! What fun!
Encourage your child to slow down and enjoy their food this week. Try new foods at home and do some taste testing of your own. Bon Appetit!
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