MINDFUL EATING PRACTISES FOR FAMILIES

Juggling work, kids, family, yourself, social life and staying fit is no cakewalk.

Mindfulness is an approach, a bit like meditation, that encourages us to pause and take a moment to reflect on what’s going on around us and how we are feeling

When we’re busy, it’s easy to eat on the go, rushing meals before finishing the next part of our day. Mindful eating centres on trying to slow down at mealtimes, removing distractions and enjoying the food in front of us.

Mindful eating focuses on positives, rather than focusing on food restriction, counting calories and watching the scale for weight control.

Reflect on your emotional connections to food.

Do you turn to food for comfort or when you’re stressed?
Does your child swing by the kitchen for a snack during a commercial every time they’re watching TV?
Do you frequently order food online?
Do you fall into the trap of emotional eating?

Examine your family’s habits around eating. Better awareness of eating habits allows you to think of alternatives to reaching for food when you’re feeling an emotion, or are trying to unwind, but aren’t truly hungry.

Physical hunger comes on slowly, while the urge to eat due to emotions comes on suddenly and urgently.

Learn how to tune in to your body and feel the difference, without guilt or judgment, and teach your child to do the same.

Eating mindfully encourages us to create a conscious relationship with our food – to be conscious of what we are eating, how we are eating, and what we notice about our food– rather than eating on automatic pilot or while multitasking.
When parents teach children how to eat mindfully, we are reminded to eat mindfully ourselves – and we may be the ones who need it most.
As Hippocrates said, “Food is medicine...” Eating mindfully encourages gratitude towards our food and the nourishment it provides – rather than taking it for granted.z
Your stomach takes 20 minutes to tell your brain you are full, so eating mindfully supports developing awareness of when we have eaten enough.
Food brings people together – it is surrounded by rich traditions of family and community gatherings. Mindful eating invites us to enjoy a meal with no other task but eating – not television, texting, working – just enjoying a meal in solitude or with others.
Sharing a mindful meal, away from the distractions and busy demands of everyday life, creates a space for kids and families to be present not only with their food, but with each other as well.
Eating mindfully is an invitation to slow down from everyday life's busyness and savour the moment by savouring our food.
Kids are constantly bombarded with attention from video games to fast-paced commercials, leaving their minds jumping from one thing to the next. Mindful eating provides a fun and engaging way to focus on and explore one thing at a time, thus building their attention span.
Kids are surrounded by unhealthy food and manipulative marketing that encourages their consumption. Mindful eating is a way to support children to learn to develop awareness of how they feel during and after eating, which supports them in making healthier food choices
Eating mindfully nurtures children’s natural curiosity by creating a moment for them to reflect on both familiar and novel foods with a beginner’s mind.
Mindful eating can support families with a picky eater by inviting a curiosity about new foods with a playful, light sense of adventure, rather than automatically assuming the food won't be liked.

Benefits of mindful eating

It helps with digestive issues

Taking the time to chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly can significantly improve digestion. It's a simple yet effective step toward better gut health.

It helps treat eating disorders and develops a good food relationship

By breaking free from the cycle of dieting and guilt around food, mindful eating may help foster a more positive, compassionate relationship with both food and your body. When you choose to eat mindfully, you permit yourself to savour all the flavours, textures, and aromas of your food. Food becomes a source of pleasure rather than just another part of your day.

It helps you differentiate between physical and emotional hunger