Mindful Eating

Have you ever been so busy that you ate a full meal without actually tasting it? Everyday we think about food, preparing food, spending money on food, and eating food. But sometimes, our minds are so full that we eat without fully experiencing what is going into our bodies. In this activity, we will explore all of the sensations of eating a piece of dried fruit. We’ll talk about a raisin, but you can try this with any food you’d like. 

Pick up your raisin. You will eat it but not just yet. First explore the raisin with your hands. What does it feel like? Wrinkly? Sticky? Is it heavy or light? Feel the texture of it’s skin and notice it’s temperature. 

After you’ve explored it with touch, start to explore it with your sense of sight. Notice the color- is it even all the way around? Is it shiny or dull? Now see if you can smell your raisin. First, just hold it up to your nose. Then slowly move it away from your nose. How strong is it’s smell? Can you still smell it a foot away? 

Our next sense to explore with, is listening. To listen, hold the raisin up to your ear, and lightly move it in between your fingers. Does it make any sounds?

Now it’s time to use your sense of taste! Go ahead and put the raisin in your mouth. Try not to chew at first. Notice what the raisin feels like on your tongue and if you can taste it without even chewing it. When you are ready, start chewing slowly and notice everything- the taste, the texture, and your thoughts (maybe you can hear more sounds?). When you are finished have another raisin and notice if there is a difference between the two. 

This is a great activity to do for snack time or the beginning of meal time. It will bring more connection between you and your food but also help you slow down around meal time. This also teaches children about their senses and how to use them to find presence in their day. Notice how you begin to fully experience your food and don’t be so surprised when you discover a love for a food you thought you didn’t like. Bon appetit!