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Mindful eating
Slow down one snack or meal and notice it with your senses.
Use any food you have, like a piece of fruit or toast. This is about noticing, not dieting or rules. If food is a hard topic for you, skip this one and talk to your GP.
Step by step
Look (30 seconds)
look at the food for a moment. Colour, shape, texture.
Smell (30 seconds)
bring it close and notice the smell.
Small bite (60 seconds)
take a small bite and chew slowly. Notice the taste change.
Check in (45 seconds)
pause between bites. How does your belly feel?
Where this comes from
Mindful eating grew out of the wider practice of mindfulness, which is centuries old and found in many traditions. Thich Nhat Hanh and Lilian Cheung wrote about it in the book Savor, which Harvard's Nutrition Source draws on.
Why it can help
Harvard's Nutrition Source says mindful eating means using your senses to notice your food, without judging yourself. Some studies link it with slower eating and less emotional eating, though the research is mixed. Healthdirect notes that what we eat and drink can affect how we feel. It isn't a diet or a treatment for an eating disorder.
For any health concern, talk to your GP or a doctor. HomeCircle is support, not medical care.
