Since these days most of us are still stuck at home, we are eating in more than we have ever before. For some people, this has helped them save money as they aren’t spending as much on takeouts. For others, however, the overall cost of groceries still adds up, now more than ever. Nevertheless, more people are cooking, and the novelty of it — a chore that may have been dreadful before — can now become a new hobby. This is especially the case for those of us working from home, or unfortunately, have been laid off. As a result, this new activity is an art form one can indulge in more often. What’s more, we can consider the act of cooking a type of mindfulness, making the product itself that more important. Hence, eating slowly, thoughtfully, and with intention is essential — called mindful eating.
Mindful eating, just like mindful breathing, requires a person’s full attention.
It asks the eater to take the time to explore every single step of the process — from the moment when a piece of food touches the tip of the tongue to your taste buds expanding to the food’s corresponding flavors. For me, the texture is one of the most important components that a cuisine carries. Runny yolks, raw fish, and everything in between allow you to experience the world from the comforts of your own house.
When I bite into a cookie (ideally, straight out of the oven, melting in my mouth, for example, I not only feel the softness, but I can also taste it.
There is a dance of the sweet richness overtaking the mouth along with the mind’s request for more. Mindful eating has taught me to be patient. It taught me to be grateful for the mere seconds before eating, the moment right before the food is ready, and for finally consuming the final product. I think about the process of growing the food ingredients, how, unfortunately, everything has to grow super quickly and in abundance through unnatural practices. That’s the way the world keeps up with supply. I think about our society’s impatience, and I try to resist it through my own mindfulness practice.
I sit, I eat, I discover. For those who are fortunate enough to eat a sufficient amount of food each day, food can become a habit or a standard part of their day — one that we have to get through quickly and get back to our work-from-home tasks. So to combat that, I thank the ones who taught me to appreciate and the gift of food — for me, that’s my mother, my culture. Mindful eating is a way of bringing people together, and this practice should be more common around the world, especially now. In times where the world is requiring us to take more notice of the disruptions instead of avoiding them, we should adapt and appreciate these too.
Thanks for information provided regarding our eating habits and food.