I recently bought these grapes at the store.  They taste like…grapes!  But it got me thinking…

It’s fascinating to me how much we use (or should use!) all our senses when we eat.  The act of eating is more than just tasting – it’s smelling, touching, seeing and even hearing the food as you buy it, shop for it, prepare it, plate it and finally put it in your mouth.  You are missing SO much of the eating process if you neglect to connect with all your senses – and it can take the place of negative or judgmental thoughts about food. 

I like to call it food meditation and it’s often a therapeutic recommendation I give to help individuals change the way they think and behave around food.  We know that meditation, mindfulness and connecting to the present moment can reduce our emotional suffering, facilitate optimal physiological function and even change the very structure of our brains.  Anyone who struggles with food would want that.  Mindful eating, or food meditation, can do that.  

So try it!  Start with one meal a day to engage all your senses.  Slow down and enjoy.  

It was kind of trippy to eat these grapes and to see and feel a different size and shape for such a familiar flavor.  Also, my kids called them Mike and Ike Grapes 🙂

Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD