Extracted from an article by: Dawn Earnesty, Michigan State University Extension and Alea Carlson,
Central Michigan University Dietetics student - April 20, 2016
Mindful Eating
Here is a mindfulness activity from SMArt Kids Practice Mindful Eating:
In this activity, we will have the kids act like a scientist and use all of their senses to investigate their food. This activity is great to have them slow down and take notice of every part of the experience.
Enjoy a snack; Have a few different kinds of apples to choose from.
- Look - what colors and shapes do you see?
- Listen - does your food make a sound?
- Touch - is it smooth, bumpy, or rough?
- Smell - what does your food smell like?
- Taste - have them put the food on their tongue but don’t let them chew it just yet. Notice how it feels in your mouth. Do you taste anything yet? Start to chew, does the flavor change? How many different flavors are there?
Tips to increase your child’s awareness when eating:
- Have them take a deep breath or take a second to be thankful for their meal before eating.
- Ask them how hungry they are before a meal.
- Allow them to serve themselves, this will allow them to become familiar with appropriate serving sizes.
- Eat without distractions such as the television or computer. Have them put down their fork in between bites.
- Wait 15 minutes after eating to decide if they are still hungry for seconds (it takes about 15 minutes for your brain to register if you’re full or not).
- Allow enough time to eat.
- Grow your own garden and let them be a part of that experience.
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension
