Children Mindful eating, understanding their relationship with food

Mindful eating and understanding your relationship with food, as a parent

Considering eating food is one critical action we do from our baby days until we die, it is something we cannot get away from. 
We desire our children to have healthy relationships with food and eat healthy and this is an admirable goal. However, what I always encourage my families to do is to ask some critical questions around their relationship with food. 

Here are some keen questions to explore? 

1. Do you see food as a burden or a pleasure?
2. What are some happy childhood memories you have about your food and eating growing up
    -what are common factors linking these memories 
    - what foods were part of these memories 
3. What are some unhappy memories you have about your food and eating growing up
    -what are common factors linking these memories 
    -what foods were part of these memories 
4. Were you ever labelled as a picky eater growing up
5. Are there any foods or food groups you avoid all together 
6. What food or eating habits that you have would you like to pass onto your child 
7. What food or eating habits that you have would you not want to pass onto your child

Remember children learn by watching and observing consistent food habits and creating happy food memories around food will allow your child to look forward to eating.

Before you teach your child how to be a mindful eater you need to practice it as well.

Mindful eating is a mindfulness practice that helps children develop a deeper connection with food and begin to create lifelong, healthy habits. It encourages children to focus on the present – noticing thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. Connecting this with the food that fuels our bodies helps children to recognize feelings of hunger and fullness, slow down when eating, better digest and fully enjoy snacks or meals!

Encourage children to use the 5 senses and practice small “mindful bites”.

Now that children have a general understanding about what it means to practice mindfulness, have them experience their food in a new way. Encourage children to remain present and in the moment by drawing upon their five senses to take small, intention bites.

• See: What do you notice? What colour is it? What shape is it? What stands out?
• Feel: When you hold it in your hand, what does it feel like? Is it soft or hard? Squishy or rough?
• Hear: Does it make any sounds? What about if you squeeze it between your fingers? (You can also revisit sound during taste)
• Smell: How would you describe the smell?

Invite children to close their eyes as they explore taste.

• Taste: Put the food in your mouth. Before you chew, what is the first thing you taste? Is sweet or salty? Sour or savoury? As you start to chew, chew slowly and before you swallow, think about the change in flavour, texture, and sounds. Does it change the longer you chew?
  
  

Explore the mind-body connection.

Mindful eating is more than just a few mindful bites. Encourage children to slow down while they eat and begin to understand the mind-body connection a little bit more. All foods carry different nutrients and vitamins – designed to support our growth and keep us healthy and strong. These different compounds can influence the way we feel, including our energy levels that fuel us for the day. Invite students to dive deeper and think about where their food comes from – appreciating the process of growing that one apple or the baking of that slice of bread, the nutrients it contains and what fuels them the most to play and learn.

Mindful eating can be practiced during snack time, lunch or at home with families. Creating a deeper connection to food can support the development of healthy habits and a positive relationship with food and nutrition.

Mindful eating slows down meal or snack time. It helps children begin to recognize when their bellies feel full or if they are “out of fuel” when running around outside. Encourage children to listen to their tummies and aim to try new things by adding more colours (and nutrients) to their plate.

Thoroughly chew food.

Kids should chew all food thoroughly and put their fork down between bites. Chewing leads to food-related gratification, which may prevent your child from eating too much.

Teach kids the "S-S-S Model."

Follow the S-S-S Model for mindful eating: Encourage kids to SIT down while they eat, SLOW down, and SAVOR their food. Too often, kids run around and get distracted during meals. This model teaches them to pay attention to what they are ingesting, which breaks the body out of autopilot mode (scoop food, eat it, repeat)