MINDFUL EATING
Students Develop a Deeper Connection With Food
We’ve developed a variety of techniques that will deepen our student’s appreciation of food at the sensory level, and have seen even the most resistant hard liners become open to trying new things.
Children often favor a limited range of foods, and frequently prefer the salty and sweet flavors in processed food to fresh. It’s all too easy for them to chomp mindlessly in front of the television or view meals as something to be rushed through. Without a change in perspective their attitude to food can remain fixed and limited into adulthood.
Students will learn to:
See how food appeals to our five primary senses
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami
By thinking deeply about the ways our experience of taste can be categorized, students learn to expand their appreciation of flavor and engage their curiosity about food.
In every lesson, we appeal to a student’s sense of taste, sound, smell and sight. We bring attention to sensory experiences like the smell of turmeric and cinnamon cooking in a curry, the way ginger and garlic complement a noodle dish, how basil tastes in warm olive oil and much more. We want our students to think creatively about ways to combine flavors, colors and textures. We also talk about the importance of presenting the food so it looks appetizing as well as tasting good.
Go beyond “yucky” or “yummy”
Children often have a knee jerk negative reaction to trying new foods. One of the ways we awaken new taste buds is by extending their tasting vocabulary. Students learn to describe flavors with words like ‘nutty’, ‘citrusy’, and ‘woody’. This encourages them to be curious about the subtleties of different flavors and to be more open to trying them.
Differentiate between a craving and a hunger pang
This remains a little known life skill. Learning to know if that ‘time to eat’ message is actual hunger or just a need to put something mindlessly into our mouth, helps us to make informed decisions about what to eat next. All too often our need to snack is actually a need for nutrients fueled by eating too many empty calories. We encourage students to fill up on nutritious snacks which keep them feeling fuller for longer. This is an especially useful skill to have when food and nutritional insecurity may be an issue. It also helps to keep weight off and optimize health.
Explore new foods
We give students a repertoire of new phrases such as, ‘What I don’t like about that is…’ and ‘How it looks and tastes might be different.’ A constructive inner monologue is an effective psychological tool for helping to break down the primary negative response to trying new tastes. We want students to really think about why they do and don’t like certain foods.
Be happy eating together
The experience of eating is greatly enhanced when food is presented well and served in a welcoming environment. We encourage students to create a pleasant ambiance for eating at home, and emphasize how preparing and eating a meal is an opportunity for positive interaction and celebration with those close to us. Students also learn first hand how helping to clean up afterwards makes the process quicker and easier for everyone involved.
Studies show that there are significant nutritional benefits tied to family dinners. Kids typically get more nutrients during a meal eaten at home and less salt, sugar and fat compared to when they eat out or are allowed to snack whenever they want.
On The Run: How Families Struggle To Eat Well And Exercise, NPR