DeStress Monday at School

For Teachers/For the Classroom

Try this practice on your own and then teach it to your students with the help of the instructive video below.

Eating is something we do every day. Sometimes we pay more attention to what we are eating and sometimes we hardly even notice it at all. Mindful eating means paying more attention to the experience of eating our food. Often, when we eat mindfully, the food tastes better and it is a more enjoyable experience. You can try it with any meal or snack, any time you are eating. It is simply about paying more attention to your eating, as illustrated in the following video.

To do the practice without the video, follow these instructions:

• At your next meal, try eating more mindfully.
• Sit down to eat in a location where you have minimal distractions.
• Think about what it took to produce the meal, from farm to plate, and appreciate the food in front of you.
• Take a deep breath to fill your nose with its aroma and take a closer look at your food, focusing on the colors and textures.
• Place a bite in your mouth and chew slowly, paying attention to the flavors, temperature, and sensations of the food.
• Swallow the food and notice how it feels traveling down your throat and how the rest of your body feels.
• Repeat this process with every bite and notice how happy and satisfied you are when you’re finished.