A recent trip out to Birchwood Meadows to connect with Local Designer Cory Christopher, really-inspired me to take a more mindful approach to eating with Cela. To explore food in a new way we took a few minutes out of our day to Get Joyfull and try out this mindfulness exercise.
You start by letting your child know they’ll be eating the food (we used chocolate) as if they were trying it for the first time and that you’re going to explore what the food is like using all five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Start by examining the food with your eyes and go from there:
- What do we notice about the way the food looks?
- Does it make any sounds?
- What about the smell? Does it smell like anything else?
- How does the food feel in our hands and in our mouths when we eat it?
- And finally, what does the food taste like?
Some foods that work great for their exercise are chocolate, pretzels, craisins and sourdough bread. Pretending a favourite food is new, or embracing an unfamiliar food with this approach is a great way to build mindfulness and joyfulness at mealtime. Stay tuned for more on mindful eating in the coming weeks, as we learn how to build a sensory garden with Cory Christopher.
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