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(More nutritious) snacking is well and truly finding its way into our daily lives. People are looking for more nutritious, more responsible snacks that support their personal goals. These goals often go hand in hand with finding balance in life. You might not have thought about it before, but snacking can actually contribute to a moment of calm and mindfulness.
Time for mindful snacking, then….
What is mindful snacking?
These days, the focus is often on what we eat, and not enough on truly enjoying what we eat. Mindful snacking is an approach to eating with intention and attention. It's about being aware of what you want to eat, why you're eating, and how it makes you feel.
The benefits of mindful snacking
Mindful snacking brings your focus to the present and helps you fully enjoy your snack moment. It's a natural extension of mindfulness, giving you a good feeling and a more balanced lifestyle. Anyone can do it, pretty much any time of day.
On top of that:
- You enjoy what you eat more
- You make more conscious choices about what you eat
- You become more aware of the right portion size
- It reduces stress, boosts your mood, sharpens your focus...
We'll help you get started!
How do you get started with mindful snacking?
1. Eat in portions
When you have just a portion of snacks in front of you, you naturally pay more attention to what you have and enjoy it more. You're not constantly wondering "when should I stop eating", because you've already set yourself a clear limit. You can just enjoy! 😍 So decide in advance what and how much you'll eat.
2. Keep distractions to a minimum
Have you noticed that you eat a lot more, without even realising it, in front of a screen? Avoid snacking at the computer or while scrolling on your phone. It stops you from truly enjoying your snack, and it's not really a proper break either.
3. Focus on smell, taste, texture, colour...
This might sound odd, but it works! When you're aware of the taste, smell, texture, colour... you enjoy your snack moment even more. Research shows that in most cases, we're not even aware of these qualities anymore. So use your snack moment to consciously enjoy with all your senses, and take a moment to notice how it makes you feel.
4. Chew slowly
Enjoy your snack! When we're busy working and want to eat something quickly, we usually gobble it down in one fast bite, so our body doesn't even register that we've just eaten. So take your time, savour the flavours, and chew your snack thoroughly.
5. Pause after every bite
Take regular pauses while snacking. Our brains are usually already thinking about the next bite before we've even swallowed the first one. That's why it's a great idea to pause regularly.
Voilà! Now you can truly enjoy your snacks and turn your snack moment into a moment of calm and meditation. Which of these tips will you definitely try during your next snack moment? Let us know in the comments below.
Enjoy your snacks and the snacking moment!