Mindful Eating For Children: Why And How To Put It Into Practice – You Are Parents

Babies are born very connected to their internal needs and feelings. They know perfectly well when they are hungry and when they are full. However, as they grow older, we provide them with distractions that cause them to disconnect from this inner radar.

The  mindful eating  thus appears as a proposal to help children recover this ability innate to listen and eat consciously.

Almost all parents have tried to make the baby eat vegetables with the help of games, dances or songs. And many of them have succumbed to the temptation to have their children sit in front of a screen at mealtime.

However, these activities which capture the attention of the child transform the meal into an automatic habit  that is not carried out in the healthiest way.

The  mindful eating  proposes to focus all our attention on the act of eating when we realize, that is to say feeding us with the five senses. There are many benefits, but changing your habits can be complicated. It is therefore important that children learn to do this from their first years of life.

Why implement mindful eating for children?

You might be wondering  why applying  mindful eating  in your children’s lives would be worth it. 

At the end of the day, routines, household chores, and work obligations already leave quite a bit of time like this, and quite often the most practical and well-known option seems to be the most tempting. So why start to apply mindful eating?

The first and most important reason is that  mindful eating  helps children become familiar with their internal sensations. Learning to recognize when they are hungry or not and to identify when they are full is not that easy. Many adults even have a hard time doing it.

However, this is frequently the cause of eating disorders which can have serious consequences on health. With  mindful eating , your children will begin to know when and how much to eat, paying attention to the sensations their bodies are sending them and thus preventing the onset of these disorders.

In addition, mindful eating helps them understand where food comes from and how valuable it is. It increases their environmental awareness and develops their gratitude.

It is also very positive to promote concentration and relaxation,  which prevents states of stress and excessive alteration. Children learn to appreciate flavors and to eat calmly.

How to put mindful eating into practice within the family?

Applying  mindful eating  as a daily habit in the family is not complicated. You just need to change some routines and be persistent. Thus, the main guidelines are as follows:

• When your baby begins to ingest solid foods,  choose natural and respectful practices, such as baby-led weaning . This will help him establish a healthy relationship with food by taking care of himself. In addition, he will begin to know and taste foods at his own pace.
• Avoid distractions at mealtime. No games, phones or TV. The time of the meal is sacred and the attention must be focused on what we eat.

• We always eat as a family and in the same place. You can take advantage of the mealtime to chat and share the experiences of the day. However, if an argument breaks out or negative emotions arise, put off that conversation. Eating with tension in the air is really harmful.
• Involve all the senses. For this, try to cook dishes that surprise just by looking at them. Try flavor combinations and go for variety. Likewise,  it can be very positive to involve children in food preparation.

Conscious eating, conscious living

Once you start putting mindful eating  into practice  in your family life, the results won’t be long in coming.

You will also be able to see that the benefits of this practice go far beyond just feeding themselves as it actually habituates children to being in contact with their internal states. They will also be more aware of their emotions and it will be easier for them to identify and regulate them.

Ultimately, it is a  small effort you can make to improve the quality of life for your children  and prevent future health problems. Try  mindful eating : you won’t regret it!