Five Senses Snack: A Mindful Eating Chart
published August 9, 2015
photo by Daria Yakovleva for Pixabay
by Catharine Hannay, founder of MindfulTeachers.org
Have you ever eaten a favorite snack while reading? Watching TV? Checking messages on your phone? Doing or correcting homework?
How did it taste? Did you even notice?
Remember: It isn't a treat if you're not enjoying it.
This chart can help you truly appreciate what you're eating by slowing down and noticing not just the flavor but also the texture, scent, color, and even sound.
A note to teachers: If you'd like to try this with your class, be sure to choose your snack carefully and think through what type of preparation you might need to do ahead of time. I know a teacher who was very excited to share seasonal fruit, so she asked her kindergartners to each bring a sharp knife to class! You probably wouldn't do that, but you could have students with unusual allergies or work at a school with a strict food policy.
Update 12/10/19: Here's the link to a printable Five Senses Snack Chart.
There are many more resources here at MindfulTeachers.org on the five senses and on practicing and teaching mindfulness, including the following posts: