How to eat mindfully, with kids

We are what we eat. It’s believable, verifiable, questionable.

Food is oftentimes at the core of our pleasures, pains and … wallets. It’s our number one go-to, our enemy, our comforter and necessity. Life would not be what it is without it. Yet, there is so much to consider when we chose and buy food. Things can get a little complicated. Yet none of this changes the fact that we have to eat.

There’s a simple how-to method to saving energy, time and even money. By focusing in more on how to eat, we are free to worry less about the brand and give more thought to the process. Most of us may be surprised to learn that we can shop almost anywhere and still make healthy choices. What a relief! For families especially, there’s a sense of liberation in knowing that eating well does not have to break the bank.

In Dr. Oz’s Time Magazine (Dec. 3, What to Eat Now), he dispels the myth about the way to shop and eat. “The rise of foodie culture over the past decade has venerated all things small-batch, local-farm and organic–all with premium price tags.” He’s been in hot water over his anti-food snob stance, but it does seem like a more inclusive way to approach healthy eating. After all, health is not just about expensive food.

When we eat with our whole being, it becomes more about what we do with food and how we relate to it. To get the most out of any food, regardless of whether it comes from a can, the freezer section, the farmer’s market, the produce aisle or the backyard, directing our thoughts can do wonders.

“As with any relationship that flourishes, respect is at the core of how you get along with food- respect and keeping things simple” (Dr. Oz.). And busy families know that simple goes a long way. One of the most superior forms of nutrition comes from gratitude. By controlling what we can, versus what we can’t, we search less and discover the perfect food. Perfect food is food that is respected, nurtured and aligned with our thoughts and intentions. This can holistically change and redefine our relationship with food.

Here are a few tips in finding and choosing quality affordable food anywhere you shop:

 

• Explore your neighborhood stores: You might be surprised at what you will find at Dollar General, Family Dollar, HMart, in your local pharmacy or in the seasonal/dollar section of some grocery store chains.

 

• Spend some time reading labels.

 

• Compare ingredients and cost.

 

• Give generic brands a second look.

 

• Pay attention to coupons, circulars and sales.

 

• Contemplate while you cook.

 

• Bless your food.

 

• Be mindful when you eat.

Visit these links to learn more about mindful eating, contemplative practices and what to eat now:

http://earthselementshealingfoods.com/2011/12/04/119/

 

http://www.tcme.org/

 

Mehmet, Oz. (December 3, 2012). What to Eat Now: The Anti-Food Snob Diet. Time Magazine. (Pgs 29-40).

 

Northwest Philly families is a partnership between Newsworks and Germantown Avenue Parents.