Eating slowly

Eating slowly. This track is for the first few mouthfuls of a meal. Eyes stay open. You need food in front of you, and a spoon or your hand, whichever you eat with. The rest of the meal can go at your usual speed. Only the start is slow. Sit down with the food. Put the phone away from the plate.

Before the first bite, look at the food. The colours. The steam, if there is any.

Smell it.

Now take the first mouthful, and put the spoon down. Hand off the spoon, on the table.

Chew slowly. Notice the taste as it changes. Salt, sweet, sour, spice. Hot or cool. Soft or crisp.

Swallow, and wait a moment before the next one. Notice the pull to reach for the spoon straight away.

Second mouthful. Spoon down again.

Chew. Taste. There is no hurry. The food is not going anywhere.

Swallow. Pause.

Third mouthful. Spoon down.

This time notice the body. Is there hunger? Where do you feel it? Is it already a little less?

Swallow, and pause.

Two or three more like this, at your own pace. Spoon down between each one.

Many people eat a whole meal without tasting much of it, because the mind is somewhere else. A few slow mouthfuls at the start can change the pace of the rest, even if you do not try.

Now eat the rest of the meal however you like. If you want, put the spoon down once or twice more along the way.