Mi Mamá me Mima

"My mom pampers me" - Thoughts on family meals and mindful eating.

I currently live in Miami where there are arepa stands and food trucks, tequeño delivery services and more in what feels like every corner. You can find Venezuelan cuisine from Doral to Wynwood to Hollywood, but nothing tastes as good as when it’s served in your table at your home with your loved ones. The sauce seems tangier, the crunch is crisper, the filling more flavorful.

I went back home to Venezuela for a week and got to spend time with my mom in the kitchen, sitting on the counter hearing her complain it might break just like she did when I was younger. My mom is currently working and studying to get her masters in psychology, so breakfast was usually one of dad’s creations (think omelets, gourmet sandwiches and pan con tomatina), and lunch was almost always cooked by mom. It felt great to be cared for and pampered, not gonna lie…

I am so used to having lunch in my office or outside by myself that eating a family meal during the weekday felt foreign. I hadn’t seen my parents in 2 years, so we had a lot of catching up to do, and each meal gave us an opportunity to do just that. We talked and talked as we savored mom’s specialty dish Chilaquiles, scarfed down some beef soup with lime juice, shared empanadas, and chewed on some carne mechada with rice.

It all took me back to when I was younger, where having family meals was the norm.

The importance of family mealtime growing up:

-Can help kids practice their social skills at home and aid in developmental growth

-Are a chance for parents to model table manners

-Are an opportunity to serve, share and teach about new foods

-Help save money!

-Can provide teachable cooking moments through prepping, helping plate meals, and cooperation in the kitchen

-Help us slow down and eat more mindfully

It you’re growing a little family of your own, consider making family mealtime part of your routine, and if you’re an adult like me, go out of your way to prioritize those you love during mealtime as is feasible to you.

Having consistent family meals reminded me of the importance of eating more mindfully. At home I was forced to slow down and chat, I was no longer glued to a screen while I chewed, and I had plenty of time to finish my meals. Mindful eating is a great tool as it aids our digestion, helps us be present, and allows us to be more attune with our hunger and fullness cues.

Mindful eating is a practice where we intentionally pay attention to our senses without judgement while we eat. Someone who eats mindfully acknowledges there is no “right” or “wrong” way to eat, but rather varying degrees of awareness surrounding the experience of food. This practice of awareness goes hand-in-hand with reflection; looking back at what internal and external cues dictated your food choices, the way you ate, or how much you ate helps you better understand your relationship with food.

Here’s a good graphic to keep in your back pocket:

“Am I Hungry?” Mindful Eating Cycle, Michelle May MD; questions adapted from May’s book Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat.

Going through the questions can help increase your awareness of your relationship with food and eating habits.

• “Why do I eat?” Helps us explore external/internal triggers, are you physically hungry? Is stress/boredom/fatigue the reason you’re eating? Are there any smells or visual cues that are triggering your hunger?

• “When do I want to eat?” Is it based on the clock, emotions, or your physical hunger cues?

• “What do I eat?” What’s behind your food choices? Are you plating foods/eating based on visual cues, convenience, taste?

• “How do I eat?” Are you eating rushed, mindful, distracted, or secretive? Exploring the process of eating can be eye-opening!

• “How much do I eat?” Portions and food quantity may be decided by physical fullness cues, package size, or habit.

• “Where does the energy go?” Eating may be invigorating, cause sluggishness, or lead to guilt and shame.

Using these guiding questions or simply starting with “Am I hungry?” helps put a pause between the trigger and yourself, which in turn helps you make more mindful decisions during mealtime.

Here’s a great little exercise for mindful eating you can do at your own time that will help you bring awareness before and during the time you eat.

Remember to use your 5 senses to help you stay present:

What do you see, smell, hear, feel, taste? The more descriptive, the more attuned you are to your body and mind, leading you to have a more enjoyable mealtime and prevent you from eating mindlessly.

Until next time, remember to chew mindfully! :)