Somewhere along the line I lost the joy in eating. Instead of savoring and enjoying, meals have become something to wolf down in front of my computer at work, or the chore to figure out when I come home in the evening.
Growing up, dinner was ALWAYS eaten at the table and all together. We hated that as kids. We wanted to grab whatever we could as we flew by on our way out to play. Family time was B-O-R-I-N-G! Now that I’m an adult I realize my parents had it right.
Because we knew we were stuck (at least until our parents finished eating), we figured we might as well enjoy what we had. I can still remember the color, flavor and smell of some of those dishes. So why is it that I can’t remember what I had for dinner on Tuesday?
I can still close my eyes and picture our old kitchen table, my Dad sitting next to me, and my brother and sister across from me. My parents talked about Dad’s work day, we kids aired our grievances with friends (or each other) and what was going on in school. Very Norman Rockwell…except for when my brother decided to eat the pepper…but we won’t go there.
Now that the crazy rush of the holidays is over, I’ve decided to rediscover the joy in eating. I don’t have to go to a restaurant for nice ambiance and a relaxing meal. I’ll probably still rely on quick fixes most evenings, but here are some of the things that I’ll use to make my meals more memorable…and joyful!- Plan dinner ahead of time (rather than after I’m already home for the evening).
- Stock up on healthy, tasty ingredients.
- Eat at the ‘big’ table, NOT the coffee table.
- Turn off the TV and turn on background music.
- Use real dishes and set the table (it only takes an minute extra).
It won’t take much effort, but the payback will be great.
I’m still working on those ‘in-my-office-in-front-of-my-computer’ lunches. Any suggestions? I’d love to hear from you!
- Renee
Labels: healthy eating, Mind-Body Connection, Renee
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