I recently supervised a group of two and three year-olds. As I expected, they were an energetic bunch. Having them sit quietly to listen to a three-minute story proved a difficult task. What I wasn’t expecting was the calmness that washed over the room during snack time.

Throughout snack time, the toddlers sat quietly, each in their own chair, and turned their full attention to their snack. They were clearly enjoying their food. They ate slowly and took time to thoroughly chew their food. When they felt full, they stopped eating their snack and began to play – even if they still had food remaining. I assumed that the toddlers who were still eating would speed up when they saw their peers playing, but they didn’t – they continued savoring their food.

As busy adults we sometimes eat so quickly and so mindlessly that we can barely taste our food. I’ve rushed through many meals in my life. I’ve eaten whole meals faster than some of these toddlers ate their snacks. For the most part, I ate fairly healthy food, but the manner in which I was eating it wasn’t healthy, and that changed the whole equation.

When was the last time you had a calm, enjoyable dining experience? Why not make your next dining experience wonderful? The toddlers show us that to have a calm enjoyable dining experience you don’t need to be at a fancy restaurant with mood lighting, relaxing music, and gourmet food. You simply need to sit down, slow down, and focus on what you’re eating.

¡Que aproveche!

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a healthy week.