67° and Cloudy
Image
When I began sharing the My Mindful Kitchen method with the world, it was because I saw what it could do for anyone interested in how their food choices affect the world around them. There are a lot of things I love about this movement, but first and foremost, I love that it’s truly accessible to everyone.
Often, I don’t even have to explain the method to pique someone’s curiosity – the benefits alone are enough.
"Money saved at the grocery store."
"Reclaiming hours in your week because your kitchen is more organized, and you have intentionally planned mealtime making it less stressful."
“A sense of well-being because your food choices are more aligned with your values.”
“Being a good role model for your children by living with a feeling of respect, gratitude, and happiness for the abundance of food we are graced with.”
Who could pass that up? I know, I know – I feel it too, and so do the hundreds of people I’ve brought the MMK Method to so far. But eventually, no matter how great the benefits seem, the more practical questions arise:
What is being a Mindful Foodie all about, anyway?
So today, I want to share with you four things that all Mindful Foodies have in common – which, of course, means they’re things that you can look forward to, as part of our Mindful Foodie community.
Mindful Awareness
Awareness is the core of mindfulness – in fact, one of the most common definitions of mindfulness is awareness of the present moment. Mindful Foodies have practiced the ability to be aware of each moment, and to fully appreciate the present, rather than dwell in the past or anticipate the future.
Imagine you’re able to fully acknowledge and appreciate each moment: the crunch of a fresh vegetable, the sound of your children’s laughter as they learn a new skill in the kitchen, the feeling of confidence as you leave a grocery store knowing you’ve purchased only what you’ll use in the coming weeks. How much more joy might you experience in the kitchen? How much easier might it be to savor each bite?
Introspection
Everything I just described above might be pretty different from what you’re used to experiencing in the kitchen, the grocery store, or a restaurant. If we’re used to hustle, bustle, and trying to squeeze too much stuff into not enough time, then of course that’s what we’ll expect.
A Mindful Foodie has learned to ask themselves: is there a different way to do this? Asking this question encourages exploration and creativity – which means more innovation and problem-solving! And, as a bonus, we feel confidence and self-assurance as we experiment.
Perhaps that looks like taking a deep breath and reminding yourself of how enjoyable it can be to be in the kitchen with your children. Perhaps it might zoom out, to question even the norms we were raised with and wonder whether there might be a way of shopping and eating that’s better for the health of the planet, like reducing food waste or shopping local. A Mindful Foodie isn’t afraid to ask these questions and shape their habits around the answers… and they reap those benefits of creativity, confidence, and innovation as they do so.
Emotional Balance
Let’s face it: for many of us, food is a loaded concept. We might have emotional attachments or negative associations with food, or we might panic at even the idea of checking our grocery budget for the month. Making dinner at the end of a long workday might send us into a spiral that truthfully has nothing to do with cooking, and everything to do with overtiredness.
Whatever our struggles, a Mindful Foodie cultivates emotional regulation and strives to foster a balanced and positive relationship with shopping, preparing, and eating food.
(By the way… part of this emotional balance means remembering that above all, mindfulness is about awareness, not about perfection!)
Intentionality
Finally, a Mindful Foodie is deeply aware of their inner values, and strives to make choices that consistently align with these values. Each decision they make reflects their values and beliefs regarding health, sustainability, and ethical consumption.
You’re probably starting to see how these traits reinforce each other! A Mindful Foodie’s drive to question existing beliefs means that they’re thinking often about how to craft more conscious choices… and the joy we derive from making choices aligned with our values contributes to a feeling of inner peace and emotional stability.
Ultimately, this is why I say that the MMK Method brings joy into your kitchen… and I want you to experience that joy and connection, too! Many of our followers tell me that following the MMK method feels natural, and like it almost happens “automagically”… and that’s because the “magic” here is that it’s all based on habits you build.
So how do you start building these habits and make this “second nature”? Just by following MMK, and taking to heart the tips in our newsletter, you can start calling yourself a 'Mindful Foodie,' and that alone can set you on our path. So, can I start calling you a Mindful Foodie? Can you?
