Where Did My Food Come From?

By Jonathan “Quiggy” Quigg

Bringing mindfulness into our mealtime can increase our appreciation for food, how much we enjoy our meal, how satisfied we feel after and even how good the food tastes while we are eating it.

One simple game we can play is to ask the question: “Where did my food come from?” You can either discuss the answer out loud, in your head or take a moment to visualize before you take your first bite, or while you are chowing down.

Go back to the source. Think of all the people that worked to get that food to your plate. The farmers who grew the crops or raised the animals. Imagine the early, long days it took to grow a seed into a full-fledged plant, fruit, vegetable, grain, etc. It didn’t happen overnight, that’s for sure. Maybe the oil was made in a factory with big machines that pressed ingredients into cook-able form. How were all the ingredients transported? Who drove the trucks, boats, planes? Who worked in the kitchen to prepare the meal and turn raw ingredients into the delicious meal sitting in front of you? Use your imagination! Be curious about how your food got onto your plate, because it didn’t just magically appear (and if it did – how?!).

When we connect with the journey our food took to get to us, and appreciate the humans (and animals) who worked hard to prepare it for us, we bring a sense of gratitude into our relationship with food that is energizing. We can feel good before we even take our first bite. And each one will taste a little better as a result.