The Power of Pause: Helping Kids Eat Mindfully

First published April 2016
Updated February 2026

We have all been there. Maybe you missed a snack or lunch, maybe you just got really hungry. You sat down to eat and before you knew it, you finished your plate and got seconds, maybe even thirds. Then it hit... that uncomfortably full feeling and you’re regretting your decision to eat so quickly. Both adults and kids can struggle with eating too fast. Learning strategies to help slow down can help not only prevent being uncomfortably full but also support our overall health and weight.

Mindful eating can be thought of as an umbrella term that describes different tools and strategies to help us be engaged and thoughtful during our meals and snacks. It helps us slow down, identify when our bodies feel full, prevent overeating, and increases our enjoyment of food.

Use your 5 senses while you eat:

• Eyes: What colors do you see on your plate?
• Nose: What smells do you notice?
• Hands: How does the food feel: smooth, crunchy, or soft?
• Ears: Does it make a sound when you bite it?
• Tongue: What flavors can you taste: sweet, salty, or sour?

It takes about 15 minutes from the start of eating for our gut to send a satiety signal to the brain. This signal helps your body recognize that it is full so that you stop eating before you “overdo it” and wind up feeling stuffed. In our rushed and sometimes over-booked lives, meals can be consumed in a matter of minutes, falling well under the 15-minute time frame needed to allow our bodies to know when we have had enough.

There are many ways to slow down and engage in mindful eating at home. Here are a few tips for your family to try:

• Put down your utensils between each bite
• Colorful Plate Challenge: At your next meal, try to eat three different colors of food. What colors did you choose? Which one was your favorite?
• Eat family meals together at the table, talk about your favorite part of the meal with your family
• Avoid eating in front of the TV, tablet, or with any phones or devices.
• 20-minute rule: no second helpings for at least 20 minutes after your first serving
• Slow Bite Race: See who can eat their food the slowest! Count your chews to see who wins.
• Sip water between each bite of food

When you slow down the pace of eating, meals become more enjoyable and more satisfying. Learning to eat slowly might be one of the most important nutrition lessons that you can teach your child!

Find out more about the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition, here.