Retreat

What Is Mindful Eating?

October 2, 2026

A moss garden with a stone water basin at Kennin-ji temple

Mindful eating means paying attention to the taste, smell, texture and sound of your food and eating slowly.

A small white cup filled with green tea
A small white cup filled with green tea. Photo: Douglas P Perkins / CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
  1. Put your phone away.
  2. Notice the look and aroma first.
  3. Chew slowly and taste each bite.
  4. Finish the bite before taking the next.

This is an invitation, not a medical claim.

Overhead view of miso soup with tofu in a red bowl
A bowl of miso soup with tofu, served in a red bowl. Photo: Douglas Perkins / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons

Cover image: A quiet garden at Kennin-ji, a Zen temple in Kyoto. Photo: Koichi Oda / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Meditation