mastering the happy meal (no, not the mcdonald's kind!)

Recently, we realized that our talent for multitasking had started to cramp our eating style. We found ourselves munching away while talking on the phone, watching TV and checking our emails. Although we love our electronics (what would we do if we couldn’t Google the nearest happy hour?), it was compromising the experience of eating. We made a few tweaks, and noticed a huge change in our eating habits and attitude towards meals and cooking. We would love for you to try it as well, and let us know your results! 

We challenge you to put down your iPhone, iPad, laptop and Kindle, turn off the TV, and tune in to eating. Choose one meal this week to sit down and enjoy the sheer pleasure of eating without electronic distractions. Dine alone or with family and friends. Concentrate on the food and conversation… not work email, TMZ or the latest episode of House of Cards. (But then definitely check out House of Cards… can we talk about how amazing that show is???)

In addition to temporarily parting with your electronics, we have a few tips to master the happy meal:

1.      Try a new recipe

A good way to engage your senses and be truly present while eating is to try a new recipe. Many times, we keep about three to five of the same dishes in our meal rotation. While it’s great to have a handful of tried and true dishes, it’s important to keep your taste buds guessing! Pick out a recipe this week that you’ve never tried. When you sit down (yes, sit down!) to taste your meal, take the time to try to identify each of the ingredients. Evaluate what you like about it and what you might change next time. Enjoy the process of cooking, not just the result!

2.      Embrace the art of food presentation

Presentation is one of the most underrated elements when it comes to meals at home. We'll put on a good show for our guests, but tend to fall down on the job for ourselves. Yes, we know it's easier to plop the food on the plate or just pull out a fork and eat straight from the pan (don’t act like you’ve never done it), but you will be amazed how your mind responds to the extra effort. Try to add in a couple happy touches to your next meal, like serving it on nice dishes and using cloth napkins. Add in candles, music and a little mood lighting (all hail the dimmer switch!) Bottom line: Give your food the respect it deserves. 

Here we are giving our tostada the respect it deserves.

3.      Choose quality over quantity

If you seek quality as opposed to quantity, you will end up enjoying foods more and needing less to feel content. This is a plus on many levels, whether it be maintaining your happy weight or reducing your carbon footprint. We enjoy picking up fresh fruits and veggies from our local farmers' markets. An advantage of buying from a farmers' market is that you’re getting foods that are in season. Get this, Happy Ladies… they have strawberries that actually SMELL like strawberries. And tomatoes that TASTE like tomatoes. We know, mind blowing, right? These intense aromas and flavors are absolutely necessary in order to feel satisfied. Note: Don’t be fooled Happy Ladies. High prices do not reflect quality. We have found some of our favorite wines at Trader Joe’s for under $10 and mouthwatering produce at the farmer’s market for less than you would pay at a discount grocery store. Also, remember to always read the ingredients on packages to ensure that the high “quality” or "all natural" labeling is not marketing fluff.

Favorites from our local farmers' market stand.

These are just suggestions to help you think about eating in a more positive, healthy way. There may be some things that don’t work for you… that’s ok! Play around with it until you find what’s right for you. The most important thing is to find balance, not overwhelm yourself with rules.

We want to hear from you! Leave your favorite "happy meal" tips in the comments section below.

And when you sit down for your next Happy Meal be sure to take a picture of your table before you sit down to eat, post it on Instagram, and tag it #youhadmeathappymeal !