How often do you scarf down a quick meal on the run? How often do you skip a meal only to be starved later because you are FAMISHED! How many times do you unconsciously put handful after handful of snack into your mouth until the bag is gone and you're asking yourself "Hey, who ate all the ___?" So, I am doing an experiment today. Today is all about being in the moment with my food.

I spent some time this morning assessing what food would be most satisfying as I got ready to eat. First question: Am I hungry? Check with stomach...Stomach says yes, time for fuel. Okay now, do I want crunchy or creamy? Do I want cold or hot? How about sweet or salty? What is going to not only nourish my body, but satisfy my tastes while not being overly indulgent, but not feeling like a sacrifice?

No, I do NOT have the time to think like this often, but with a supremely flexible schedule today, I wanted to try this experiment of being "In the Moment" with EVERY food choice I make today! So, what did I end up with? A meatball sub!

I thawed out the sub roll and popped it in the toaster oven. (Bob Evans makes them at only 140 calories for a full roll instead of the 250 that some italian subs can have). I portioned out 5 Aldi brand frozen turkey meatballs (not 6 as the serving size calls for, but 5 as I know this is all I need to fill the roll, shaving a few calories more from this healthy choice). I microwaved those as the sub roll toasted and proceeded to measure out 1/4 cup fat free mozarella and 1/4 cup pasta sauce. I cut the meatballs in half and laid them on the toasted bun, covered them with sauce and sprinkled on the mozza, then microwaved the whole thing for another 30 seconds while I had a nice tall glass of fresh cold water.

So my sandwich is ready (on a salad plate, so it fills the entire plate). I cut it in 1/2 and dig in. I'm sitting, not standing. I'm at a table, not in front of the TV. I am alternately looking out the window at the snow falling and then at my 1/2 sandwich in my hand. I take a bite. The sauce drips down my finger, warm and rich. I can taste the crispy outside of the roll in contrast to the chewy inside. I can taste the tanginess of the sauce, mixed with the creaminess and stringiness of the cheese, I can taste the texture and heft that the meatballs bring to the sandwich with their substance. I set the sandwich down and chew, slowly, and completely, clean my mouth with a sip of water and start again.

This may be the most boring blog you've ever read, but if you haven't taken the opportunity recently to be "In the Moment" with your food, you may find the same eye-opening experience that I refreshed myself with again this morning. From the start of the first 1/2 of the sandwich, it was delicious to see the difference in texture and feel my belly start to register the nutrients. The second half of the sandwich roll had gotten crispier and darkened up at the ends bringing a subtle new dimension and taste to the last of the sandwich.

I originally planned on having a little salad with some light italian dressing as a side dish, but I gotta say, that sandwich was SO absolutely satisfying and fulfilling, (because I was COMPLETELY AWARE of eating every bite of it) I was not only pleasantly full, but REALLY tuned in to the fact that my hunger had been satisfied and I didn't need the salad. So, I'll save it for a snack, or to go with dinner.

Dinner, Hmmm.... What do I want for dinner? I am so satiated right now, I don't even want to think about it! How cool is that? Not wanting to think about food!!! I plan on going through this process again for dinner, and any snacks today. You get the idea... So go be "In the Moment" with your next meal and see if you don't walk away with a completely new eating experience!