How to Eat Faster: 8 Tips to Speed Up Mealtime

Introduction

Do you wish you could eat faster? Eating quickly can be beneficial if you’re short on time or trying to keep up with a group, but it’s important to do it safely. This article will explore eight tips that can help you eat faster while still enjoying your food.

Chew Each Bite Thoroughly

The first step to eating faster is to chew each bite thoroughly. A study published in the journal Appetite found that people who took fewer bites and chewed more slowly felt full sooner than those who ate quickly. Chewing your food properly can also help you enjoy the taste of your food more and help prevent digestive issues.

Tips for chewing your food thoroughly include:

• Chew each bite at least 8-12 times before swallowing.
• Put down your fork between bites.
• Focus on the taste and texture of the food.
• Take smaller bites to make it easier to chew.

Cut Your Food Into Smaller Pieces

If you’re having trouble chewing your food thoroughly, you may want to try cutting it into smaller pieces. Doing so makes it easier to chew and swallow, which can help you eat faster without sacrificing digestion. Plus, by cutting your food into smaller pieces, you can better control the size of each bite, which can help you feel fuller faster.

Tips for cutting your food into smaller pieces include:

• Cut your food into bite-sized pieces before you start eating.
• Use a sharp knife to cut your food into small, even pieces.
• Take your time when cutting your food.
• Cut only one piece of food at a time.

Don’t Talk While Eating

Talking while you eat can slow down your eating speed and cause you to take larger bites. According to a study published in the journal Appetite, talking while eating can also reduce your ability to detect the taste of food. Therefore, if you want to eat faster, it’s best to avoid talking while you eat.

Tips for avoiding talking while eating include:

• Set a timer for yourself so you know when to stop talking.
• Focus on the food you’re eating rather than the conversation.
• Encourage others to talk after the meal is finished.
• Take smaller bites so you can focus on both the conversation and the food.

Use Utensils Correctly

Using utensils correctly can also help you eat faster. For example, you should use your fork to move food onto your spoon, rather than switching back and forth between the two. Additionally, you should hold your utensils correctly, with your index finger and thumb on the top of the handle and your other three fingers wrapped around the bottom. This grip gives you more control over the utensil, allowing you to eat faster.

Tips for using utensils correctly include:

• Hold your utensils correctly, as described above.
• Use your fork to move food onto your spoon.
• Stab and scoop foods like peas and mashed potatoes.
• Place your utensils down between bites.

Eat Slower Foods Last

It’s also a good idea to start with the slowest-eating foods first. Foods like rice, noodles, and potatoes take longer to chew and can slow down your eating speed. Therefore, it’s best to save these types of foods for last so that you can finish your meal faster.

Tips for saving the faster-eating foods for last include:

• Start with the quickest-eating foods first, such as vegetables and salads.
• Save the slower-eating foods, like rice, noodles, and potatoes, for last.
• Focus on the taste and texture of the food to help you savor the flavors.
• Take smaller bites to help you finish the slower-eating foods faster.

Drink Water

Finally, drinking water while you eat can help speed up digestion and, therefore, help you eat faster. According to a study published in the journal Nutrition Research, drinking water during a meal can help increase the rate at which food passes through your digestive system. Plus, water can help you feel fuller faster, which can help you eat less overall.

Tips for drinking water while eating include:

• Drink a glass of water before your meal.
• Sip water throughout your meal, rather than guzzling it down all at once.
• Choose sparkling water or flavored water if plain water doesn’t appeal to you.
• Avoid sugary drinks, such as soda, which can slow down digestion.

Conclusion

Eating faster can be beneficial if you’re short on time or trying to keep up with a group. To eat faster while still enjoying your food, it’s important to chew thoroughly, cut your food into smaller pieces, avoid talking while eating, use utensils correctly, eat slower foods last, and drink water. Following these tips can help you speed up mealtime without sacrificing digestion or enjoyment.