Mindful eating may feel trendy, but researchers are finding more and more evidence that mindfulness around food can improve health and increase mealtime enjoying. Using a bento box with divided compartments is one simple, highly effective way to increase your mealtime mindfulness.Become present: Mindful eating includes bringing our attention to now-here (as opposed to it being no-where). The visual stimuli of a beautifully laid out bento box helps us get interested in the meal in front of us to pay attention to each bite, rather than zone out or look for distraction.Use all your senses: Tuning into the colors, crunch, texture, aroma and temperature of food helps us connect more deeply with the nourishment entering our body. Bento boxes intrinsically display food in a stimulating way. This supports discovery and interest in paying attention to the sensory details of each item. Our sense-based curiosity keeps our mind tethered to our mealtime experience, rather than wandering to an easy diversion.Savor: Thorough chewing and pausing between bites helps us slow down, enjoy, and digest our meal. Bento compartment dividers can act as little stop signs to support this, rather than zooming through.Tune into hunger and fullness cues: Bento boxes with multiple compartments have built-in portion management and prompt eating a variety of foods. Slowing down to enjoy smaller portions of a balanced array of healthy items can increase satiety. We can actually begin to notice our hunger diminish as we digest.Awaken appreciation: Opening a bento box is like a receiving a present! The recipient can feel (and taste!) the love behind the beautiful meal. Over time this appreciation for the maker, even if it is yourself, can begin to extend to the many hands that go into providing every meal.