For some reason, I’ve become a slow eater. I’ve never been a particularly fast one, but recently I’ve noticed that I’m really slow. When Eric and I eat identically sized servings, for example, I often have a third or even half of my portion still on my plate, when he has finished. And it’s not because Eric’s a fast eater – I’ve noticed the same thing in company with other people as well.

At home it doesn’t really matter that much. But it’s almost becoming a problem when I eat in company. When I’ve had lunch with people at work, for example, I’ve started buying myself a smallish lunch and added a dessert that I’ve eaten afterwards at my desk. Even so, everyone has usually finished their huge plates of meat and veg, and I’m still sipping on my soup. I have also started to pay more attention to when I talk – I try to keep my contributions to the conversation between courses and let others talk when there is food on the table, in order to have a chance to keep up. Not that it really works, though.

I don’t really know why this has happened… I don’t like my food very hot, so I’m slightly slower to start. I like to drink quite a lot with my meals. But this doesn’t seem sufficient to explain such a huge difference. Do I chew longer? Have a smaller mouth? Don’t know.

On the positive side, slow eating is supposed to be good for you – “the secret of longevity” and all that. And it gives me more time to enjoy my food, because I do enjoy eating.