The 8 Hungers
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Why do you feel hungry?
Practice helping your child recognize different kinds of hunger. Keep track of what kind of hunger you or your child feel right before a meal or snack. Then, look for patterns to see what kinds of foods you eat based on the different kinds of hunger.
The eight kinds of hungers are:
Eye hunger
“That looks really good, I’m full but I still want to eat that.”
TV ads show delicious pictures of food because they know how strong eye hunger can be.
Ear hunger
“Hearing that bag opening makes me want some!”
Nose hunger
“That smell makes me want some, but it’s not even a mealtime.”
Mouth hunger
“I want to eat something sweet! I want to eat something crunchy! I want to eat something cold!”
Our mouths like lots of different sensations, like taste, texture, and temperature.
Stomach hunger
Growling, rumbling, empty or constricted feelings. Pay attention to hunger and fullness. Eat to about 80% full.
Cellular hunger
Thirst is the best example of cellular hunger.
Mind hunger
Mind hunger includes all the thoughts we have about eating. This can be things like having rules about eating (forbidden foods) focusing too much on food labels, calorie counting, or thinking some foods are “good” or “bad.”
Heart hunger
Heart hunger involves eating to soothe emotions such as sadness, loneliness, boredom, or even happiness.
Other factors that can cause hunger
What else is a big factor for you? Pay attention. Check to see if your hunger is actually stomach hunger. If not, try to figure out what kind of hunger it is and satisfy that. Try switching between treats, drinking liquids, smelling food, eating small amounts of food with awareness, calling a friend, reading a book, going outside, a warm bath or giving love.
Sometimes skipping a snack or a meal can cause us to get too stomach hungry. You can help your body not get too stomach hungry by not skipping snacks or meals when you want to do a different activity like play outside or finish homework instead.
Other ideas to help listen to stomach hunger
- Choose balanced combinations of food including a source of complex carboydrate, protein, heart healthy fat and fiber to help your stomach recognize fullness and stay satisfied for up to 3 hours. Eating satisfying combinations of food can reduce mindless grazing related to eye, ear, mouth, nose, heart and mind hunger.
- Take 75% of what you think you want for first helpings.
- Cover your plate with different colors of food and include foods with different textures and temperatures.
- Use smaller plates, bowls, serving and eating spoons if eating past 80% full at most meals and snack times.
- Keep serving dishes out of sight.
- Put down your eating utensil between bites.
- Pause after eating the amount and check different kinds of hunger again before you take seconds. It takes 5 to 10 minutes for our stomach to recognize fullness. A smaller helping or just a taste of seconds might satisfy enough.
- It’s OK to leave food on your plate and take it home or compost it.
Used with permission from “Mindful Eating. A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food.”
Jan Chozen Bays, MD. Shambala Publications. 2009. Thecenterformindfuleating.org
To Learn More
- Child Wellness Clinic
206-987-2613, option 2 - Ask your child’s healthcare provider
- seattlechildrens.org/patient-education
Free Interpreter Services
- In the hospital, ask your nurse.
- From outside the hospital, call the toll-free Family Interpreting Line, 1-866-583-1527. Tell the interpreter the name or extension you need.
