https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 11 May 2026 02:18:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058698 Sat, 07 Feb 2015 13:21:40 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2058698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We say our "Thank Yous". He's 2, so right now we thank the animals that gave meat/other foods, the ranchers &amp; farmers, the sun, water, and the earth. We also say thank you to each other for preparing the meal. When he gets older, we'll thank more people (truck drivers, store workers, etc) and give more reasons why we're thankful. It's important to us that he knows &amp; respects where his food is coming from, how it got to his table, and that he is a small part of the larger world - there are MANY components to something as simple as dinner. </p> <p>In my preschool, we sing:<br /> Oh the Earth is good to me,<br /> And so I thank the Earth<br /> For giving me<br /> The things I need<br /> Like the sun and the rain and the apple seed.<br /> Oh the Earth is good to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058342 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 22:53:33 +0000 cookiemomster 2058342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarplumsMom: ooooooooooh! That makes way more sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058269 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:38:50 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2058269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cookiemomster: I forgot to mention I live abroad! I find it peculiar that in Sweden, a country where most are atheist, they celebrate all religious holidays as public holidays. For instance, we get Good Friday, Ascension Day, and the Monday after Easter off. No complaints, but it's just odd. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058244 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:12:27 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 2058244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: I like that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058239 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:06:21 +0000 ShootingStar 2058239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cookiemomster: She's not in the US :wink: </p> <p>We don't do anything but I like the concept. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058234 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 20:56:11 +0000 cookiemomster 2058234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarplumsMom: I must have lived in the Bible Belt too long because it surely doesn't feel like most of the country is atheist when you live here. As none religious people we are squarely in the minority!</p> <p>@ellie the Madeline quote is so cute! May steal that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058225 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 20:44:48 +0000 pui 2058225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm christian, so maybe this doesn't make sense, but our meal time prayers are always unique to the day. Like "Thank you that DH made the sale he needed. Please be with so and so during her tough time. And thank you for this meal"... I feel that saying the same rehearsed rhyme everyday would lose its meaning quickly and isn't expressing genuine gratitude.</p> <p>I think it would have more impact as a daily reminder to be thankful if you just said something like "before we eat, let's reflect on everything we have to be thankful for" and just paused for a moment before eating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058200 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 20:14:39 +0000 farawayyama 2058200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We say Itadakimasu! DH and I met while living in Japan and it became habit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058175 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 19:48:21 +0000 Chuckles 2058175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@skadi: I love this idea and really like the Buddhist blessing. @ellie: love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058112 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 18:49:36 +0000 HabesBabe 2058112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ellie: THIS IS SO CUTE. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058072 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 18:13:23 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2058072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't, but LO's daycare has a moment of thanks with some of the teachers holding their hands together (as if in prayer) before meals. The older kids take turns saying a brief thanks. I was told that our daycare is very old school and the practice is very rare. Most of the country is atheist. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2058052 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 17:53:35 +0000 FannyMae 2058052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we don't say a blessing before our meal, sometimes my mum might do her cross though. when we are feeling really silly we say '2, 4, 6, 8 DIG IN, DON'T WAIT!" :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2056947 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 06:40:32 +0000 Silva 2056947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We sing "here's a spark of father Sun's light" as we lit a candle. Then we say:<br /> Earth, we thank you for this food<br /> For rest and home and all things good<br /> For wind and rain and sun above<br /> But most of all for those we love</p> <p>We do this at dinner every night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2055200 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 08:11:10 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2055200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This isn't exactly secular, but it's way less religious than other prayers. "Bless the hands that prepared this meal." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2055014 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 23:33:36 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2055014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What about something that thanks the people who grew/harvested/etc the food? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2055002 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 23:21:18 +0000 Ellie 2055002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't on a regular basis, but at big gatherings we say this one, from Madeline:</p> <p>We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all, we love each other. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/secular-meal-blessing#post-2054931 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 22:08:28 +0000 Skadi 2054931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I recently learned that in Japan, it's common to say "Itadakimasu," which means "I humbly receive." We're atheists, but I love the idea of teaching our children gratitude by giving thanks before meals.</p> <p>I personally like the very traditional, "For what we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful." But my husband vetoed it.</p> <p>We're leaning toward this:</p> <p><b>For the food before us,<br /> For the friends beside us,<br /> For the love that surrounds us,<br /> We are truly grateful.</b></p> <p>There's also this Buddhist meal gatha that is quite nice: </p> <p><b>We receive this food in gratitude to all beings<br /> Who have helped to bring it to our table,<br /> And vow to respond in turn to those in need<br /> With wisdom and compassion.</b></p> <p>Alternatively, it might be neat to say different things as the seasons turn. For example, the invocation for spring might be an excerpt from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Work Without Hope":</p> <p><b>All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair--<br /> The bees are stirring--birds are on the wing--<br /> And Winter slumbering in the open air,<br /> Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring! </b></p> <p>But that would require rotating at least four different passages throughout the year, which might be a bit much for young kids.</p> <p>Do any of you say a secular blessing at meal times? </p>