export_ofoct.com

[00:00.13] Should you eat to live or live to eat?... a question posed by French playwright Moliere in his work ‘The Miser’.

[00:07.83] While eating is functional, and our bodies need the fuel that food provides, dining with friends or loved ones can be a wonderful experience.

[00:16.86] However, some of us often find ourselves reserving a table for one in a restaurant. But is dining alone really that bad? Maybe not.

[00:28.28] We all have foods we like and dislike.

[00:31.47] Maybe it’s a pungent cheese or stinky fish. We sometimes hold back on things that may offend the noses of others.

[00:39.18] When dining alone, we can consume whatever we like, with the added bonus that we might be able to eat more healthily.

[00:48.74] Often, if you want a salad and your significant other wants some less healthy cuisine, you end up ordering the same.

[00:56.71] And if you don’t get the same, you might end up with food envy as you watch someone chow down on a pizza while you’re left holding the lettuce.

[01:06.01] Have you ever spent too long debating with people which restaurant to eat in or when to meet?

[01:11.58] If dining solo, you can make the choice depending on your culinary desires at that moment and get your nourishment at exactly the time you’re hungry!

[01:21.94] And why does it have to be a restaurant? You could eat in a park, garden or even your bed – the point is, the choice is yours!

[01:30.97] That alone time also means it’s a time to switch off.

[01:35.76] According to psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter, a bit of solitude can help your brain to unwind and may help you concentrate more.

[01:44.79] Finally, for some, dining alone can be a necessity.

[01:49.57] For those of us who suffer from misophonia, a hatred of sound, that can in some cause PTSD, the noise of someone else masticating can be unbearable.

[02:02.85] Eating alone can save you from the extreme anxiety that may arise listening to someone smack their lips or the sloshing of saliva in their mouths!

[02:10.55] So, is eating alone bad? Well, it may not be for everyone, but there certainly are some benefits to it.

[02:19.05] Try it sometime – you might just like it!