Are we supposed to say grace before eating?

I don't think it is a "command", but it is a nice thing to do. If you don't say it aloud, we should at least be thankful in our hearts. I know when I'm anywhere public and I see people say grace, it really boosts me spiritually and so helps others too. It's a good thing.

"Come, Lord God, be our guest, let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen."

It is not mandatory, but we should do it as a way of giving thanks to God. I am very happy to have food in my belly, running water, plumbing, a roof over my head, and many other things most people in history have been denied. Gratitude helps with physical and mental health, as studies have shown.[1][2]

In the Psalm below, cattle and bulls would have been a VERY GENEROUS offering to God. Look at what pleases God more:

30 I will praise God in a song.
I will honor him by giving thanks.
31 That will please the Lord more than offering him cattle.
It will please him more than the sacrifice of a bull with horns and hooves.
32 People who are not proud will see this and be glad.
Be encouraged, you who worship God.
33 The Lord listens to those in need.
He does not look down on captives.

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~Psalms 69:30-33 (ICB)

Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - New King James Version
Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - New International Version
Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 69 - International Children’s Bible

I highly recommend finding at least seven things to be thankful for each day.

God bless!

1. Practicing Gratitude
2. Is Gratitude Good for Your Health?

I would probably lean on the side of caution and just as god to bless the food

I believe we should to honor God and to give thanks to him for all he has provided.

Hopefully you are thankful for your food. If the God of all creation is part of your belief system and you believe He has the power to provide or withhold food from you and your family, it makes sense that you'd at least say "thank you."

Kilk1 said:

Hello, CF! 1 Timothy 4:3-5 teaches that all foods are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer and that they were "created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth" (NKJV). Similar passages to consider are Matthew 15:36; Acts of the Apostles 27:35; 1 Corinthians 10:30; etc.

Does it seem we're commanded to give thanks before eating? Thanks (no pun intended) in advance for the reply!

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A wealthy friend of mine owned 9 homes that he would use to rent out to other people for investment purposes (landlord). When he was about to buy his 10th home to invest, someone asked him if he thanked God for the home he was about to buy. His response was, if he were to thank God, it would be because he felt God was somehow responsible in helping him get that house. But why would God help him get a house he really doesn’t need when there are people more faithful to God than he is who really need a house? Why doesn’t God use whatever effort he used to help him, and apply that help to someone who really needs it?
I guess the same logic can be applied to food as well.

Kilk1 said:

Good thoughts! We should be thankful. With these things in mind, I wonder how frequently people in Bible times would pray for food. Was it every time they ate? After every "meal" but not other times? Do we have any information on how and how often Jews/Christians did this in Bible times? If so, that could be a very helpful guideline!

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Give God the glory for this.

Back in the Biblical times, they would have been very dependent on livestock. Not only for the meat, but also for the wool, milk, horns, sin offerings, and anything else that can bring in an income for other things. In The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-10), it uses this historic reality as a metaphor of how valuable a person straying from the faith is. In those times, one stray sheep out of a flock of a hundred would have already been a massive loss of investment, they would have no choice but to find that lost sheep. They simply could not afford it.[1][2][3]

We have food security to unimaginable levels compared to them. Always be thankful for that!

God bless!

1. The Significance of Shepherds and Sheep in the Bible - Bible Gateway Blog
2. What was a shepherd in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org
3. Manners & Customs: Shepherd life; the care of sheep and goats | AHRC

Kilk1 said:

Hello, CF! 1 Timothy 4:3-5 teaches that all foods are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer and that they were "created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth" (NKJV). Similar passages to consider are Matthew 15:36; Acts of the Apostles 27:35; 1 Corinthians 10:30; etc.

Does it seem we're commanded to give thanks before eating? Thanks (no pun intended) in advance for the reply!

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There is no commandment to say “ grace” or “thank you” before eating however just because it isn’t a commandment doesn’t mean it’s a sin.
The LORD Didn’t command the children of Israel to pray or say “grace” during the Passover preparation. we show we are thankful by keeping the commandments.

Exodus 12:10 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire,and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9 - Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roastwith fire; his head with his legs,and with the purtenance thereof.
Exo 12:10 - And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remainethof it until the morning ye shall burnwith fire.
Exo 12:11 - And thus shall ye eatit; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staffin your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

Kilk1 said:

That makes sense considering that we see examples in the Bible of Jesus and Paul praying before eating, and Paul even wrote in 1 Timothy 4:3-5 that food was "created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth" (NKJV). With these things in mind, I wonder how frequently people then would pray for food. Was it every time they ate? After every "meal" but not other times? Do we have any information on how and how often Jews/Christians did this in Bible times? If so, that could be a very helpful guideline!

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Some will depart speaking lies and hypocrisy , and the lies would be that the clean foods that God made for you. They would say is unclean and they will say you should not marry or abstain from sex and eating. You could also understand this as people will try to get you to become celibate and starve you.
CONEXT

1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,giving heed to seducing spirits,and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2 - Speaking lies inhypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3 - Forbidding to marry,and commanding to abstain frommeats, which God hath created tobe received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.


Psa 119:142 - Thy righteousnessis an everlasting righteousness,and thy law is the truth.

I always seem to remember to do it when I'm hungrier than usual. I'm always more grateful for the food when I've gone awhile without it, or worked up an appetite. Its amazing how sating food can be to the body and mind.

Rene Loup said:

Give God the glory for this.

Back in the Biblical times, they would have been very dependent on livestock. Not only for the meat, but also for the wool, milk, horns, sin offerings, and anything else that can bring in an income for other things. In The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-10), it uses this historic reality as a metaphor of how valuable a person straying from the faith is. In those times, one stray sheep out of a flock of a hundred would have already been a massive loss of investment, they would have no choice but to find that lost sheep. They simply could not afford it.[1][2][3]

We have food security to unimaginable levels compared to them. Always be thankful for that!

God bless!

1. The Significance of Shepherds and Sheep in the Bible - Bible Gateway Blog
2. What was a shepherd in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org
3. Manners & Customs: Shepherd life; the care of sheep and goats | AHRC

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Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.


1Co 11:4 - Every man praying orprophesying, having his headcovered, dishonoureth his head.
1Co 11:5 - But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with herhead uncovered dishonoureth herhead: for that is even all one as ifshe were shaven.

Kilk1 said:

Does it seem we're commanded to give thanks before eating? Thanks (no pun intended) in advance for the reply!

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Not a command but an appropriate thing to do because we should give thanks to God for everything

Yeah you are.

Kilk1 said:

Does it seem we're commanded to give thanks before eating?

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It's not a command. It's a good habit, since we forget to be grateful. The habit reminds us of what we forget, I think.

Virtue is a habit. When I eat I try to remember the Eucharist and its meaning. When I bathe or shower, I try to remember my baptism and its meaning. Recollection, in that sense, contributes to how we live. Life is sacramental.