According to indian culture, god should be remembered and thanked before we take food. Bhojan mantra is the traditional mantra to be chanted
"anna grahaṇa karane se pahale vicāra mana meṅ karanā hai
kisa hetu se isa śarīra kā rakṣaṇa poṣaṇa karanā hai
he parameśvara eka prārthanā nitya tumhāre caraṇo meṅ
laga jāye tana mana dhana merā viśva dharma kī sevā meṅ
kisa hetu se isa śarīra kā rakṣaṇa poṣaṇa karanā hai
he parameśvara eka prārthanā nitya tumhāre caraṇo meṅ
laga jāye tana mana dhana merā viśva dharma kī sevā meṅ
brahmārpaṇaṁ brahmā havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇāhutaṁ
brahmaiva tenā gantavyaṁ brahma karma samādhinā
brahmaiva tenā gantavyaṁ brahma karma samādhinā
om sahanāvavatusahanau bhunaktu
sahavīryaṁ karavāvahai tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣā vahai"
om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
sahavīryaṁ karavāvahai tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣā vahai"
om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
Loosely translated in English
Sahanavavatu - let us live together; sahanaubhunaktu - let us eat/take food together; sahaveeryan karavavahai - let us become "veeryavaans"-bravery filled together; tejasvinavadhitamastu - let us become the bodies/souls with 'tejas'-attractive personalities; ma-vidvishavahai - and also let us become/eligible to invite the vidwat-wisdom/knowledge together by taking this brahma swaroopi anna.
collective meaning - " By taking this Brahma swarupi anna/food we all let us become the souls with breavery, attractive personality, knowledge and without any distress (vid-visha) filled with energy."
