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Using Hands for eating

 
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Hi,
Many Indians use our hands to eat our food.what you (non-indians) think about that ?
Regards
Balaji.
 
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OK.
In El Salvador we would say... something in spanish like "It adds flavor."
 
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I use my mouth
 
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I find that using my hands make it much easier to pick up and use forks, spoons and the like
 
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Originally posted by Balaji Loganathan:
Hi,
Many Indians use our hands to eat our food.what you (non-indians) think about that ?
Regards
Balaji.


Hey I've never used your hands to eat my food
 
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Originally posted by Paul Stevens:
I use my mouth


Very true.. there are lot of mammals who do not use hands to eat there food.
Even I have one in my home, her name is Xena. But the problem with her is only that she says only WOOF
 
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You can use your hands with french fries, hamburgers, and corn on the cob. Just about everything else you use utensils.
 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
You can use your hands with french fries, hamburgers, and corn on the cob. Just about everything else you use utensils.


Just curious !
If I can have french fries, hamburgers, and corn on the cob, then why not my lunch OR dinner?
After all we wash our hands before taking any meals.
 
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You guys definately need to learn about table manners. Not only to learn to use utensils but please close your mouth while eating and don't make noise. It is very very annoying. After having many lunches with my indian co-workers, I will probably avoid them in the future.
 
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Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
You can use your hands with french fries, hamburgers, and corn on the cob. Just about everything else you use utensils.



What about fried chicken, sandwiches, tacos, rolls, hot dogs, raw veggies, hors d'oeuvres, ribs, chips, fried shrimp, onion rings, chicken nuggets, . . . .
 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Jake the Snake:
You guys definately need to learn about table manners. Not only to learn to use utensils but please close your mouth while eating and don't make noise. It is very very annoying. After having many lunches with my indian co-workers, I will probably avoid them in the future.


Generally We dont eat on table
When we dont use utensils then why to learn?
But this point is serious .. making noise while eating, even I hate this. I hope you get good co-workers who do not make noise while haveing meals.
 
Jake the Snake
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Ravish, the problem is that these same people who don't know some of the basic table manners are simply nicest people you will ever meet.
 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Jake the Snake:
Ravish, ..


I like your name and you too
Have you ever sit on ground with folded leg and had your meal.(There are rules too to have meal on ground).
Ya I know its difficult when one has a habbit of table.
Worst/best part.. when I am not in the mood to work much then I take my meal on my bed
[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Ravish Kumar ]
 
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as cindy mentioned there are many foods that are generally eaten without utensils...one she didnt mention is pizza....however, many things it is concidered bad table manners to eat without using utensils
 
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Don't forget buffalo wings. It is an absolute sin to eat those with utensils.
 
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Originally posted by Ravish Kumar:

Generally We dont eat on table


What a blunt generalisation!! :roll:

Ashok.
 
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This is kind of funny ........there actually have been debates about this ......
Which way of eating is healthier....As someone once pointed out.....
"I know where my hands have been...but what about the spoons...and knives???"
Is metal or plastic healthy ??? Plastics especially can be dangerous.
 
Balaji Loganathan
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Hi,
I too had some exp when its comes to eating in a table with a group of people. With my two year abroad life,i never learned how to hold the fork properly,then my english friend taught me how to hold it,Damn!!, still i'm feeling difficult.But they are not leaving me alone,they call me when i go for lunch,So I hope i'm not making noise while eating.But many people doesn't know that they are making noise from their mouth while eating.Many people also doesn't know the bad smell in their mouth.
these people wanted'ly come near to our face and talk. Aahh...I hate them.

Byw! I prefer hand than fork/knife,because I'm the one who is washing/cleaning my hand.
Regards
 
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What about pizza, toast, or bagels? Who eats those with utensils??
 
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Yeah, or how about soup?
 
Thomas Paul
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Soup is properly eaten with a straw.
 
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Soup should be served in a cup, so that no other utensils are needed. Just don't make too much noise slurping it.
I remember having pizza with a group of acquaintances, and belatedly realizing that I was the only one in the group picking up the pizza with his hand. At first I was mortified that I'd committed a faux pas, but then I decided that the others were stuffy and boring anyway.
Add burritos and pitas to the list of "hand food".
For an extra-confusing eating experience, try an Ethiopian restaurant. Most likely there will not only be no utensils, but there may well be no plate as you're used to thinking of it. You end up using bread for both. A bit odd to get used to, but they use a fascinating mix of spices - worth a try.
 
Jim Yingst
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Plastics especially can be dangerous.
How so? Are you talking about plastics that are re-used? In the US if you're somewhere that gives you plastic utensils, they're almost certainly new and disposable. Which may not be great from an environmental standpoint, but I don't think there's cause for concern from a health standpoint.
 
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Using fork and spoon, I can understand. What I don't understand is holding your fork in your left hand in United States and holding the fork in your right hand in the United Kingdom.
 
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Originally posted by Pranav Jaidka:
Is metal or plastic healthy ??? Plastics especially can be dangerous.


Definitely not. You should not eat them.
 
Dirk Schreckmann
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I'm hungry.
 
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Have some pizza

Originally posted by Dirk Schreckmann:
I'm hungry.


 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Ashok M:
What a blunt generalisation!! :roll:
Ashok.


Hi Ashok,
Its not a blunt generalisation. 80% of the India lives in village.
If we are talking 20% urban India, then which metro city would you like to pick me up and show you that only 30% of these metro would be using Dining table as in all metros more than 60% are lower-middle income class OR lower income class.
And its not all about money, honey
I dont know abt you, but in our kitchen no shoes/slippers are allowed, what else can you do to make food hygenic. Before sitting on ground you are suppose to sprinkle water around your Thali(plate) so that no dust should come on your food.
I am in city, but still in my village once which lady(this lady is one of my Aunties) enters in Kitchen can not come out befoer making all food, if she comes out then she has to again take bath before entering in the kitchen.
To my last point I can say now Urban India does not follow this custom.(Taking bath before going to kitchen)
Real India lives in Village.
Am I talking like some tourist company representative?
[ June 07, 2002: Message edited by: Ravish Kumar ]
 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Sandra Marti:
Using fork and spoon, I can understand. What I don't understand is holding your fork in your left hand in United States and holding the fork in your right hand in the United Kingdom.


Hold it as per your convenience, Yaar
There are no rules in Social life. Things should be done the way you feel ease. (or there has to be some reason.)
and anyway US is different.
 
Dirk Schreckmann
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Originally posted by Pradeep Bhat:
Have some pizza


I just had a burrito. One of the best damn burritos in the world. From Taco Jessica's No. 2 in Modesto, California. It's a Taco Truck (Roach Coach) on 10th street just across the railroad tracks behind the bus/train station on 9th street.
You have not had a good burrito unless you've had one from Taco Jessica's No. 2. My favorite is Adobadas with everthing. They cost a whole $3 for a burrito the size of... well, bigger than any one person needs to eat.
Mmmmmmmmm...
 
R K Singh
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I am on fast today.
AW happy weekend to all.
 
Balaji Loganathan
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Originally posted by Ravish Kumar:
I am on fast today.


Is it because of Friday ?
 
Ashok Mash
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Originally posted by Ravish Kumar:

Its not a blunt generalisation. 80% of the India lives in village.


I am also from a village ? nearest metro 12 hrs by road, nearest city is 30 miles away and 4 miles to the nearest small town.


If we are talking 20% urban India, then which metro city would you like to pick me up and show you that only 30% of these metro would be using Dining table as in all metros more than 60% are lower-middle income class OR lower income class.
And its not all about money, honey


Its about standard of living, I guess?


I dont know abt you, but in our kitchen no shoes/slippers are allowed, what else can you do to make food hygenic. Before sitting on ground you are suppose to sprinkle water around your Thali(plate) so that no dust should come on your food.


At my place, shoes/slippers not allowed in the entire house You have to leave them at the entrance, and Yes - most of the households have pet dogs roaming freely, on look out for those smelly shoes


I am in city, but still in my village once which lady(this lady is one of my Aunties) enters in Kitchen can not come out befoer making all food, if she comes out then she has to again take bath before entering in the kitchen.
To my last point I can say now Urban India does not follow this custom.(Taking bath before going to kitchen)
Real India lives in Village.
Am I talking like some tourist company representative?


No, I guess only you are talking from your experience. That just shows how diverse India really is, and a generalisation of any degree will be injustice to a group or other. And oh yeah, most of the tour organizers tend to exaggerate simple mannerisms to make it looks totally Martian.
 
Balaji Loganathan
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Originally posted by Ravish Kumar:

I am in city, but still in my village once which lady(this lady is one of my Aunties) enters in Kitchen can not come out befoer making all food, if she comes out then she has to again take bath before entering in the kitchen.


I'm also from india,but I never heard this in my life. Are you sure ??
 
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We also use hands and water to clean up after toilet business. I learnt from our my elders the TOilet paper catches fire with the spicy Indian food we eat. SO hands and water are the best
for cooling and good Hygeine. :roll:
 
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ha ha ha ha ha ha hoooh haa haaa ha ha ah aha aha aha ha ha ha ha ..............nut cases...
 
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ok you people are embarassing. I am indian too but my mom would have smacked me and sent me off to my room if she ever caught me touching the food with hand (except for breaking bread and some of the hand foods being mentioned) she even had a rule where we weren't supposed to rest our elbows on the table (which i thought was going overboard) but had to followed esp when dining out
Most indian immigrants here are supposed to be so highly educated I can't understand how you never learnt any social etiquettes. I have lived most of my life in India and I love the place and am proud to be who I am, but sometimes this awkward (for lack of a better word) behaviour by fellow "desis" is sooo embarassing
 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Balaji Loganathan:
I'm also from india,but I never heard this in my life. Are you sure ??


I dont know about your customs (as here it varies a lot from even family to family). we are Kshatriya(Rajput), and in my family still this thing is followed. Though my maternal side its not that strict NOW.
AW you might have different customs?
And Bala I was on fast becoz of Friday.
----------
Mr. Ashok, nice to meet
so what do you say?how many % of India would be using Dining table for there dinner?
------
Hi Ms Sonny Or should I say Mr
>>I can't understand how you never learnt any social etiquettes.
what do you mean ?
and you want to say every indian should not touch food with hand except for breaking Chappati
I can bet on it you have never been in any village marriage where there is no buffet system like most of marriage have now in city.
Where (in UP its called "Paat") all people will sit on ground and food will be served on (for you dirty) leaves. Even Dal too... and you have to have meal with your hands(isnt it social ettiquettes ?) OR are you ABCD (let me use B for the sake of it )
But I am agree on this 100% that when you are in Rome do as Romans do.
But still I prefer water over paper
AW its nice to see so many Indians in this international site.
All the best to ALL
[ June 09, 2002: Message edited by: Ravish Kumar ]
 
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What an interesting topic. And I have a lot to say about this.
I think it's a scientific fact that there are chemicals released from pores of our fingers into our mouths when we lick our fingers after/during?? eating - the chemicals aid in digestion (and may put maalox and tums out of business .) One should always eat with right hands using a minimus of 3 fingers and the thumb and being sure not to get food on the palm or the top/outer part of the hand or fingers.
Now, about that table manners, each culture have their set of table manners. I don't eat with my hands in front of my American friends unless I am in an indian restaurant eating bread. Some of them actually have caught on how to use pieces of bread to scoop up vegetables and stuff.
When I am in the presence of Desis, I make a special attempt to eat with my hands to show that I am proud of my traditions (even after growing up away from my birthland) and am not some british chamcha (spoon) who rate my traditions below of those of our former friends - the colonialists.
It's really not the non-desis whose balking bothers me - after all, it's not fair to shock someone by showing off the major differences in each others table manners (eating chinese with hands would be strange anyway .)
But it's those desis that act like there is no other good way but to eat (and do everything else)the western way. I say to those, get rid of your inferiority complex and feel proud of the good aspects of your heritage.
Of course, making noises while eating is not appropriate and it's not only desis whom I have witnessed doing that.
In my view, one of the worst table manners I have witnessed here is food fights - to have food thrown around and in the face (as in pie in the face.) And another one is who can eat how many of whatever competitions - what is that anyway!
If there is so much food, maybe we should send some of it to the homeless shelters located throughout metropolitan cities of USA. The winner could be the one who feeds the most people.
I really agree with being clean in the kitchen which means no shoes (better left at the doorstep but try getting the repair man to agree to that
.)

Left hand is only good for cleaning our private parts with water when we visit the bathroom. Of course, wash hands with soap after visit to bathroom, before eating and after eating.
I am surprised that in U.S., hand held bidets are marketed only toward Hemorrhoid suffering patients and the sanitary benefits are not mentioned at all
Believe me, In the shopping malls of 3 different states I have lived in, I have passed by too many smelly kids and elderly who don't have the manual dexterity to correctly use toilet paper and can really use that bidet. Not to mention the saving of so much paper and money! After all toilet paper must be an industry worth millions of dollars - how about pissing off the corporate paper giants by starting to use those bidets. I can't even imagine the faces of those Proctor&Gamble executives
Now, it has been a great release to talk about stuff with the fellow ranchers - stuff that I would feel uncomfortable talking about with my friends. This has reminded me of the days when I worked in marketing research and the quarterly surveys that would be returned from respondents stating that only 99% of Americans use toilet paper. My co-workers would laugh about how unsanitary 1% of our population must be. Except the joke was on them because water is definitely more sanitary than paper. I would always hold out my tongue not wanting to offend or embarass them.
Maybe one day, those toilet paper companies would be forced to ask those 1% about specific substitutes being used (let's hope there is one. )
 
R K Singh
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what did they use prior to invent of toilet papers?
 
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