Eating habits

[Auvergne]

Did anyone see breakfast news this morning, in particular the item about school meals being free?

I couldn't believe how many kids are using the fork in their right hands like a shovel, or even digging it into food and eating it like a toffee apple (as my Dad used to say). Its nothing new, I've worked in schools and been absolutely appalled at the way kids appear to have no idea how to hold a knife and fork properly, let alone have any general table manners.

My teenagers bring mates round and its always the same old thing, fork in right hand, scooping and digging away, trying to saw through food with the edge of the fork, aaagggghhhhhh!!! it drives me mad. I think table manners reflect a lot about a person's upbringing, and what I see is quite scary.

 

[LMH]

I have exactly the same feelings as you do about it Valerie. A lot of youngsters seem to use their fork in their right hand.

Apparently, it's an American thing which has come over here. Another thing which annoys me is when youngsters write 'mom' rather than 'mum'.

Lisa

 

[Carl-GreyhoundsrUs]

I have exactly the same feelings as you do about it Valerie. A lot of youngsters seem to use their fork in their right hand.

Apparently, it's an American thing which has come over here. Another thing which annoys me is when youngsters write 'mom' rather than 'mum'.

Lisa

Lisa,

I totally agree with the eating thing, but why the problem with Mom versus Mum? As long as I can remember I always wrote mom, and now approaching my mid 40s, I dont really consider myself a youngster (my mom taught me the finer details of dining etiquette by the way). Greeting cards are available with mom on them (well they were when I used to buy them) so maybe its just a case of preference. I must admit though, I have never been able to locate a card with happy birthday Mater on it.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I used to say mom when a kid, not much different to you Notts people saying mam ... heh! heh! heh!

Agree about kids only eating with a fork and using it in their right hand. I remember once trying to get one of the grandkids to eat properly and they were like a duck out of water. I gave up in the end.

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Didn't realise I was such a BAD person as I always eat with a fork in my right hand and rarely use a knife. Mind you I don't have to worry about cutting up dead animals as Im a veggie ;O)

A lot of cultures don't use knives or folks prefering to use chop sticks or their fingers are they all bad too ?

Brian

 

[Lutz]

No need to have a guilty conscience about using the fork as a spoon if you come over to the Continent, Brian.

 

[LMH]

Maybe we should all meet up and have 'a caravan dinner party'. Although I draw the line at serving four bottles of very very expensive wine with dessert though........

Lisa

 

[LMH]

I have exactly the same feelings as you do about it Valerie. A lot of youngsters seem to use their fork in their right hand.

Apparently, it's an American thing which has come over here. Another thing which annoys me is when youngsters write 'mom' rather than 'mum'.

Lisa

Tut tut Carl...... LOL!!

Lisa

 

[LMH]

I used to say mom when a kid, not much different to you Notts people saying mam ... heh! heh! heh!

Agree about kids only eating with a fork and using it in their right hand. I remember once trying to get one of the grandkids to eat properly and they were like a duck out of water. I gave up in the end.

Well, 'mam' annoys me too LB. I'm called 'mother' in a rather high pitched tone by my daughter. I can't understand why.

Lisa

 

[LMH]

Didn't realise I was such a BAD person as I always eat with a fork in my right hand and rarely use a knife. Mind you I don't have to worry about cutting up dead animals as Im a veggie ;O)

A lot of cultures don't use knives or folks prefering to use chop sticks or their fingers are they all bad too ?

Brian

You should be ashamed Brian. How do you butter your bread then, do you use a fork?

Lisa xx

 

[Guest]

Our granddaughter's are very particular about how they sit and eat now. At their French School they all sit down to a proper set lunch and good table manners are enforced, the school even has a Chef who they are expected to thank.

They now expect a set table with us and their mum and dad as all their French school friends sit down to a fully set table with all the family.

The'll come back from the beach shortly and set the table for lunch.

ps. I think you may have missed a post Lisa. If you buy good wine when it is young it is not prohibitly expensive. You can get a better return than bank interest rates if you keep a few to sell you can drink good wine for.

 

[Guest]

Our granddaughter's are very particular about how they sit and eat now. At their French School they all sit down to a proper set lunch and good table manners are enforced, the school even has a Chef who they are expected to thank.

They now expect a set table with us and their mum and dad as all their French school friends sit down to a fully set table with all the family.

The'll come back from the beach shortly and set the table for lunch.

ps. I think you may have missed a post Lisa. If you buy good wine when it is young it is not prohibitly expensive. You can get a better return than bank interest rates if you keep a few to sell you can drink good wine for.

next to nothing.

 

[LMH]

Hi euro

So glad the French have improved their table manners over the years. The last time I was there, my French friend's father used his pocket knife to remove the dirt from his boots and then used it to to eat his dinner with (without cleaning the knife first).

I never say any members of the family wash their hands before eating either.

Lisa

 

[LMH]

Euro, there's no need to explain returns on investments to me thank you. A late relative of mine was a financial genius so if I needed any advice, I'd use the connections I still have.

Lisa

 

[LMH]

Hi euro

So glad the French have improved their table manners over the years. The last time I was there, my French friend's father used his pocket knife to remove the dirt from his boots and then used it to to eat his dinner with (without cleaning the knife first).

I never say any members of the family wash their hands before eating either.

Lisa

'saw' not say.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Quote Lisa .... "A late relative of mine was a financial genius so if I needed any advice, I'd use the connections I still have".

Pray tell Lisa, how do you connect with your late relative for advice, a ouija board??

OK I know I'm a smartarse so I'll go sit back in the corner :O)

 

[Parksy]

Perhaps the relative was late for dinner :0)

 

[LMH]

No parents should have to bury their children but sadly my uncle and aunt did, they lost one son due to a terrible accident when he was 21 and the one to whom I am referring, recently.

Money's not everything, they'd rather have their sons back than the money in the bank I can tell you.

Lisa

 

[Parksy]

Sorry to hear about that Lisa

I was only kidding

 

[LMH]

Sorry to hear about that Lisa

I was only kidding

Hi Parks

That's ok, no offence taken or owt. I just feel so sorry for them.

Lisa xxxx

 

[Lutz]

I can't quite see the fuss about which hand what knife or fork is used so long the act of eating is reasonably refined in other respects, i.e. no disrespect towards other guests, slouching with elbows on the table, slurp, take giants bites, stab away at the food, etc.. Anything that goes beyond that is pure convention and is therefore impossible to justify objectively. Our children are left handed and have always eaten with the fork in the right hand and knife in the left and no-one has ever complained to us or them.

 

[JoannaLesley]

Lutz is right (isn't he always), in that good table manners is about not offending or disgusting other diners. I would include keeping your mouth shut while you eat and not filling it too full in the first place.

The school I went to (many, many years ago) sat us along benches to eat and we all learned very quickly the art of using cutlery whilst keeping elbows clamped to our sides. If only our headmistress had known how useful that would be on an aircraft!

A close firend of mine, headteacher in a first school (4 - 7 year olds, I think) was so appalled by the fact that most of the children had never eaten with anything other than fingers and had never sat at a table to eat (food on the floor or lap in front of the TV), that she introduced a system where she and other teachers sit with the children at lunch each week and teach them the art of social eating - I'm guessing that they have "proper" lunches.

It's a far cry from my father's youth when he rarely ate out for fear of doing something wrong!

Jo

 

[Guest]

Wow. I am really surprised by Lisa's post she seems to be judging all French people by one experience. Seems to be rather racist and when so many here enjoy holidays in France. I'm sure we would have heard plenty of complaints if all French people behaved as per Lisa's experience.

Lisa I'm not intersted in how you invest money, I was just pointing out that with a little knowlege and help you can enjoy quality wine at minimal expense. Not the phone number prices quoted by fine wine dealers.

 

[LMH]

QUOTE:'You can get a better return than bank interest rates if you keep a few to sell you can drink good wine for'. UNQUOTE

??????

________

Again, thank you so much but I need NO information about fine wines but I guess your information will be extremely useful to other people.

Lisa

 

[Zafiral]

Apparantly less than half of UK houses have a dining table so what do you expect if all so many kids do is eat off their laps infront of the TV....