Eating barbequed ribs and chicken legs.

by A. Marie Montello
(Amesbury, Massachusetts)

I have always thought that certain things could be eaten with hands, such as ribs, chicken wings, chicken legs, asparagus etc:

I was at a dinner when a remark was made concerning this etiquette.

I like to display good manners at all times...Who is right?


May 23, 2011
Asparagus as finger food.
by: A.Marie Montello

Actually it is permissible to eat asparagus with ones hands. Just ask Emily Post...


May 22, 2011
Eating Etiquette with Ribs
by: Kevin (Modern Manners and Etiquette)

Great question!

Actually, it is considered impolite to eat with your hands or lick your fingers during a meal. However, there are certain exceptions to the rule.

One of those exceptions deals with eating meat from a bone (ribs, chicken wings, chicken legs, etc). If you are at an informal setting (a formal setting would not serve those kinds of food), then it is perfectly acceptable to eat them off of the bone.

In fact, if proper manners and etiquette is being used by the people serving the meal, they should provide you with a bowl to place the ribs in after eating.

The only exception for this rule is meat off of the bone. You had mentioned asparagus in your question. Sorry, there isn't an exception on that one that I know of. It is always proper to eat that with your utensils.

After your question about ribs, I am hungry all of a sudden! Thanks for stopping by...