Eating Etiquette in England (UK)

What should I do or not do when I am eating in Britain?

The British generally pay a lot of attention to good table manners. Even young children are expected
to eat properly with knife and fork.
We eat most of our food with cutlery. The foods we don't eat with a knife, fork or spoon include
sandwiches, crisps, corn on the cob, and fruit.
Things you should do:
If you cannot eat a certain type of food or have some special needs, tell your host several days before
the dinner party.
If you are a guest, it is polite to wait until your host starts eating or indicates you should do so. It
shows consideration.
Always chew and swallow all the food in your mouth before taking more or taking a drink.
You may eat chicken and pizza with your fingers if you are at a barbecue, finger buffet or very
informal setting. Otherwise always use a knife and fork.
Always say thank you when served something. It shows appreciation.
When eating rolls, break off a piece of bread before buttering. Eating it whole looks tacky.
When eating soup, tip the bowl away from you and scoop the soup up with your spoon.
When you have finished eating, and to let others know that you have,
place your knife and folk together, with the prongs (tines) on the fork facing upwards, on your plate.
In a restaurant, it is normal to pay for your food by putting your money on the plate the bill comes on.
Things you should not do:
Never lick or put your knife in your mouth.
It is impolite to start eating before everyone has been served.
Never chew with your mouth open. No one wants to see food being chewed or hearing it being
chomped on.
It is impolite to have your elbows on the table while you are eating.
Don't reach over someone's plate for something, ask for the item to be passed.
Never talk with food in your mouth.
It is impolite to put too much food in your mouth.
Never use your fingers to push food onto your spoon or fork.
It is impolite to slurp your food or eat noisily.
Never blow your nose on a napkin (serviette). Napkins are for dabbing your lips and only for that.
Never take food from your neighbours plate.
Never pick food out of your teeth with your fingernails.
Things that are ok to do:
It is ok to eat and drink something while walking down the street, unless you want to seem posh.
It is ok to pour your own drink when eating with other people, but it is more polite to offer pouring
drinks to the people sitting on either side of you.
It is ok to put milk and sugar in your tea and coffee or to drink them both without either.
I am not used to eating with a knife and fork. What do I need to
know?
We eat continental style, with fork in the left hand and the knife in the right (or the other way round if
you are left handed). At the top of your plate will be a dessert spoon and dessert fork.
If you are eating at a formal dinner party, you will come across many knives and forks. Start with the
utensils on the outside and work your way inward with each subsequent course
food and you cannot possibly eat it all?
Say:"I'm sorry, but it seems that 'my eyes are bigger than my stomach'.
or"I'm sorry. It was so delicious but I am full".
The main thing is not to offend your host!
Supe rst i ti ons in Bri ta i n
Good Luck
1. Lucky to meet a black cat. Black Cats are featured on many good luck greetings
cards and birthday cards in England.
2. Lucky to touch wood .
3. Lucky to find a clover plant with four leaves.
4. A horseshoe over the door brings good luck. But the horse shoe needs to be the right
way up. The luck runs out of the horse shoe if it is upside down.
5. On the first day of the month it is lucky to say "white rabbits, white rabbits white
rabbits," before uttering your first word of the day.
6. Catch falling leaves in Autumn and you're have good luck. Every leaf means a lucky
month next year.
Bad Luck

1. Unlucky to walk underneath a ladder

2. Seven years bad luck to break a mirror.
3. Unlucky to see one magpie, lucky to see two, etc..
4. Unlucky to spill salt. If you do, you must throw it over your shoulder to counteract
the bad luck.
5. Unlucky to open an umbrella in doors.
6. The number thirteen is unlucky. Friday the thirteenth is a very unlucky day.
Friday is considered to be an unlucky day because Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
7. Unlucky to put new shoes on the table.
8. Unlucky to pass someone on the stairs.

Food Superstitions
When finished eating a boiled egg, push the spoon through the bottom of the empty shell to
let the devil out
In Yorkshire, housewives used to believe that bread would not rise if there was a corpse
(dead body) in the vicinity, and to cut off both ends of the loaf would make the Devil fly
over the house!
'Every cloud has a silver lining'

'A stitch in time saves nine'

'Nothing ventured nothing gained'

'Out of the frying pan into the fire'

'One man's meat is another man's

poison'

'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'

'You can lead a horse to water, but you

cannot make it drink'

'The grass is always greener on the

other side'

'The best things in life are free'

'Don't cross your bridges before you

come to them'

'It was the last straw that broke the

camel's back'

'Where there's a will there's a way'

'Marry in haste, and repent at leisure'

'The best advice is found on the pillow'

'You can't judge a book by its cover'

'Bad news travels fast'

'Birds of a feather fly together'

'Live and let live'

'The way to a man's heart is through

his stomach'

'Better untaught than ill taught.'

'Soon learnt, soon forgotten'

Something that is easy to learn is easy to forget.

There's always something good in bad times.
Act early and you can save a lot of time.
You have to try or you won't get anything.
From one problem to another.
People often don't like the same things.
Don't question good luck.
You can give a person a chance, but you can't make him or her take it.
You always think that other peoples lives are better than yours.
We don't have to pay for the things that are really valuable, like love,
friendship, good health etc.
Don't worry about problems before they arrive.
There is a limit to everything.
If we have the determination to do something, we can always find the
path or method to do it.
If we get married quickly, without thinking carefully, we may be sorry
later. And we will have plenty of time to be sorry.
If we have a problem, we may find the answer after a good night's
sleep. People also say: "I'll sleep on it."
We need to read a book to know if it's good or bad. This proverb is
applied to everything, not only books.
'Bad news' means news about 'bad' things like accidents, death, illness
etc. People tend to tell this type of news quickly. But 'good news'
(passing an exam, winning some money, getting a job etc) travels more
slowly.
Birds of a feather means birds of the same type. The whole proverb
means that people of the same type or sort stay together. They don't
mix with people of another type.
This proverb suggest that we should not interfere in other people's
business. We should live our own lives and let others live their lives.
Many women have won a man's love by cooking delicious meals for him.
They fed his stomach and found love in his heart.
It's better not to learn something than to learn it badly.