Can you eat confidently with your hands?

@Shasha_ (1207)
Porto, Portugal
May 25, 2026 5:32am CST
It was my turn to pick a place for us to eat out, so I decided on a nearby Indian spot. Run by a local temple, they serve delicious vegetarian meals. Interestingly, everything was served without spoons or forks. Before we ate, we were given a bowl of water to clean our hands. At first, both my husband and I struggled a bit to pick up our food with our fingers. But after watching other customers easily use all their fingers, we finally felt confident enough to dig in with our hands!
8 people like this
9 responses
Anna
@LadyDuck (501343)
• Italy
25 May
I also do not like to eat with my hands, but when we visited Morocco we had to do the same, we were given a bowl of water and a towel and we only had to use our right hand to eat. The left is considered unclean, used to clean your body.
3 people like this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
That sounds like such an unforgettable cultural immersion! It is amazing how traveling pushes us right out of our comfort zones and forces us to adapt to local traditions, even when it completely goes against our personal habits.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (501343)
• Italy
26 May
@Shasha_ - I loved to much to travel and I am glad we could travel when we were young.
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
8h
@LadyDuck Traveling while young truly is the ultimate education. It builds a beautiful foundation of open-mindedness that stays with you for life.
1 person likes this
Rimps
@Rimps85 (3179)
• India
25 May
Come to India, that's our tradition
3 people like this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
That is such a wonderful tradition! It must make every meal feel so intimate and flavorful. I'd love to experience that authentic way of eating someday.
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
Rimps
@Rimps85 (3179)
• India
26 May
@Shasha_ its not a rocket science though
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (155222)
• Philippines
25 May
We normally use our hands to eat but it is seldom that I do that
3 people like this
rakski
@rakski (155222)
• Philippines
26 May
@Shasha_ Actually, the older generation does that. I grew up using utensils, but when eating fish when I was a kid, I used hands but not anymore
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
That is a really fascinating habit! Most people rely entirely on cutlery or their hands depending on their culture, so your approach sounds quite unique. It makes me wonder about your daily dining routine.
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
8h
@rakski It makes sense. Eating fish with your hands as a kid is honestly the smartest way to do it since it makes finding those tiny, tricky bones so much easier.
Thelma
@thelme55 (79161)
• Germany
25 May
I was used to eat with my bare hands when I was still living in the Philippines. Since living in Germany for more than 4 decades,I eat using knife and fork. I eat with barehands when we have a „boodle fight“ meals with my Filipino friends.
2 people like this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
How wonderful! You have truly mastered the best of both cultures. There’s no better way to bond with friends than sharing a hearty boodle fight just like back home in the Philippines.
Jim Bauer
@porwest (112420)
• United States
25 May
This would not be a place I'd want to eat. There are certain foods designed to be "finger foods." But that would not include the entire menu.
3 people like this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (112420)
• United States
9h
@Shasha_ It might be worth a look. Still, I prefer to have the option to use utensils if I want to.
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
8h
@porwest That’s a totally fair point! It really comes down to having the freedom to eat exactly how you want to.
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
It sounds like that restaurant offers a highly unconventional dining experience! I wonder if they completely eliminated utensils, or if they are trying to turn complex, messy dishes into bite-sized finger foods? It makes me curious about what kind of dishes were on that menu to make someone react that way.
1 person likes this
Maryann F
@summerscent (355)
• Philippines
25 May
Yes, but only after washing my hands thoroughly.
3 people like this
Maryann F
@summerscent (355)
• Philippines
26 May
@Shasha_ Thanks, if I don’t, I feel very uncomfortable.
1 person likes this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
8h
@summerscent That "uncomfortable" feeling is actually your brain's way of cheering on your immune system.
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
The hygiene check is key! It shows you respect the food (and your health). Honestly, I’m totally on board with this.
1 person likes this
May2k8
@May2k8 (19783)
• Indonesia
25 May
hands are safer than using a plastic spoon but I clean my hands first with water and wipe with a tissue.
2 people like this
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
26 May
I totally agree, clean hands really are the best tool! It's awesome that you make the extra effort to wash and dry them first.
1 person likes this
sarika bhatia
@sarik1 (7815)
•
19h
No i use with spoon.i cannot eat with hands
1 person likes this
sarika bhatia
@sarik1 (7815)
•
6h
@Shasha_ Right
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
8h
Using a spoon is a neat and efficient way to enjoy your food. Everyone has their own comfortable style when it comes to dining.
1 person likes this
jaishankar
@Shivram59 (49889)
• India
26 May
Of course. In fact, I can't use spoons and forks to eat. Nobody in my uses these things. We all eat with our hands.
1 person likes this
jaishankar
@Shivram59 (49889)
• India
7h
@Shasha_ Eating with our own hands is the natural way of eating. Once in a restaurant in Kolkata one of my Christian friends asked me to use spoons and forks. I couldn't do that. I had rather injured my lips.
Shasha
@Shasha_ (1207)
• Porto, Portugal
8h
Eating with your hands is a beautiful, deeply rooted tradition that connects you directly to the food. Many people actually find that food tastes much better that way because it engages all of your senses at once.
1 person likes this