How do you learn to eat with chopsticks ?

Question

I keep dropping my noodles.

Answer 1

Gee, I don't think I've ever seen instructions for using chopsticks on any of the chopsticks I've gotten, but then I live in a part of the country with a large Asian population so maybe it's just expected.

The way I learned to eat with them though was to watch other people *very carefully,* then try their ways. Especially if you want to practice at home, you can start with something easy to pick up and reasonably dry, not wet noodles... even small pompons or raisins, etc.; then move up to something more difficult in steps (good for reducing the amt of snacks one eats too if forced to eat only what one can pick up ).

I have a good friend who's Chinese, and she told me that there actually is no "correct" way to hold chopsticks. Sort of like tying one's shoes, etc., one generally learns the way one's family or friends did it. Enough experience at any of them will usually allow one's hands to get food to mouth. There may well be certain ways more common to a particular area or country though.

One way that worked better for me in the beginning though was to hold the bottom chopstick stationary (between bottom of thumb and side of middle finger), then use only the top one (with top of thumb and index finger) to go up and down independently over the bottom one. Many other people use the ring finger too though, or a different positioning and motions, etc.

A couple of other things to keep in mind:

...any food that's in a bowl is either put up to the mouth (esp. if almost empty) or the mouth goes down over it, when delivering noodles or rice to the mouth... almost like scooping or shoveling for rice
...it's not necessary to get a whole bite of noodles in one's mouth in one go... in fact, a good sized bite is usually put in, then the front teeth cut off any remainder and they fall back into the bowl
...any liquid left in a bowl can be drunk directly from the bowl
...sometimes using the large plastic spoon that's available *along with the chopsticks* works well, sort of like a helper or like Italian-style without the twirling
...pointed "enameled" chopsticks are definitely harder to use in the beginning than the bare wood ones are

You can probably find some diagrams online for various styles... let me see what I can find:
... here's one that's sort of like the way I do it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Eat-With-Chopsticks

http://tinyurl.com/yzorrj

http://tinyurl.com/yjsaec


After that, it's all practice!


HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 2

Connect the chopsticks with a rubber band to practice at home. Wrap the rubber band around both chopsticks in a figure 8 shape. (i.e. the loops go around the top of each chopstick and the band crosses in between them)

Some Asian markets have connected chopsticks you can use for practice too.

Boil some linguine noodles and add a little oil to the water so they will be a little slick. Drain them, rinse them in really cold water so you can use them for practice.

Also note, it is easier to eat rice and noodles out of a bowl. Bowls are traditional.

Answer 3

such a lot persons suppose that you just be taught to make use of a chopstick by means of the way you keep it. i disagree. you honestly be taught to make use of a chopstick whilst you have an understanding of the right way to pinch the meals with the chopsticks. do this: make a DIY inexperienced persons chopstick set. hold folding a fats piece of tissue paper till it turns into a small dice approximately two x two x two cm. simply extensive adequate to wedge among the highest ends of the two chopsticks. tie a rubber band across the sticks and tissue. the 2 sticks will have to be on both part of the tissue dice, consequently separated by means of a hole. there you've it! keep the chopsticks rather better than the centre, and just a bit scale down then the tissue. keep it such as you might keep a pencil to put in writing, along with your thumb and index finger on both facets. (your thumb on one stick, and your finger at the different) the concept is to 'pinch' the meals among the 2 sticks, utilizing your hands to press the sticks in combination. there you've it! you are utilizing a chopstick already. hold working towards to balanc the chopsticks for your arms. it will get intricate in the beginning. heck, i am nonetheless sturggling with chopsticks after twenty years of utilizing it, so no concerns when you think like a goof generally. all of us do, newbie or no. i recommend you train consuming with non-staining meals first, or with an apron to lessen threat of dirtying your garments. you'll under no circumstances be too cautious while munching with chopsticks. revel in and feature amusing!

Answer 4

Normally, there are directions one the package that chopsticks come in.
However, if reading directions doesn't work for you, ask a waiter.
A bad idea that would work, but might offend many people, is to ask an Asian nearby.

Answer 5

um... usually at restaraunts, there r instructions for how to use chopsticks.... once u get the hang of it, replace the fork (for most needs!)

Answer 6

Practise makes perfect.

Answer 7

u will get the hang of it
practice

Answer 8

PRACTICE!!!
Use them at home, too.