Why are chopsticks so much better for eating noodles?

Question

A born and bred Brit, but parents-in-law were missionaries in China so learned to use chopsticks early,and now I prefer them when eating noodles and rice! Why doesn't everyone use them???

OK everybody! Thanks for pointing out that I needed to scroll down really far to get the other answers! And sorry for giving negs to a few as I thought they didn't realise what I meant!

Answer 1

I've always liked using a fork and a Chinese soup spoon to eat noodles and soup.

It's not so much the chopsticks, it's the spoon that matters. I don't enjoy drinking soup with the regular spoon or the cream soup spoon! With my fork and soup spoon combo, I only do this at home where old people can't see me eat because they'll probably say something about my weird habits. Anyway, I'm fine with chopsticks, well because I'm Chinese anyway.

When I was young, someone once explained to me that chopsticks are used, as it was offensive to have sharp objects such as a knife or a fork (prongs) on the table and that also means that food had to be small and bite-size so that no cutting would be necessary.

It also depends on what type of chopsticks you have, basically there's the Chinese type (blunt ends) and the Japanese type (pointed ends). I have both types in my kitchen drawer. I have a preference for the Japanese chopsticks as it's faster and easier to stab certain types of food if gripping them is difficult.

Don't forget the soup spoon!

Answer 2

It's a real pain in the *** to eat rice with chopsticks if it's not prepared to be sticky. Most rice I get in America is made not to be sticky so I like to use a fork. Or just stick my face in the bowl. Yeah...that's the best way. Also it's polite in Asia to sort of shovel all of the noodles in your mouth and slurp and bite them off but in the West you're supposed to be dainty about it. I assume that the manners came about due to which eating implements were available. So there's sort of the social no no of shoveling noodles in your mouth in the West as forks make it possible to swirl the noodles around into a nice little package for putting into your mouth.

Answer 3

europeans who eat chinese food with a knife and fork eat the food too quickly so they fill up to soon hence the saying im always starving an hour after a meal when you eat with chopsticks you consume a little at a time i have been to many chinese banquets both here and in china there are many courses but small in amount and can take up to 4 hours to eat if you enjoy chinese food use the right tools and you will enjoy using chopsticks is just a bit of practice

Answer 4

Its a healthy bit of fun, and the last time I had noodles I couldn't use chopsticks to save my life and kept getting my skin caught! Not nice!

Answer 5

It's because noodles are made for chopsticks. Imagine for example, trying to eat your sandwich with a fork. It just wouldn't be the same. Eating utensils vary from country to country, and since chopsticks are associated with Chinese Noodles, you find it a lot better.

Answer 6

I agree with you on the noodles. They are fun to use and I can use them for most anything, but I still find that they are difficult with rice. I do it, but I usually end up not being able to eat the last of the rice. LOL

Answer 7

Just down to personal preference. I use them most days myself because I lived in the Far East for five years and got used to it.

Answer 8

I can't eat rice with chopsticks. I'd be there forever! No wonder the chinese have small portions of food, and they're all mostly tiny.

Answer 9

because not every one has in-laws who were missionaries in china thats why love,plus you just like to show off your ability at eating chopstick now am i not right in what isay here lol wish i could eat with them .

Answer 10

Not everybody knowshow to use chopsticks