Bacon & French Fries

Fingers, but really, this is probably a case for agree to disagree . . . . my husband eats his Cheetos (when at home) with a fork to avoid the cheesy fingers they cause. My kids think it is great fun to eat them "like daddy"! they have not mastered the skill well enough yet to avoid Cheetos flying all over the kitchen, but hey, the dog thinks this is a great way for them to do it. Try not to undermine each other in front of the kiddos and enjoy watching them figure out how they prefer to do it.

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I have never in my life seen anyone eat bacon and or french Fries with forks & knifes. They are both finger foods.

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Should be? Doesn't really matter. But there's no reason NOT to use a fork OR their fingers... if they're comfortable with either. A person can even eat soup with a fork, if they're patient (And I have a friend who does).

Personally I use my fingers with both!

(I was even taught in etiquette class when I was young *how* to eat finger foods with my fingers ;)... and it's different for women and men and children, accepted "etiquette for fingerfoods". Men have to do it languidly, women delighted/perkily, and children quietly. Only one hand is acceptable, and it cannot switch, there are a certain number of "passes" that are acceptable, blah blah blah... but as with ALL etiquette, whatever the hostess is doing is the "correct" form for the table... and her guests are under compulsion to eat as she chooses. One never one "ups" a hostess, OR uses a "lower" style. Sheesh. That takes me back. Did you know in THIS country alone, there are at least SEVEN different styles of eating? Once you jump into other cultures, though, it gets really dicey...Hundreds of variations. My 3 personal favorites are Casual Family/Pub, Japanese Tatami Informal, & Middleastern Formal.

No matter where you are though... it's the HOSTESS who is right, and who to follow (well, there are some slight variations that come into play when the hostess is also serving, and does not eat with you...but those cases are not frequent in this part of the world). So if you really want to be "correct" ... You win, whatever side you're arguing for. As the hostess, everyone is obligated by courtesy to eat as you do. (Actually, that goes for dress code, as well as many other social niceties).

No pressure.

:)

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Well I personally think someone would look pretty weird eating french fries or bacon with a fork and knife. It's the same with a sandwich or chicken nuggets. Some foods are just finger foods. How would you eat crispy bacon with a fork and knife anyway?

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Who eats french fries with a fork?!!

There is a wonderful array of fun foods that we can eat without a fork or spoon and not look unmannerly. Bacon and French Fries are some of them. I can understand wanting to teach your children proper etiquette and manners, but I think that is taking things a little too far. And if its a germ worry, some germs are good for us. Our immune systems need regular exposure to stay strong and keep us healthy.

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fingers. bacon really? Must be soggy bacon, cause bacon would fall apart. I had a boyfriend who didn't eat with his fingers. Nothing to do with how he was raised, just weird. He would even eat pizza with a fork. I would lick barbeque sauce off my fingers after eating ribs just to gross him out.

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You didn't say who had which preference, but I would probably have to say fingers, though I've never eaten bacon (I'm vegetarian). I don't remember how I ate stripples (vegetarian bacon).

Anyhow, I wanted to comment on husband and wife having differences in table manners. My husband was raised in a third world country and has very different table manners than I do--though not all in the way you would think. My table manners--the ones I learned as a child--all had to do with etiquette: don't talk with food in your mouth, elbows off the table, etc. His table manners are all hygiene-related: don't lick your fingers, for instance. But he puts his elbows on the table and in general breaks a lot of rules that I don't even remember. I decided they weren't that important. When my oldest is a bit older (maybe 5 or 6), I think I will get a book of good manners and start teaching her table manners, and maybe she will help encourage Daddy and we can all learn together. At this point, I figure my relationship with him is too important to make table manners an issue right now. He's got enough on his plate (no pun intended!) to worry about the finer points of table etiquette.

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Fingers, unless the fries are covered in cheese LOL, then I use a fork. Never heard of knives on either tho lol.

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In America-fingers. In Europe-silverware.

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Fingers definately!! Now I'm curious as to who thinks it should be eaten with forks and knifes ;)

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We're not talking about 6yr old kids eating peas or mashed potatoes with their fingers ^j^ Sometimes we have to let go and enjoy. McDonald hamburgers/fries are meant to be eaten with your hands. A 5star resturant may dictate another way.

I like my bacon a little crispy so a knife/fork would make a big mess.

E.

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Fingers!

I suppose I would make an exception if you were in a nice restaurant - eating some sort of fancy fries :) - although I tend to think people look silly using a fork & knife on fries in a fancy restaurant. Here is what I do: don't order a dish with finger foods in a fancy restaurant.

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Dear K.,

Great question. I'd say fingers are appropriate with these foods. I'm sure there are folks out there who might think it rude to see folks eating with their fingers - including one person in your family - but the majority of us would probably think it a bit weird to see a kid eating bacon with a fork and knife. It sounds like you guys are very involved parents so your kids are probably just fine. Keep up the good work!

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the answer is fingers - however, there are "neat" ways to eat and "messy" ways to eat. My nephew was taught that anything he eats with his hands is okay to be "jammed" or "stuffed" in his mouth because eating with hands is easier/faster. My sister never taught him about keeping his mouth closed while he eats, and never told him about putting more in than can easily be chewed with his mouth closed (she says she had enough trouble keeping him controlled at meal times to quibble about such niceties). And to this day, he will eat anything he can pick up in his fingers that way - ending with his entire face greasy/messy and it's disgusting to sit next to him chewing with so much in his (unclosed) mouth at once.

So go ahead and teach your kids it's okay to eat some foods with your fingers (toast, french fries, sandwiches, chicken drumsticks) as long as they take bites that are small enough that they can chew with their mouths closed and as long as they know to use a napkin for their hands/faces afterward.

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Fingers...but honestly, however you eat it, is no big deal as long as you take a mannerly approach. In fact, in our house our kids love to eat their fried eggs on toast, as in an open-faced sandwich style! I didn't teach them this, nor did dad. We are ok with it as parents, as long as they are polite while doing so. Nothing rude, no messy eating, no chewing with mouth open, elbows stay off the table, don't talk with food in your mouth- it all still applies!

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fingers, but honestly I hope they are eating other healthy food to make up for the bacon and french fries. I also think that what you eat is more important than how you eat it. If your kids are older that's one thing, but young ones should eat healthy food and you shouldn't worry how they get it in their bodies.

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Is it possible to eat french fries or bacon with a fork? I've never known anyone to do that!! Fingers for sure!

BTW, what do you do with fried chicken?

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French fries~~~FINGERS!!! Depends on the type of bacon, Canadian bacon, fork, strip bacon, fingers if it's a short piece. Cut in half with a knife so they don't have 4 inches hanging from their mouths.

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Not knowing their ages, I would say "hey, at least they are eating!" I hope they are not eating these things too often, as you know they are not sources of healthy nutrition for children. But then you won't have to deal with the issue to often either.

Sounds like a "status" issue, what is your husband "afraid" of(not to imply), someone seeing his children enjoy their food?

I hope you can come to an agreement (or eliminate these foods) for the children's sake, good luck.

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Definitely Fingers! With clean hands, of course! S.

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Now... really..... how in the world can you eat bacon with a fork? Unless you like it UNcooked.
Now french fries are a different story.. You can poke them and actually eat them that way, however.... in my opinion...

EAT THEM WITH YOUR FINGERS...!!!!!!!!!

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In my opinion both are finger foods. Perhaps in other parts of the country or world that would be considered poor manners, but not at my house. Of course, you must chew them with your mouth closed, which is something that we have to remind our six year old of on a regular basis...

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Fingers! The way I make bacon (extra crispy) there's NO way you could eat it with a fork and knife. I've tried and it just ends up flying off the plate.

For etiquette I believe it is acceptable to eat french fries with your fingers. If your bacon is the thick kind that can be cut maybe it would require a fork but I have always used my fingers and I'm a pretty good stickler for manners!

-M.

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I've always eaten both with my fingers my whole life. I've never known anyone who's used a fork or knife with either. That's just me though.

I have to add, I LOVE what Cathy M said!! Now I wish my husband and I differed in how we eat certain things just so I could watch our kids try both ways and decide for themselves how they like! :-) Thanks for making me think of the simple things in life that our kids watch us to learn.

Yes, bacon & french fries shoulc be eaten with fingers! There are also other foods that can or should be eaten with fingers!

fingers of course this is the west coast. I have never seen anyone eat either with a fork. Why would you want to? Did someone learn this in school somewhere? Just let your kids eat the bacon and fries like most everyone else does.
I know what you could do
Ask whoever is eating the bacon and fries with a fork if they will try eating them like everyone else around them or not just do not expect others to follow. Whwn it comes to your children best to pick your battles (important things like honesty, sharing and respect just to name a few).

Fingers for sure. My kids are 2,4,6 and I can't imagine asking them to use silverware for those things. They are a little greasy, but that's what napkins are for :)

Bacon is a back and forth, and I would let your kids decide as long as they don't make a mess. But french fries are definitely a finger food like pizza or fried chicken. If you choose to use a fork with those foods, it's a personal decision, but fingers are the norm.

Really? What an interesting argument. In my entire life I have never seen anyone eat french friend or bacon with anything but their fingers.
Out of curiosity is it a manners thing?

I think fingers are fine. A fork might be better in public, but I think fingers are okay in public too.

Unless you are in one of those over priced fancy restaurants, they are totally finger food!!

My vote is for FINGERS!!! I cannot imagine attempting to fork up a fry or a piece of bacon!

Fingers for both. We also make crispy bacon which would be impossible to eat with a fork. In my opinion french fries are the best way to eat a potato with your fingers. :)

Fingers! :) I can imagine the discussion. I have pondered this as well. Only because we are CONSTANTLY reminding our 4 1/2 year old to use her fork, then it comes to bacon and fries...its got to be confusing! If it is a matter of them using their fingers too much, just teach them that there are "special foods" that you get to use their fingers for... Have fun getting messy with your finger food!

Seems to me it should be personal preference based on what the individual wants to do. When it comes to teaching kids if you ask me either way is correct and they should choose which they want to do.

Maybe here the question begs to be asked of your childrens parents, "Is it more important to be right or to be happy?"

They are both finger foods in our house!

E.
http://www.babysignswithelizabeth.blogspot.com

both seem like finger food to me - unless it is round bacon...

I vote for FINGERS- napkins optional;-))

Uh...fingers, of course!

Please, do tell which one of you thinks what?
Cute question!

Fingers

No, if it's Canadian bacon, I'd say a fork since it's closer to ham.

Finger foods, for sure!!!!!

My husband cuts and stacks his bacon with the eggs and hashbrowns so I can see that it's a personal preference. Otherwise, I think most everyone uses their fingers for both. :-)

definitely fingers....

Are you kidding? It is far more difficult than it is worth to try to eat french fries with a fork. Ask for bacon, I believe that can be entirely situational. And if you are embarass as your children's behavior when eating these in public--don't let them eat bacon/fries in public. Heck, it's probably better if they don't anyway.

Fingers.
Good luck.

Bacon and FF are 'finger' foods in my opinion.

We use our fingers for those foods. It makes the meal a little different and fun for the kids!