Author:Aura RuggeriPublished: March 13, 2023 (Updated: October 12, 2023)
This article was fact checked and it's 100% helpful.
Eating with chopsticks is definitely an experience. Especially if you haven’t done this before. It can be difficult to master eating with chopsticks, and it really does take some getting used to.
But once you have mastered this skill, you’ll find that you’ll be able to eat lots of different foods with chopsticks.
The list of food that you can eat with chopsticks is seemingly endless, and there are a lot of foods that you can eat with chopsticks that you might not have realized. However, there are, of course, some foods that cannot be eaten with chopsticks.
In this guide, we’re taking a look at the foods that you can’t eat with chopsticks and some of the foods that you can eat with chopsticks that you may initially find impossible.
Read on to find out more.
What Foods Can’t You Eat With Chopsticks?
Let’s dive right in and start by taking a look at some of the foods that you cannot eat with chopsticks.
The list isn’t actually as extensive as you might expect, and that is because the vast majority of foods can be eaten with chopsticks. Especially the majority of foods consumed in Japanese culture.
However, there are some foods that it is physically impossible to consume with chopsticks. Even the most skilled chopstick user would struggle to eat any of these dishes with chopsticks, and that is mainly because they are not designed to be consumed with chopsticks.
If you are using chopsticks to consume Western food, then you will find that there are lots of different foods that it is impossible to eat with chopsticks. Any food that requires cutting is out of the question, so that makes things such as steak impossible to eat with chopsticks.
Likewise, things such as burgers, sandwiches, or hot dogs are also very difficult to eat with chopsticks. It is simply more practical to eat these things with your hands. Ice cream and other desserts also aren’t suitable for eating with chopsticks.
Soup dishes that contain chunky vegetables or meat can be consumed with chopsticks, but smooth soup dishes should be consumed by drinking the soup.
Likewise, sticky rice dishes can be eaten with chopsticks, but dry rice dishes can be very tricky to eat with chopsticks.
So, as you can see, the list of foods you cannot eat with chopsticks is small, but it does exist.
What Foods Can You Eat With Chopsticks?
On the flip side, let’s take a look at some of the foods that you can eat with chopsticks. As we said earlier, the list of foods that can be consumed using chopsticks is pretty lengthy, so let’s take a look at what they consist of.
In Japanese culture, the vast majority of foods are enjoyed using chopsticks. As we said earlier, it is easier to look at the foods that you cannot eat with chopsticks than to look at the foods that can be eaten with chopsticks.
Some of the foods that are eaten using chopsticks in Japanese culture include salad, noodles, rice, and most meats. As long as something doesn’t need to be cut before being eaten, it can be eaten using chopsticks.
Likewise, if something can be picked up using the chopsticks, without it sliding through the grip, then it can be eaten with the chopsticks.
If you are using chopsticks at home, then you will quickly be able to figure out what can be eaten with chopsticks, and what can’t through trial and error.
If you are using chopsticks at a restaurant, then it is best to stay safe with what you eat using chopsticks. Using chopsticks is a skill, and using them to eat inappropriate foods or incorrectly can be rather insulting.
However, the vast majority of foods will easily be eaten using chopsticks, as soon as you have mastered using this form of cutlery.
If it seems impractical to eat something with chopsticks, for example, a fried egg, then there is a good chance that you shouldn’t eat it with chopsticks.
But, if something feels natural to eat with chopsticks, the chances are you can eat it with chopsticks.
How To Use Chopsticks
Eating with chopsticks is a real skill, and it can take quite some time to develop this skill. Especially if you have never eaten with chopsticks before.
Eating with chopsticks will take a lot of practice to get right, so it can be quite daunting to start using chopsticks.
To help you out, we’ve put together a super quick step-by-step guide to using chopsticks. If you are using chopsticks for the first time, this guide should give you enough knowledge to give it a try.
Place the chopstick between your pointer finger and thumb, then balance it with your ring finger.
Place the second chopstick between your pointer finger and thumb, and rest it on your middle finger.
Use your thumb, pointer, and middle fingers to grasp the second chopstick more tightly.
Your middle and index fingers do all the lifting with the second chopstick.
Use your index and middle fingers to close the chopsticks over the food.
Hold the food with a secure grip, then eat it! Repeat until all food has been consumed.
This is a very basic step-by-step guide for eating with chopsticks, so it is important to bear that in mind. Especially if you are trying to eat more adventurous foods with your chopsticks.
However, for basic dishes such as small pieces of meat, or sushi, you should be able to use this guide to allow you to easily eat with chopsticks.
Tips And Tricks For Eating With Chopsticks
To make your experience of eating with chopsticks a little more enjoyable, we’ve compiled this list of helpful tips and tricks for eating with chopsticks. So, if you are eating with chopsticks for the first time, check out these tips and tricks to make your experience a little smoother.
Always have a firm and secure grip on your chopsticks when you are eating.
Never stab your food with your chopsticks, ensure you are always gripping the food between the two chopsticks.
Avoid eating any slippery food or any food that comes in individual grains (such as rice that is not in a sticky sauce).
Never use just one chopstick, ensure that you are always using the pair.
Avoid passing food to other people using chopsticks, or taking food off others using chopsticks. Ensure you are always picking food up from the plate.
Summary
In conclusion, there are lots of different foods that you can eat with chopsticks. The list of foods you can eat with chopsticks is almost endless, and it contains many foods you might not have thought you’d be able to eat with chopsticks.
However, there are some foods that you can’t eat with chopsticks, and these mainly include Western foods such as steak, fried chicken, and ice cream.
That being said, some Japanese foods cannot be eaten with chopsticks. They include certain soups and rice dishes that are not sticky.
Hi, I’m Aura Ruggeri and I want to make sure that no one makes the same mistake that I did.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Japan anytime soon, do exactly that - plan! Read up on all of the amazing things to do here to make the most of your time. I can bet that you’ll still return home feeling like you could’ve explored much more.
