Chopsticks vs. the Fork

I would like to take this opportunity to write about the advantages and disadvantages of using chopsticks to eat certain foods (according to Janelle with some input from Adam).  As a disclaimer, I would like to note that I unfortunately have not mastered holding chopsticks correctly.  This may be influencing my ability to use them effectively. 

Noodles

Chopsticks are highly useful as you can twirl the noodles around them.  A fork is similarly useful in this situation.  Chopsticks lose their appeal when the noodles become short and slippery and one is unable to grasp the tiny noodles with them.  In the latter case, a fork with a scooping action is more efficient.

Rice

I find that chopsticks are equally as useful as a fork, until I get to the bottom of the bowl.  Then, it can become quite painstakingly tedious to pick up the single grains of rice with chopsticks. 

Salad

Salad made with lettuce is much easier to eat with chopsticks.  I’m sure we’ve all experienced eating salad with a fork and the lettuce just won’t be speared and we end up using a knife or finger to move it onto the fork.  With chopsticks you can easily pick up individual pieces of lettuce. 

Coleslaw

While I haven’t actually tried eating coleslaw with chopsticks, I imagine that the small and slippery nature of it would make it quite difficult, unless of course, you shred your cabbage instead of chopping it.

Popcorn

Eating popcorn with chopsticks is genius!  No longer do you have greasy hands!  If you’re playing cards, you don’t have to worry about your hands being clean/dirty when reaching for some more.  I think that we will eat popcorn with chopsticks from now on.

Steak/anything else that needs to be cut

The problem with chopsticks is that it assumes that all your food is already cut into bite size portions.  However, much of the meat in Western style dishes is not which can cause quite an issue for chopstick supporters.

Sushi/anything that will fall apart if speared and needs to be picked up in one piece

While using your hands is possible (much like with popcorn) using utensils is always nice for sanitary purposes.  Picking up sushi or other bite size things with chopsticks is certainly the way to go. 

Finally, if the food is in chunk size and slippery (like fruit) a fork is probably easier to manoeuvre.  However, as we have seen chopsticks can be much better to use for eating popcorn, salad, and of course sushi.

Adam and I went back to that sushi restaurant and we took some pictures this time.

Sushi Restaurant Pictures