Pass the Potatoes Please

As a kid I vividly remember my parents emphasis on “good table manners.”   Phrases like; Don’t put your elbows on the table, pass food from left to right, chew with your mouth closed and my personal favorite “sit up straight.”   Throughout my life I have had numerous opportunities to witness first hand the awkwardness that goes with eating with someone who has poor table manners.  In most cases the offender is unaware of the impact their lack of table manners has on the other diners.  They may or may not know better but they seem to be oblivious to the impact their eating habits have on the people around them.  In most cases poor table manners will result in ostracizing by friends and colleagues who find this unacceptable, So a few suggestions for everyone to follow… most everyone has a cell phone with a recording device, sit down with a sandwich and chips (by yourself) and record yourself eating lunch.  Then plays it back if you can hear yourself eating, if you can then so can everyone else.  Keeping your mouth closed and sounds to a minimum will keep everyone comfortable… chips should be eaten one or two at a time, not a handful. While attending college I witnessed this first hand when a fellow student who was awkward to begin with was not aware of the impact his eating habits had on the people around him.  Most social settings center around food and sitting down to eat with him was uncomfortable and people would avoid the situation.  Most people never got the chance to know him because they refused to eat with him more than once. So all you Moms and Dads teach your kids good table manners…it is as important as music class.   If you follow these simple rules and pay attention while eating everyone will enjoy the meal and oh yeah sit up straight….