Salads are delicious dishes that allow you to supplement your diet with several vegetables; there are different types and there are so many ways to eat them that even the most fussy people are able to find one they like. They are tasty, satisfying, and rich in nutrients, but they can be difficult to eat. A salad with large chunks of greens and lettuce leaves, especially if rich in sprouts, creamy dressings, and thin vegetables, can cause a little embarrassment especially during fine dining. To make things even more complicated, there are hundreds of types of salads and different rules of etiquette to follow at mealtimes. The good news is that there are some basic fixed points to facilitate this task that help you to eat any type of salad politely.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Putting into Practice the Elementary Rules of Etiquette
Step 1. Stay seated and still as you are served
Table etiquette is very important in formal situations, for example when you have an interview or a meeting, try to make a good impression on someone, dine in a luxury restaurant or in any other circumstances in which it is expected to be respected etiquette.
- During formal meals, a salad is often served before the first course (American service) or after the main course (European service).
- In these circumstances it is a leafy vegetable dish or a Caesar salad that involves a combination of lettuce, vegetables, croutons, condiments and sometimes meat or cheese.
- When the waiter serves you, don't walk away and don't move to the side as he sets the plate in front of you.
Step 2. Determine if you want cheese or pepper
Someone might come over to offer you some freshly grated cheese or ground pepper; you can happily accept or reject both, but remember to tell the waiter when to stop.
Never add salt or pepper to your salad (or any other dish) without tasting it first
Step 3. Choose your cutlery
The table is set with a series of utensils based on the dishes that will be served. If you are unsure which cutlery you should use for each dish, follow this simple rule: take the outermost one and gradually move inward.
When the salad is served, use the knife and fork found at the ends of the appliance. Once you have finished consuming this plate, the used utensils are taken away and you can move on to the next pair of cutlery
Step 4. Eat the salad with a knife and fork
When lettuce and vegetables are not cut into bite-sized pieces, you can use these cutlery; alternatively, if the ingredients are already chopped correctly, you can limit yourself to just the fork.
In the latter case, you can use the side edge to break the lettuce leaves or vegetables into smaller pieces before taking them to your mouth
Step 5. Cut and eat one bite at a time
Don't cut the whole salad at once, just chop the one you're about to eat. Make sure they are small mouthfuls to avoid ending up with too much or not being able to stick a fork in your mouth.
Step 6. Don't lean forward to take the bite
When you are ready to eat, bring the fork to your mouth and bow your head slightly to grab the food; immediately lower the cutlery leaving it on the plate and do the same with the knife.
Part 2 of 4: American Style
Step 1. Understand the rules of American dining etiquette
In this context you should always perform the main cuts and functions with your right hand, which means that you have to constantly transfer the fork and knife from one hand to the other.
- To cut a bite, hold the knife with your right hand and the fork with your left; hold the food still with the latter and practice the cut with the knife.
- Place the knife on the plate, transfer the fork to your right hand and bring the food to your mouth.
- When you are ready to eat again, grab the fork with your left hand, take the knife and repeat the sequence.
Step 2. Use silent communication with the napkin
This "silent code" is a non-verbal communication method used by diners, waiters and which uses the position of the napkin and cutlery to indicate certain situations during the meal.
To indicate that you leave the table momentarily and that you will return to eat, place the napkin on the chair; if you're done and don't go back to eat, place it on the table to the left of the plate instead. This rule is valid for both American and European service
Step 3. Use silent communication with cutlery
When you simply take a break or want to indicate that you are finished with that dish, place the knife and fork next to each other so that they indicate 10 and 4; if the plate were a clock, the tips of the cutlery indicate 10:00 and the other ends indicate 4:00.
- If you are just taking a break, the fork tines should point down; if you're done, put them up.
- When you finish eating a dish, remember to place the cutlery on the plate even if you did not use the knife intended for that dish.
Part 3 of 4: European style
Step 1. Learn the correct techniques for cutting and eating food
When you are at a European-style dinner, you don't have to move cutlery from hand to hand to cut the dishes and eat; you should always keep the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left for the duration of the meal.
- Use the fork to hold the bite in place and cut it with the knife.
- Use the knife to gently push the salad pieces towards the fork, such as the vegetables or cheese, before eating the bite. If possible, stick something like a crouton or a bean to "fix" the food on the fork.
- When you bring the food to your mouth, place the wrist of your right hand on the edge of the table and do the same with your left hand once you have taken the bite. Leave your arms in this position until you're done chewing and ready for another piece of food.
Step 2. Indicate when you want to take a break
During a European-style dinner, cross the tips of the fork and knife on the plate to communicate to the waiter that you want to continue eating but that you are taking a break to chat or drink.
Step 3. Communicate that you have finished the dish
To inform the waiter that you have finished eating, place the fork and knife side by side so that they indicate 10:00 and 4:00; make sure the fork tines are facing down.
Part 4 of 4: Eat Non-Traditional Salads
Step 1. Try a taco salad
It is a dish of Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine; it is made with lettuce, beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese, spices and other tacos ingredients. Serve with corn chips as a side dish or in an edible tortilla bowl; it is quite rare for it to be served during a formal or refined dinner, so feel free to eat it however you like.
- One method is to crumble the corn chips or tortilla bowl and mix them with the salad and then eat it all with a fork.
- You can use the corn chips to scoop up the tortilla bites or pieces as if they were an edible spoon.
Step 2. Make a mixed salad
The one based on tuna, egg or chicken is really creamy thanks to the mayonnaise; you can add other ingredients, such as spices, celery, nuts and onions. This type of salad can be eaten alone with a fork or used to fill a sandwich.
- Take two slices of plain or toasted bread, depending on your preference.
- Add a layer of tuna, egg or chicken salad on a slice and top it off with another piece of bread; garnish with lettuce, tomatoes or pickles if you like.
- You can replace bread with crackers; use a knife to spread a small amount of the salad on the individual crackers.
Step 3. Eat a pasta or potato salad
Although tuber salad is enriched with mayonnaise just like tuna or egg mayonnaise, only an oil-based dressing is typically used in pasta salads. Both can be served hot or cold and are enjoyed with a fork.
- The potato salad is prepared with boiled potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces and mixed with mayonnaise or another creamy sauce; the dish is enriched with onions or chives, eggs, bacon and spices.
- For pasta salads you have to use boiled pasta, such as farfalle or penne, seasoned with oil, spices, vegetables and green beans.
Step 4. Try a caprese
This traditional Italian salad is prepared with fresh mozzarella, slices of raw tomato, fresh basil and a simple dressing based on olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Slices of cheese and tomato are usually laid out in layers and you can eat them with a knife and fork. Use the knife to cut a small bite that contains the mozzarella, tomato and basil; you can dip it in the dressing before eating it.
