I know you think you’ve got this eating thing pretty much nailed, but I’m going to have to disappoint you. There are at least 10 foods you’ve been eating wrong your whole life. Check them out.
1. Bananas
Everyone knows how to eat a banana, right? Wrong.
Next time you’re at the zoo, take a closer look at the monkeys at feeding time. These guys are the banana experts, after all. You’ll be surprised to see them turn their bananas upside down, and peel the wrong end. Except, it’s really the right end. Confused? Give it a try – you’ll soon get the hang of it.
2. Pizza
Go on – admit it. Whenever you eat a pizza at home, you just pick it up and eat with your hands, don’t you? But as soon as you go to a pizza restaurant you start to doubt yourself. There are knives and forks on the table, but does anyone use a knife and fork for pizza? Your response to this dilemma probably says a lot about your personality, but worry no longer – there is a solution to this problem.
A true Italian won’t bother with a knife and fork, nor will they spill bits of pizza topping down their favorite shirt. That’s because they fold each triangular pizza slice in half along the crust edge to eat it. This traps all the delicious toppings inside and keeps your hands clean. Molto Bene, as they say.
3. Strawberries
If you wait all year for those juicy summer strawberries and then weep a little inside as you waste the top of each one as you cut away the leaves, then read on.
To save the maximum of each perfect strawberry for eating, use a straw to push through the center of the strawberry from top to bottom. This will push off the leaves, and you’ll get the most from your harvest.
4. Spaghetti
Which is worse, we wonder, to slurp up long strings of spaghetti and flick sauce all over our chin, or to cut the strands with a knife and fork like a baby?
Well, you’ll be pleased to know your instincts are good – neither of those options is the correct way to eat spaghetti.
To eat it like a pro, lift a few strands up above the plate to separate them from the rest. Then twirl your fork around to wind the strands around the tines. If the strands keep falling off you can use a spoon to stop them, although in Italy diners use the edge of the plate to keep everything under control.
5. Oranges
No more struggling to find a way into that pesky orange peel. Thanks to Rumble Viral’s YouTube video over one hundred thousand people now know the best way to get at those orange segments.
First, you need to slice off the top and bottom of your orange. Next cut into one side of the orange, from top to bottom, going all the way into the center. Then all you have to do is spread the orange open, and eat. Now, you’ll never have to squirt yourself in the eye with orange juice again.
6. Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs are great to pre-cook and then add to a packed lunch. They are quick, easy and convenient. Well, until you try to take off the shell, that is. Those awkward little shell pieces can get everywhere, sticking to your fingers, countertops, everywhere. But there is a better way.
Once your egg is boiled, either wait for it to cool down, or place it into cold water for a moment or two. When you can handle it without burning your fingers, just tap the top and bottom of the egg on the countertop to break the shell.
Remove the pieces of smashed shell from the top and bottom. Now put the narrow end of the egg and shell to your lips and blow. You should find that the egg is pushed out of the other end of the shell and into your waiting hand.
7. Chicken Wings
Eating BBQ’d chicken wings can be messy, wasteful and difficult. If you tend to avoid them because of this, the following tip will have chicken wings back on your menu.
Look for the wider end of your chicken wing. You should find a piece of gristle there which you can grasp with your finger and thumb and pull away. Once the gristle is removed grip the end of the smaller bone and twist it, before sliding it out of the meat. Then do the same with the larger of the two bones.
You are now left with a bone-free chicken wing which you can eat easily in one bite. For a visual guide, check out the video below.
8. Cupcakes
Everyone loves a cupcake, especially with masses of frosting. But how many times have you had to eat all the frosting first to stop it falling off? You are left with only the cake part, and end up eating the driest, least appetizing bit last.
Here’s an idea that will help you savor the flavor of every bit, right down to the last bite.
Take the paper case off your cupcake. Now using your fingers to dig into the sides and twist a little, you should find it fairly easy to remove the bottom half of the cake. Use this piece of cake to put on top of the frosting like a sandwich, and you are good to go. You’ll get cake and frosting in every mouthful. You’re welcome.
9. Apples
Why do we leave apple cores? They are actually completely edible, meaning that you get 30% more vitamins and minerals for every apple you eat.
When you wash your apple (like I know you already do) pay particular attention to the top and bottom – bits we often wash less well as we’re not planning to eat them. Then, start eating from the bottom to the top. You can choose to eat the seeds or spit them out. The only bit you’ll be left with is the core. Give it a go, I dare you.
10. Tacos
There is nothing more disappointing than having your taco crumble away in your hands, spilling all the delicious fillings onto your plate. You just want to take a huge bite – what can you do?
Lettuce to the rescue. Take a couple of lettuce leaves and wrap them around the taco shell like an extra taco layer. Because they are flexible, they’ll stop the taco breaking up and catch any bits of filling that try to escape, allowing you to ease those hunger pangs with no hold-ups. Brilliant.
Have you got any top tips for eating awkward foods? Do you dare eat the whole apple? If you’ve mastered these foods, move up to the next level, and see how to tackle lobster and snails.
- 10 Foods You Should Never Order In a Restaurant - February 3, 2018
- 10 Foods You’ve Been Eating Wrong Your Whole Life - January 29, 2018
- 7 Food Documentaries Everybody Needs to Watch - January 25, 2018