# How Do You Hold Your Knife And Fork When Eating? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074 "2012-05-25T16:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/1 "2012-05-25T16:17:27Z")
Growing up in the US, it is fairy normal to hold the fork in your left hand and knife in the right hand to cut food, and then you switch hands and eat with the fork in your right hand. However, when I moved to Europe I noticed people would always hold the fork in the left hand, and then use that fork in the left hand to eat (not switching to the right hand). I learned that method and it really is far more practical. Do you switch hands after cutting the food? ---
**Author:** ![tallcoldone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@tallcoldone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tallcoldone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/2 "2012-05-25T16:29:45Z")
I actually learned the “European” style on international business travel; growing up in rural Ohio I guess everybody did the switch like I used to. Once I noticed it and thought about it for a minute, it seemed obvious that not switching was much better. I have had other Americans ask me about it and some think it’s snooty or something. Just makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/3 "2012-05-25T16:44:44Z")
Other. I keep the fork in my right hand. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/4 "2012-05-25T16:48:39Z")
Other. If the food I am eating only needs sporadic cutting, then I switch hands. If I need to cut every bite, like a steak, then I keep the fork tines down in my left hand. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/5 "2012-05-25T16:51:52Z")
Never understood the switching hands thing. Just keep your fork in your left hand at all times. Or your right hand at all times. Me, the fork is always in my left hand. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/6 "2012-05-25T16:54:47Z")
I keep the fork in my left hand. Switching seems like wasted effort when I can eat just fine with my left hand. Often I will hold the fork or spoon in my left hand even when I’m not using a knife. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/7 "2012-05-25T16:55:34Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Other. If the food I am eating only needs sporadic cutting, then I switch hands. If I need to cut every bite, like a steak, then I keep the fork tines down in my left hand. Same for me. So I keep my fork in my left hand if I’m eating steak and in my right hand if I’m eating a stir fry. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/8 "2012-05-25T17:15:02Z")
I assume you’re asking about the main course. Basically the utensil with which food goes into my mouth stays in my left hand. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/9 "2012-05-25T17:28:15Z")
I remember when i moved to the US and saw people switching hands when using their forks. I thought they must have some sort of injury or defect, and when i asked about it, i couldn’t believe that people would actually cut, put down the utensil, and change hands to eat. My American wife does it, and i still marvel at it sometimes. I’m like **TriPolar** ; i keep the fork in my right hand both when cutting and when eating. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/10 "2012-05-25T17:28:20Z")
Fork in left hand the whole time, knife in right. I’m left handed though, so I didn’t really have to learn to use the left as my primary food shoveling hand, that part just came naturally. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/11 "2012-05-25T17:29:48Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Fork in left hand the whole time, knife in right. I’m left handed though, so I didn’t really have to learn to use the left as my primary food shoveling hand, that part just came naturally. I describe myself as left-handed (writing, throwing, kicking, etc.), but when i use a spoon or a fork alone i’m far more comfortable using my right hand. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/12 "2012-05-25T17:36:52Z")
Fork always in left hand. But then again, I’m Canadian. And then again, I was born in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/13 "2012-05-25T17:48:41Z")
Fork in left hand. Never "learned’’ this anywhere it just makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/14 "2012-05-25T18:13:40Z")
Am I the only one who has no idea? I can’t even test this by eating something, because I’ll be overthinking it now. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/15 "2012-05-25T18:50:18Z")
As a kid I was taught ‘fork in left hand to cut, then switch’, which is how I’ve done it most of my life. But a previous job had me going to France a few times a year, and some of my coworkers were European, so this came up in conversation a few times. I realized the convenience of keeping the fork in my left hand. Now I probably switch 60% of the time, and keep in in the left 40% of the time. I taught my kids they can do it however feels more comfortable for them, as long as they don’t hold any of the utensils in their fist. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/16 "2012-05-25T19:01:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Other. If the food I am eating only needs sporadic cutting, then I switch hands. If I need to cut every bite, like a steak, then I keep the fork tines down in my left hand. Same for me. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/17 "2012-05-25T19:18:08Z")
I eat European style. What’s weird, is the rest of my family eats western style. And according to my Mom, nobody taught me to eat like that. I just did. Never spent a day in my life in Europe! 🙂 Even more weird, both my sons refuse to eat European style. I tried to tech them. They just don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/18 "2012-05-25T19:19:46Z")
Another vote for fork stays in the right hand and knife in left. When cooking I always hold the knife in my right hand. I have no idea why. It feels strange to cut with my right hand while sitting or with my left hand while standing. I throw right and bat left in baseball. Maybe it’s related. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/19 "2012-05-25T19:28:29Z")
Switching the fork to the other hand for every bite is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. Luckily my parents use the fork the easy way, so I was never taught that I was supposed to switch constantly. It’s only been 4 or 5 years that I’ve even been aware of the hand-switching crap. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074/20 "2012-05-25T19:34:51Z")
Fork goes in my _left_ hand. I’m right-handed so I use the increased dexterity and control to use the knife to cut, then stab the piece of meat with the fork and bring to mouth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-knife-and-fork-when-eating/623074.md?page=2)