Why we should eat with our fingers

• tradition – we ate with fingers before forks were invented,
• increases awareness of the food being eaten – cutlery permits distraction,
• increases engagement with the food including how you will gather it, how much you need for one mouthful, how to hold the food so it does not spill/fall out,
• improves digestion – feeling the food with fingers sends a signal to the digestive system that you are about to eat and so digestive juices and enzymes are released in anticipation,
• feeling the food with fingers signals the spiciness of the food,
• feeling the food with fingers signals the temperature of the food and therefore safety as you can’t burn your mouth if the food is too hot to touch,
• slows the rate and amount of food being consumed as it takes time to prepare each mouthful,
• engages all senses – we already eat with our other 4 senses (sight, smell, sound, taste), fingers add the 5^th sense – touch/tactility,
• increases dexterity – having to break bread with one hand increases muscle strength in that hand,
• reduces waste – it is easier to pick up the last morsels on the plate, and to access all the meat on bones,
• generates an intimacy when people eat from the same dish,
• it’s fun – eating with fingers is more informal and fun.

Samples