Eating Tex-Mex and Mexican Food with Your Hands

By Catering Staff | June 20, 2017

While many Tex-Mex and Mexican food should be eaten with a fork and knife, such as baked chicken with rice and chicken in mole rice, many of them can also be eaten with your hands – finger foods, if you will. But here’s the thing about them: You will likely make a mess of it and, thus, you can become an embarrassment to yourself.

This shouldn’t put you off the joys of Tex-Mex and Mexican food at Freebirds, however. Otherwise, you will miss out on the heavenly delights of creamy guacamole, fresh tomato salsa, sharp cheeses, and spicy meats! The trick is in ensuring that the tacos don’t fall apart, the sauces aren’t dripping into your clothes, and the fillings are staying in your mouth.

Here are our suggestions when eating Tex-Mex and Mexican finger foods. Your main goal: Make as little mess as possible yet enjoy the delicious flavors with each bite.  

Cut Food into Bite-sized Pieces

If you can’t support the food with both your hands, then you shouldn’t shove it into your mouth. You should first cut it in half or in thirds depending on its size before eating it. You should only take bite-sized pieces instead of cramming as much food as possible into your mouth, too.

If possible, you must also put down your food on your plate between bites. You can do this when you’re eating in a restaurant although it isn’t possible when you’re on the go.

Mind Your Table Manners

Even when you’re eating with your hands, a more casual way than eating with a fork and knife, you should always mind your table manners.

• Avoid hunching over your plate. Instead, sit up straight since it displays your fine table manners. Keeping the fillings and sauce inside the taco can be a challenge but it can be mastered within a few minutes.
• Avoid intruding into your dinner mate’s space.
• Avoid putting your elbows on the table since it will not only intrude into your neighbor’s space but it will also make holding your finger food more unwieldy.
• Avoid blowing on your hot food. Be patient and wait for it to cool down instead

Use Your Napkin

In most Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants, diners are provided with napkins. Be sure to use them since it will lessen the mess created from eating the food. You should never lick your finger clean, even when KFC says that it’s a good idea to do so when eating their chicken dishes.

And in an age of smartphones, you should avoid using your mobile devices for good reasons. You don’t want to smear them with the sauces and you want to avoid offending your fellow diners at the table with your bad manners.