Is it rude to refuse to eat from the same plate in parts of the Middle East?

Is it rude to refuse to eat from the same plate in parts of the Middle East? - Top view of crop anonymous person having tasty appetizing breakfast with fork and knife having hot aromatic coffee

I recently visited parts of North Africa and the Middle East and had to attend several social events. I found the people extremely friendly, hospitable and generous. However I was invited time-and-time-again to eat out of the same large plate as a bunch of others - who were all eating with their fingers. I come from a culture were we frown upon folks double dipping into a cup of salsa, so I found this custom extremely disconcerting and uncomfortable - I therefore politely declined to participate. I however felt very bad and had a feeling that I had insulted my very friendly hosts. Could someone with familiarity of these cultures comment please? Will I be looked upon as a rude foreigner or just an uncultured bumpkin.






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What country is it rude to finish all your food?

This is the case in China. It's considered rude to eat everything on your plate because doing so implies that you're still hungry, even if you're not. That means that the host hasn't done a satisfactory job of providing enough food and can make them feel bad.

Is it polite to leave some food on the plate?

Traditionally, you should leave a bite on your plate to convey that you enjoyed the meal and were served enough to be satisfied. Today, diners (and especially children) shouldn't be excepted to join the #CleanPlateClub or feel bad if they finish their meal. Instead, just eat until you're full.

What is clean plate syndrome?

A tendency to finish up all the food that's there on the plate even after the hunger has been satiated is called the \u201cclean plate syndrome\u201d and if you have a propensity to do the same, welcome, you are now in the \u201cClean Plate Club.\u201d As we have mentioned earlier, clean plate syndrome can lead to overeating.



Is it Sunnah to eat from the same plate? - Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Rachel Claire, Katerina Holmes, ROMAN ODINTSOV, Lachlan Ross