Food-sharing etiquette debated in personal essay on hygiene concerns
11 reported
A personal essay by freelance journalist and author Poorna Bell, published in The Guardian, discusses her discomfort with sharing food and drinks due to hygiene concerns. Bell recalls an incident from her childhood in the early 1990s when her uncle refused to drink from a can after a cousin had sipped from it, which the family found odd. Now 35 years later, Bell says she has become that uncle, extending her aversion to food sharing beyond drinks. She notes that while sharing food is a fundamental part of her Indian culture at home with separate serving spoons, she finds it unacceptable when others use a spoon that has been in their mouth to serve from a communal pot. Bell describes a recent restaurant visit where she ordered a creme brulee as a starter and was asked if she wanted two spoons, despite not indicating she would share. She told her dining companion she did not want to double-dip due to concerns about catching germs, leading to an awkward silence. Bell attributes her heightened awareness to the pandemic and past experiences of falling ill after sharing food or drinks with friends.
What’s reported
Bell recalls her uncle refusing to drink from a can after a cousin drank from it in the early 1990s.
Bell says she is now that uncle and extends her aversion to food sharing.
Bell is Indian and states sharing food is a fundamental pillar of her culture.
At home, Bell serves food family style with a spoon for every dish, which she finds acceptable.
Bell finds it unacceptable when someone uses a spoon that was in their mouth to serve from a main pot.
Bell went to a restaurant and ordered a creme brulee as a starter.
The waitress asked if Bell wanted two spoons, despite Bell giving no indication she would share.
Bell told her dining companion she did not want to double-dip because she is conscious about catching germs.
Bell says the pandemic radicalised her, noting people she knew caught Covid after sharing food.
Bell says she fell ill after sharing drinks with friends and now refuses to share.
A friend protested when Bell refused to try braised cauliflower, calling her precious; the friend later messaged Bell about coming down with a cold two days later.
Key figures
Poorna Bell, freelance journalist and author of "She Wanted More"
Sources: The Guardian
