The Soup Etiquette You're Probably Getting Wrong

Whether you're enjoying a dinner party with friends or out on a first date, no one wants to make a fool of themselves at the dinner table. Traditional table etiquette reminds diners of what is considered polite while eating, such as placing your napkin on your lap while sitting down, and resting your utensils on your plate in between bites. Those who aren't extremely well-versed in common dining etiquette are bound to make a mistake every now and then. Some of these rules are so nuanced that it's a wonder anyone remembers them. For example, there is apparently a right and wrong way to eat soup.

You might guess that the most important rule for eating soup is to avoid the dreaded slurping sound. While that is definitely a habit that might earn you a few sideways glances in the United States, the way you use your spoon while eating is just as important. To avoid distracting splatter and stain-inducing spillage, carefully scoop your soup away from yourself. Take your time while filling your spoon, and be sure not to scoop more than one bite at a time.

Chicken noodle, split pea, French onion, and even the lasagna soup TikTok trend all have a proper way of being ladeled to avoid spilling and splattering. Scooping your spoon towards the back of the soup bowl allows any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl rather than onto you. While it may be tempting to lean toward the table to ensure the soup makes it straight into your mouth, resist the urge to hunch over your bowl. Sit up straight, and take your time eating each bite of soup. This also allows your soup to cool down slightly on your spoon before making its way to you.

There is some science behind blowing on your hot food to cool it down, but be careful when bringing a spoonful of soup to your lips. Blowing too forcefully may fling your soup off your spoon and onto your lap or, worse, onto your neighbor. Blowing too timidly, on the other hand, may cause your spoon to drip and create a similar mess. Eating soup requires a delicate balance of patience and urgency. Like most table etiquette, practice makes perfect.

When discussing soup, do you find yourself saying you want to eat or drink it? When you take the time to actually think about it, the right choice isn't exactly clear-cut. This topic has sparked considerable discourse on Reddit. Some users approached this concept from a linguistic angle, noting that most people find it more natural to say "eat" when referring to soup. Others support this claim, suggesting that the use of utensils indicates that "eating soup" would be the appropriate phrase. From an etiquette standpoint, picking up your bowl to drink your soup without a spoon is a definite faux pas in many cultures.

However, some argue that it depends on the type of soup and its contents. A bowl of beef broth can easily be swallowed without the need for chewing, so most people would say they "drank it." On the other hand, a chunky vegetable minestrone or broccoli cheddar with large florets requires quite a bit of mastication, making it reasonable to refer to the action as "eating." When ordering, it might be best to refer to soup more simply. "I will have a bowl of soup, please," is a perfectly fine way to avoid the eat versus drink debate. It's once your soup arrives that the real etiquette tests begin.