1. Table Manners
Home & Careers

2. Beginning of the Meal Arrive on time or a few minutes early
Dress appropriately
Have a clean face and hands
Have neat, kept hair

3. If you are a guest… Wait for Hostess to tell you where to sit
Stands behind your chair until told to sit by Hostess
Sit in chair from left side
Males help the female who is seated to his right sit down
Wait for the Hostess to begin eating before “diving in”

4. When you first sit down Open the napkin and place it on your lap
Watch what the hostess does
If the hostess says a table prayer, bow you head politely
Start eating with the utensil furthest from your plate.

5. Passing food at the Table
Pass for to the Right
Use “Please” and “Thank You”
Turn handles towards person receiving dish
Use serving spoons, not your own spoon or fingers to put food on your plate
Pass an entire dish, not a single roll

6. Using a Napkin Blot your lips. Do not wipe whole mouth
If you leave the table during the meal, napkin is placed to the left of your plate

7. Using Silverware Work from the outside in, towards your plate
Do not overload spoon/fork
Hold spoons like a pencil
Cut only 1 or 2 bites of food at a time
Placed used knife or fork on the plate when not in use (not on table)
When finished eating, place silverware across the plate.

8. Eating Soup Never blow on soup or any food!
Tip the spoon away from you, skimming the top of the soup
Touch spoon to the side of the bowl (to remove drips) before lifting it to mouth
Sip don’t slurp from the side of the spoon

9. Good Habits Do not talk with food in your mouth
Chew with your mouth closed
Chew and swallow quietly
No electronic devices at the Table

10. Good Habits Continued Keep your elbows in, especially when
cutting food
Keep elbows off the table
Turn head away from table when sneezing
When not eating, put hands in your lap
Do not tilt back in chair
Have appropriate table conversations

12. Why are good table manners important?
Courteous
Respectful
Polite
Appropriate
Expected
Mature
Considerate of Others

13. What type of conversations are appropriate at the table?
Weather
How your day was
Sports
Upcoming events/trips
Class/homework
Favorite….food, place, teacher, color, etc
Trivia
Books
Television shows
Celebrities