How Do/Will You Eat at Home?

[Jenn! 918]

I'm not sure what the customs are in other MENA countries, but in Morocco, the family eats from the same plate. I was just curious whether you do this at home with your SO (and children if applicable) or plan to when he/she arrives, or if you will adopt an "American style" of sharing meals.

For us, when we eat Moroccan food we share a plate, but with other cuisines we use separate plates.

[sara535 15]

we generally share a plate unless its something thats just not practical (soups, etc)

My son loves the communal plate sharing

[honeyblonde 0]

We almost always share a plate still, but it's just the two of us. We also do it in restaurants which totally freaks out some waiters/waitresses. We've learned to tell them to please leave the food all on one plate because if we say we're sharing an entree they tend to put it on 2 different plates.

When we eat at families house we tend to each get our own plate because that just works better with that setup, but at my mom's Saturday Abdel still brought his plate to my folding table and ate next to me. He also tends to snitch food off of my plate if we have separate plates.

I find it to be a very bonding action and enjoy it but never expected my sons to eat that way when they were living at home. They each got their own plates and ate at their own computers.

[doodlebugg 10]

we don't share a plate but they don't do that in egypt. I bring everything out family style and everyone fills their own plate.

[a1angied 0]

It depends on what we are eating. My children get their own plate but we will share but again depends on what it is. If it is Middle Eastern food then we share.

[caybee 21]

We usually share a plate if it's just us, no matter what we have. We bring a tray of food from the kitchen and put it on a TV table between us. We usually use separate cups or glasses, but sometimes there's some trading there too. If my family comes over, we eat around the coffee table -- big plate in the middle, but we serve ourselves onto our own plates. I like the Moroccan-style wraparound sofas. That's part of my dream house.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

one plate won't happen here, nessa will have to stab my hand with her fork all the time

[caybee 21]

We almost always share a plate still, but it's just the two of us. We also do it in restaurants which totally freaks out some waiters/waitresses. We've learned to tell them to please leave the food all on one plate because if we say we're sharing an entree they tend to put it on 2 different plates.

When we eat at families house we tend to each get our own plate because that just works better with that setup, but at my mom's Saturday Abdel still brought his plate to my folding table and ate next to me. He also tends to snitch food off of my plate if we have separate plates.

I find it to be a very bonding action and enjoy it but never expected my sons to eat that way when they were living at home. They each got their own plates and ate at their own computers.

We share entrees at restaurants too, occasionally. It's kinda funny -- you know, when you share a plate, there's sort of that invisible line down the middle (or invisible pie pieces with several people) and you generally eat within your "lines," although there's some wiggle room when we share a plate. It doesn't bother me at all if he strays across the line a little, or vice-versa. But let him snag something off my plate when we're using separate ones, and I protest! Must be some social conditioning at work there.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

prob seperate, at the family home they always gave me my own plate and then proceeded to always keep it full

[HLM 1]

My husband's parents are morrocan so he was brought up to eat from the same plate. So he wants me to eat like that too since we dont share plates in Egypt. I'm willing to eat like that its also sunnah but we dont share plates when we eat outside.

[Nasturtium 500]

We never share a plate but they don't do that in Jordan usually. We do share a glass because we're usually drinking the same thing. But that's about as far as our sharing goes We will eat off of each other's plates too...

[Tunisia216 2]

We've always shared when we eat together. Also the same in his family home. Usually one bottle of water and one glass and everyone drinking from it all day long...

My own family is the same way, so it never bothered me. My mother use to pour herself something to drink, have a sip, put it down, walk away and come back a bit later and find it gone.. And she'd yell "Whose face has been in my glass? " We were all guilty...

I don't know if it's just Tunisia or just us or what.. But I eat after all his family and they eat after me- Even the same piece of food. I was eating brik one time and was full so I asked his Aunt if she wanted it and I went to kind of fork off where I had eaten and she grabbed my hand and smacked it, laughed at me and put the whole thing in her mouth, even what was just in my mouth - And then she hugged me and said ya benti... (her daughter)

If I am the only one eating at the time and Jihed comes in, I can't keep my his face out of my food no matter what I am eating

I enjoy it like others have said - I feel close and bonded - The truth is we're that close all the time anyway (all the family) if one of us has something, we've all got it anyway lol

Sure makes after meal clean up fast and easy!!

My favorite story though about this was one time when Jihed and I got on the louage to go to Tabarka. It was the world's hottest day in Jendouba and this little van was packed - And the drivers are infamous for driving like crazy people so they can get to the destination fast and get back - quick turn over time - This really old man (and I mean OLD ) was sitting in the van, and sweat was pouring off of him and he didn't look well at all. A young girl got on the louage, I'd say about 16 and after a moment she put her hand into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water and gave it to him to drink - Then after him she drank from it as well. Then she took out bread and gave him some to eat, and again ate after him. I asked Jihed- do they know each other? At that time I didn't understand the Tunisian dialect well enough and wasn't sure what words were said between them..

He told me, she does not know him at all - All that was said was her telling him to drink and eat and that he looked as though he wasn't feeling well and inshallah he would be well soon - And the man telling her thank you so much. I asked him - Complete strangers eating and drinking after each other so directly? He said, to me Ashley, we're all Tunisian, we're family, it's okay, she should help him and be good with him when she sees him in distress..

I felt soooo

[Nagishkaw 510]

We probably will not share, but we have taken turns feeding each other.

[Tunisia216 2]

AWWWWWWWW

don't you just love that?

We probably will not share, but we have taken turns feeding each other.

[SaadBell 0]

We use separate plates. But have seen the communal water jug.