5 food etiquette mistakes you don't even know you're making

The rules of etiquette should help make social interactions less awkward, not the other way around! But some are more logical than others, especially when it comes to food. We put together a list of common mishaps plus an easy fix for each one.

You’ll be more than ready for your next fancy party — especially when you bring a delicious app to pass.

Not taking small sips

You might be parched, but no one else at the table needs to know. Keep it classy by taking small sips, not big gulps. (And try not to take a sip when you have food in your mouth. Chew and swallow the food first or you’ll give other guests a real show!)

Not removing the stir stick from your cocktail

When you’re at the dinner table, non-edible items such as stir sticks or paper umbrellas should be removed from the glass and placed on your bread plate. If you’re mingling at a cocktail party, place the item in your napkin and wait for an opportunity to discard it.

Not using the stem on your stemware

When your glass has a stem, that’s where you should hold it. Regardless of what you’re drinking, holding a glass by its stem will keep the beverage from getting too warm, and will keep the bowl of the glass clean and smudge-free.

Not breaking your bread

No matter how good the dinner rolls may look and smell (especially if the host used our amazing dinner roll recipe) etiquette dictates that you break your bread before you take a bite. If the bread has a hard crust, you can cut it with a knife.

Scooping your soup toward you

It may seem counterintuitive, but soup should be scooped away from you. If there’s a soup spoon (it’s rounder than a regular spoon) at your place setting, that’s the one you should use.

For 10 more etiquette mistakes you're probably making, continue reading the original article at Taste of Home.