In two of the cities where I live, there are taco stands on the sidewalks at various times of day, where you can get freshly cooked chicken, pork, fish, barbacoa, beans, potatoes or chorizo wrapped up in warm corn or flour tortillas topped with cheese, salsas or pico de gallo and crema or sour cream. The sizzle on a flat grill invites the ear to conjur up a juicy, crusty piece of animal protein along with chopped onions and peppers. Unlike consuming these delights in a restaurant, eating tacos from a stand feels like a fuller sensory experience, the smell, the sound, the sight of ingredients being tossed, slapped and dropped into their appropriate places along with the mumbling and chatter of fellow diners. Then, the plate is given to you without utensils and you eat with your hands. Touching food with your fingers adds an extra layer to the experience, heightening the sensory messaging to the brain and stomach (get ready for grub, you two!) Plus, it’s fun to lick those dedos clean!
One thing about eating tacos, or any food with your hands, it’s much harder to engage with your phone. I know I can manage a forked food between texting or scrolling or mindlessly finish a plate while watching TV if I’m using utensils. But holding a plate under my chin as I scoop up hummus with some baby carrots, or wrestle with a rib requires full on attention lest I end up with a kaleidoscope of glop in my lap. I’ve always loved food I can eat with my fingers: cracking pecan shells on Christmas day, dipping sushi into soy sauce, sucking crab meat out of a leg, sliding an oyster out of its shell, rolling corn on the cob like a typewriter platen, popping M & M’s. So many different textures! Anticipating the taste! A labor of love.
I also enjoy hors d’oeuvres for this reason. If I’m only going to get one little stuffed mushroom, I’m really paying attention to all of it! And most appetizers are usually finger food so, again, I am more attentive to their colors, aromas, tastes, textures, and shapes (CATTS), each of which tell me something about the food that adds to my experience. Manual mindfulness!
Studies report that eating with the hands is associated with a more pleasurable experience, feeling satisfied with smaller portions, less bloating, improved digestion, more psychological enjoyment, balanced energies and sometimes, weight loss.* According to Ayurveda (a form of holistic medicine from India that focuses on promoting balance between your body and mind) eating with the hands activates the energies of fire, water, air, space and earth according to each finger.** Imagine the cosmic interplay when eating popcorn!
I’m reminded of the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan: “It’s finger lickin’ good!” an off the cuff comment by a KFC franchisee, Dave Harman, during the taping of a TV ad in the 1950’s.** Truthfully, I can’t remember ever licking a fork with as much glee as a finger! While Western culture relies on utensils, much of the world continues to eat with their hands. I wonder if we might benefit from engaging more with this tactile feedback, increasing our pleasure and feeling satisfaction sooner.
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