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chopsticks holding food
chopsticks holding food
Original Image by Jade Shaheen
Lifestyle

Learning to Use Chopsticks: Stick With It!

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UFL chapter.

Learning to use chopsticks is an incredibly daunting task that can feel impossible. Growing up in America, I started learning how to use chopsticks pretty late for a Chinese kid, but I still remember how my parents helped me improve my skills. I hope these tips and tricks can help you, too!

Chopsticks holding food
Jade Shaheen

The Make of the Chopstick

Material

Something important to think about when using chopsticks is the material. What the chopstick is made of can impact how easy it is to grab food and what kinds of food they should be used for. For example, wood chopsticks are better at grabbing slippery, sticky, and oily food since the wood is dry and porous.

Plastic and metal chopsticks are easier to clean and can last longer than wood chopsticks. However, since they have smooth surfaces, noodles, and more oily foods will slip easier. Typically, metal chopsticks will have grooves at the tip for traction, however, even after years of using chopsticks, my first time using this kind was rough. Another con for metal as a beginner is the weight since heavier chopsticks are harder to control. So, for the most beginner-friendly experience, I’d recommend wood.

Shape

Length: Typically, when learning to use chopsticks, longer chopsticks are more daunting as they can be heavier and push you to position your hand further from the end. Longer chopsticks, while more unwieldy, are useful for family dinners where dishes are shared since they allow you to reach further and grab food (off your sibling’s plate). However, for a beginner, they might not be the best. Shorter chopsticks are typically for personal meals since you don’t need the extra length to stretch across the table. To start, it could be best to try children’s chopsticks since they are the shortest and made for learning.

I like to use longer chopsticks to reach inside a big bag of chips so my hands stay clean!

Tips of Chopsticks: While seemingly a subtle detail, the shape of the end of chopsticks is really important. Some have a wider tip that is able to grab softer foods, like tofu, without breaking it. Those with pointed ends would easily pierce through soft foods, especially if the user is just learning. However, pointed ends allow you to pick through fish and vegetables easily since they’re more precise and maneuverable. I think the best type for learners would be a healthy medium where the point on the chopstick is not sharp but not wide. Most take-out chopsticks have this type of end, so if you want a free pair to practice with, order in tonight!

I like to use pointier chopsticks to break egg yolks, scramble the eggs, and flip them in the pan since they are able to slide under the egg more easily.

How to Hold Chopsticks

Hand Holding Chopsticks
Original Image by Jade Shaheen

This hand position is how I was taught to hold chopsticks, and I believe it works the best. Here is the step-by-step:

  1. For the bottom chopstick, you should make sure that it is stable between the pressure from the crook of your thumb and the side of your ring finger. This chopstick will not move, but to ensure that both will meet and hold on to food, it must be secure.
  2. For the top chopstick, you should place it between the tips of your index and middle fingers and rest it on your thumb. The thumb acts like a fulcrum on a seesaw, and therefore shouldn’t move. Your index and middle fingers will control the movement and should move as a unit.
  3. Never give up! This will take time and practice. Using chopsticks takes coordination, control, and grip strength, so it is completely okay to fail. Just don’t try to pick up bites you want to eat.

Expert Observations

  • When around people who are learning to use chopsticks, I notice they tend to hold their chopsticks far from the end since that is how others hold them. However, while learning, I think it’s best to hold them closer to the end that holds the food, since it is easier to control and build up the grip strength.
  • It is also important to note that some foods are more difficult to maneuver than others. To me, the hardest food to eat is noodle soup since they tend to slip off the chopsticks. When learning, it might be best to practice using drier and tougher food. As a kid, I had to practice with M&M’s and popcorn, and unless you are really seeking a challenge, I recommend popcorn. I also think that anything you try to grab should be pretty light since it is like weight training and you need to build up to heavier things.
    • In school, my friends would use pencils as chopsticks and try to pick up erasers, but would drop them since erasers are suprisingly heavy.
  • Another thing I realized is that I tend to position my hand horizontally, with the chopsticks parallel to the table. This makes it so that the food is squeezed on its sides rather than the top and bottom. To me, it makes it easier to grab, shovel, and eat food.
    • This is especially helpful when eating rice because the top of the chopsticks have a greater surface area for the rice to rest on.
chopsticks holding food
Original Image by Jade Shaheen

Personally, I think that chopsticks with supports at the end can be useful for those with weaker grip and coordination. However, if you plan on using them, you should try to have a good hand position since the supports are meant to help train your hand muscles and develop muscle memory.

Learning to use chopsticks is like learning a new language. The more you practice, the more confident you will become. So even though it might be difficult, don’t give up, chop-stick with it! Soon enough, you, too, will pull out your chopsticks to dig into a bag of Doritos. Good luck chopsticking, You got this!

I'm a vegetarian foodie and love eating out. Being from Miami, I love trying all dishes from different cultures! <3