Eating errors you need to STOP while travelling overseas
Down Under, eating meat pies is serious business. There’s no ‘right’ way to eat a pie here, but there are a couple of tried-and-true methods people tend to use. First, there’s the classic way: dollop tomato sauce on top of the pie and tuck in (this one’s perfect if you’re eating on the go).
The biggest food rule to follow in Chile is to not eat with your hands. Almost everything here is eaten with a knife and fork (even pizza and French fries) – and not only that, but hands should be kept above the table at all times.
If you’re served a whole fish while dining out in China – which is very common, especially at New Year – you should never flip it over. This is because it’s associated with fishermen’s boats capsizing, and considered a symbol of bad luck.
Many Westerners come unstuck when attempting to use chopsticks for the first time, but once you’ve mastered the correct grip, there are a few other dining customs you need to remember when travelling through China, Japan and other East Asian countries
Colombia has a fairly formal dining etiquette when it comes to eating out. Cleanliness is very important, so you’ll be expected to use a knife and fork for most dishes. If you’re served something messy, like chicken wings, you may even be given plastic gloves to eat with
In Egypt, it’s considered impolite to refill your own glass at dinner. Instead, you should refill your neighbour’s glass for them (if it's less than half full, then it needs refilling), and they'll top yours up in return.
Ethiopia is another country where you should always eat with your right hand. Here, dishes are often served with a spongy flatbread, known as injera (pictured), which is used to scoop up food