Avoid This Common Dining Blunder While Traveling In Europe To Blend In Like A Local

We've all got to eat. No matter where we go or what we do in our daily lives, our bodies require food and drink. Over the history of human existence, we've developed rituals around eating, though they can differ, depending on where you are in the world. If you don't want to inadvertently give offense when you travel, you have to know the accepted customs. (For instance, if you're dining in Japan, it's a faux pas to stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice because it resembles the practice of leaving them displayed in the same manner during funerals.) In a large portion of Europe, if you want to blend in like a local and avoid being rude, don't make the common dining blunder of leaving food on your plate when you're done with your meal. It's the "clean plate club" ideal that many of us were brought up with, and it's important to know in which countries this is expected. 

This stands out in contrast to China, where it's considered rude to leave an empty plate because it implies that you weren't provided with enough food by your host. However, in much of Europe, leaving food is looked at as wasteful and disrespectful of the meal. In addition, in Greece, Italy, and the Netherlands, it's polite to take only a small portion of food the first time around so you can accept a second helping, which is a compliment to the chef. 

As Americans, we may be used to the giant portions that restaurants serve, and rarely think twice about leaving food or taking some home in a to-go box to snack on later. However, in Austria, Belgium, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, France, Spain, Sweden, and Germany, you're expected to finish what you have on your plate. There are exceptions to this European rule, however. In Italy, Croatia, England, and Portugal, it's okay to leave a small amount of leftovers when you're full. In contrast to much of Europe, Portugal actually considers it rude to clear your plate completely. 

This can be confusing, especially if you're traveling between several countries on one trip, so checking before you enter each new country is a good practice to get into. It may actually be easier to clean your plate in the first place at European restaurants because the portions may be smaller than what you're used to. However, it's smart to really consider how hungry you are before you order. If you're invited to dine at someone's home in a country where it's expected that you'll eat everything in front of you, take smaller portions, particularly if the host made the meal themselves. That way, you can compliment the host by asking for more (and then finish that helping as well). Finally, if you're worried about the rule, another dining option is to visit a grocery store in your destination country and take a picnic to a park for a meal. (Check local laws around this and whether you can drink alcohol there as well.) That way, you can finish or not finish, depending on your mood.