6 things that are too antisocial to eat in public

Eating in public: you can and may do it, provided you follow the (unwritten) rules. Because some things are simply not done when eating in the presence of others. For example, a portion of joppie sauce fries is not for public transport, and we get the creeps when someone gnaws on a rice cake right in front of us. Here are 6 more things considered too antisocial to eat in public. 

Six things you simply shouldn’t eat on public transport

1. Garlic-rich meals: a garlic explosion in your mouth may be delicious, but not everyone shares your love for this fragrant delicacy. Avoid garlic-rich dishes, especially in an enclosed (quiet) carriage.
2. Messy meals: a juicy hamburger or a dripping soft-serve ice cream—we love them! But leaving a sticky, gooey mess behind in public places is simply disgusting. Try to eat neatly and keep some napkins handy, as my grandmother would say—and she’s right. Wieke: “McDonald’s is only allowed at McDonald’s because it smells SO bad (and it automatically makes me crave McDonald’s…). Smelly fish is also really not okay, and the same goes for things you have to gnaw off the bone. Just don’t.”
3. Smelly (fish) dishes: fish can be delicious, but choose wisely where you eat it. You guessed it: at home. Not on public transport. Sharon: “People who casually devour a TUNA SALAD sandwich. Hell. A tuna salad sandwich is really only allowed in your own living room. I love it, don’t get me wrong, but it smells like cat food and yes, your breath smells like that after eating it too. That said: have you ever added a few pieces of (sweet) apple to your tuna salad? Such a great combo (for HOME)!” Delilah: “War fries with onions! Mega disgusting. Just when you think you’ve claimed a nice quiet spot, someone suddenly sits down in front of you with a box of fries like that, and you spend the rest of the journey in a peanut-onion cloud. Secretly, I’m actually jealous of people who dare to do this, especially when they also crack open half a liter of lager.” Sabina: “Red Bull smells awful too. Especially on the train, because then you can smell it throughout the entire carriage. Besides, it’s astonishing how many people already drink this in the morning. In the morning! Gag!”
4. Loud snacks: hard, crunchy snacks? No, best not. Nobody is waiting for the irritating sound of you rummaging around in a bag of crisps or the crunching of nuts.
5. Difficult-to-handle dishes: devouring a huge bowl of noodles or slurping up a juicy mango: No.Good.Idea. Marcus: “Noodles, with chopsticks, slurping them in, wolfing them down from a Wok to Go at the station, and then in a packed train carriage. Horror! Eating in train carriages in general: too gross for words. Eating while everyone is watching? Do these people think no one can see them or something?”
6. Heavily spiced food: spicy food can stimulate your taste buds, but it can also make your neighbours sneeze. Go easy on the spices, especially in enclosed spaces. And one more editorial tip: no sambal on your eggs on public transport. Lauretta: “Boiled eggs. Yuck. Don’t get me wrong, I love boiled eggs. But not the ones that have been left in the pan just a little too long, nor the people who then decide to peel them, causing a nauseating sulphur smell to drift through the space. The other day I was on the train and someone started eating eggs—with sambal. That smell! I went crazy.”

Moral of the story

Think a little about others when eating on public transport. Enjoy your meal, but be considerate of your surroundings and the people around you. Thanks on behalf of all your fellow travellers!

Read also:

• Warning: these are our most disgusting dishes ever
• FavorFlav tests: the tastiest rosé for this summer
• FavorFlav’s Favorites #5: “Happiness is sometimes a goat cheese sandwich”