Is It Ever Okay To Eat Charcuterie With Your Fingers?

If Madonna and Saucy Santana are to be believed, we're all just material girls living in a material world (via Bustle), and apparently, that material world demands that people dine on charcuterie boards. Whether you are going on a glamorous picnic or planning dinner on a rooftop in a beautiful city, you are more than likely going to run into one of these delectable and beautiful food arrangements. There's even a whole ecosystem of charcuterie board Instagram accounts devoted to the practice.

But when you're out and about living the luxurious life of your fantasies with your cool friends, you may find yourself in front of the perfect charcuterie board and faced with the dilemma of how best to conquer it. From the table setting rules you should and shouldn't follow to the right way to use chopsticks, there is always some kind of etiquette surrounding eating, and charcuterie boards can be awfully fancy. So, is it appropriate to eat off of a charcuterie board barehanded or do you need to help yourself to the various food items with a fork or other utensil?

According to MarthaStewart.com, you are in the clear to use your hands to devour all of those delectable assorted cheeses and meats. As detailed by writer Amy Sherman, charcuterie boards are typically made to be eaten by multiple people and because of that, it's perfectly acceptable to snatch up the expertly arranged offerings with your fingers. In the absence of toothpicks or cocktail forks, The Guardian also approves of making use of your digits when grazing on these communal snack platters.

In the end, Sherman's main takeaway about the best way to enjoy charcuterie is — don't worry about it too much! Rather than obsessing over your behavior, just savor the experience of sharing food and use your fingers to your heart's content.

Even with this mystery solved, always remember that while good etiquette is respectful, don't take it too seriously if it makes you feel uncomfortable or stressed. After all, there are countless wild food etiquette rules from around the world. Don't let the constraints of politeness cause you to forget that the main point of eating is to enjoy your food.