Think Twice Before Eating These Outside
Do you ever find yourself worrying about how crazy you might look eating in public? We’ve all been there—you take a bite of something delicious, and suddenly, you’re covered in sauce, crumbs, or sticky drips. Some foods just don’t cooperate when you’re trying to eat them in front of the whole world. So let’s take a quick look at some of the trickiest, messiest (and probably delicious) foods that you won't want to be caught eating out in public.
Jarritos Mexican Soda on Unsplash
1. Sloppy Joe
The name says it all. Every Sloppy Joe is a mess waiting to happen. That saucy, meaty filling oozes out of the bun with every bite. Moreover, the loose texture makes it nearly impossible to eat neatly, especially if the bun starts falling apart.
2. Ribs
Ribs are delicious, but eating them in the open is a risk. The sticky, barbecue-covered bones require full hand engagement, leaving sauce on your fingers, face, and even your clothes. If you’re determined to eat ribs outside, choose dry-rubbed ribs over saucy ones, and bring a pack of wet wipes.
3. Tacos
Although they look neat when served, one bite of your tacos can send fillings tumbling out the other side. Hard shells shatter, soft shells tear, and before you know it, you’re chasing runaway toppings across your plate. Try doubling up on tortillas to be able to hold them better.
4. Powdered Donuts
Powdered donuts might seem innocent, but after one bite, you suddenly look like you have lost a fight with a bag of flour. The powder clings to your lips and fingertips, so it’s best to enjoy these at home, where you can embrace the powdery chaos.
5. Philly Cheesesteak
The combination of melted cheese, thinly sliced beef, and sauteed onions barely stays inside the roll. One wrong move and the fillings of your Philly cheesesteak will spill onto your lap while cheese sauce oozes onto your hands. Try holding it with both hands and keep it wrapped in paper.
6. Noodle Soup
Whether it’s ramen, pho, or chicken noodle soup, any soup with long noodles is a recipe for disaster. Lifting noodles from the bowl causes broth to splash, slurping sends droplets flying, and trying to bite a long noodle only leads to broth-covered lips.
7. Meatball Sub
Who wouldn’t love those juicy meatballs drowning in marinara sauce? Sadly, they start rolling out like escape artists, leaving sauce streaks on your hands and shirt. If you must eat one in front of others, wrap it tightly in foil and take small bites.
Sharon Chen from Austin, United States on Wikimedia
8. Corn on the Cob
All the butter that makes corn on the cob taste heavenly is the reason why eating it is a real challenge. The butter will start dripping on your hands, and the kernels might get stuck between your teeth. You can try cutting off the cob and using a fork.
9. Buffalo Wings
Eating buffalo wings neatly is almost impossible because the sauce gets everywhere. Plus, you need to hold them sometimes with both hands. You can try the boneless ones or stick to dry-rub versions if you’re away from home. Also, keep wet wipes handy.
10. Gyros
Gyros are packed with delicious ingredients. However, the moment you take a bite, the pita starts falling apart, and sauce finds its way to your clothes. If you’re craving a gyro outside, wrap it tightly in foil and take small bites. Even then, expect a few casualties.
11. Crab Legs
If you make one wrong move with crab legs, you can see the juice covering your face and everyone else’s. They’re quite tasty, but they require work to open the shell. Digging out the meat is another dare. This is why most restaurants will give you a bib.
pelican from Tokyo, Japan on Wikimedia
12. Nachos
The first few nachos are fine. As soon as the toppings pile up, things get chaotic. The cheese stretches, salsa drips, and one poorly chosen chip can send half the plate tumbling down. Eating nachos in public requires precision—scoop carefully and use a fork for the messiest parts.
13. Mangoes
Mangoes are refreshing, but once you start eating a whole one, there’s no going back—the juice gets everywhere. Peeling them leaves your hands sticky, slicing them releases even more juice, and biting into one whole is a slippery mess.
14. Stuffed Burrito
A fully loaded burrito looks neat until you take a bite. Then, rice, beans, and meat start pushing out the other end while sauces cover the tortilla. One bad grip and the whole thing collapses, so it’s best to keep it wrapped.
15. Croissant
Croissants are very delicate, and when you bite them, you’ll probably have a pile of flaky crumbs all over your clothes. The fresher they are, the more flaky they can be, and if there’s a filling, there might be an additional risk.
16. Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
Few things are as risky as eating spaghetti in marinara sauce while wearing light-colored clothes. The long noodles love to flick sauce in every direction, and slurping just makes things worse. One wrong twirl, and you’re splattering sauce on your face, table, or even your neighbor.
17. Caramel Apples
The sweet, sticky crust on caramel apples makes them tough to swallow when all eyes are on you. The hard caramel shell cracks unpredictably, leaving chunks on your face, hands, and even the ground. Meanwhile, the apple juice drips down the stick, making your fingers a sticky mess.
18. Lobster with Melted Butter
Lobster is a luxury, but eating it is anything but glamorous. Cracking the shell gets the butter and juices everywhere, and there’s just no neat way to pull out the meat. Your hands will end up greasy, and your napkin will be soaked in butter.
19. Pizza with Extra Toppings
A good pizza slice is easy to hold only if those toppings don’t pile up. With all those ingredients, the pizza starts shaking and breaking apart. Mushrooms, onions, pepperoni, and olives begin to slide off while gooey cheese stretches endlessly.
20. Watermelons
Unless it’s cut into cubes, eating a watermelon in public won’t be a pretty site. The juice runs down your chin with every bite, and if you don’t have seedless watermelon, you’ll spend half your time spitting seeds. Meanwhile, sticky fingers are unavoidable.
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