How to Eat Food on a Stick

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: May 2, 2022 References

Nowadays, you can enjoy just about any kind of food on a stick, whether it’s pork chops, a classic corn dog, or even a stick of fried butter. Skewered food is in a world of its own—it has its own rules of food etiquette, along with countless recipes to try. While this type of food may seem overwhelming at first, it only takes a few minutes to immerse yourself in everything skewered foods have to offer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Practicing Proper Etiquette

1
Bite small pieces of skewered food right off the stick. Special appetizers, like meatballs or yakitori, are often served on skewers similar to a kabob. Bite and slide the food off the skewer to enjoy it. Make sure you don’t poke yourself in the process!^{[1]
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2
Slide larger chunks of food off double skewers and onto your plate. Hold a pair of chopsticks in 1 hand, then place the chopsticks beneath the top piece of food. Squeeze the chopsticks and slide the food off both skewers so it lands on your plate. At this point, you can use your chopsticks to lift and eat the loose food as you usually would.^{[2]
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- You can also use a fork and knife for this if you don’t have chopsticks on hand.
- Many Asian restaurants serve food on skewers, like chunks of cooked eggplant or meat.
- This makes it a lot easier and more manageable to eat big pieces of food.
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3
Spear thicker food with chopsticks and slide the skewer out and onto your plate. Balance the skewer on your plate so it’s completely steady. Use 1 hand to spear your chopsticks on the top chunk of food, then use your opposite hand to pull the skewer out of the food. After this, you can use your chopsticks to enjoy the food as you normally would!^{[3]
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- This works really well for thick appetizers, like pork-wrapped asparagus.
Did you know? The same general etiquette applies whenever you eat a kabob. You can eat casual appetizers by eating directly from the skewer, but you need to slide off the meat and vegetables with a fork when having kabobs as a main course.^{[4]
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4
Place used kabob sticks on the edge of your plate after finishing your food. Group all your kabob sticks together and leave them on the side of the plate, instead of scattering them across the table. If the restaurant provides a cup, feel free to keep your kebab sticks in there.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cooking up Unique Kabobs

1
Do a fun take on chicken and waffles. Mix a spoonful of your favorite hot sauce and maple syrup into your waffle batter, then prepare your waffles as you normally would. Slide alternating pieces of waffle and chicken onto your kebab, and enjoy!^{[6]
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- You can also use chicken nuggets or chicken fries instead of fried chicken, since they might be easier to skewer.
- This is a great breakfast alternative if you’re in a rush.
2
Slide booze-soaked fruit onto a skewer. Cut the fruit of your choice into small, 1 in (2.5 cm) chunks, or use a melon baller to scoop from larger fruit. Place these fruit pieces in a large bowl of vodka, then let them soak in the refrigerator for about an hour. Afterwards, slide the fruit onto a skewer before serving.^{[7]
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- Watermelon, honey dew melon, and cantaloupe are especially great for this.
- These are a great addition to happy hour.
3
Skewer chocolate-covered bacon for a sweet and savory treat. Whip up a batch of your favorite bacon, then set it on a plate. Slide a skewer through both ends of the bacon slice so the meat doesn’t fall off. Lay the speared bacon back on a plate and drizzle melted chocolate on top.^{[8]
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- You can also drizzle melted peanut butter on top.
- You can use smaller skewers for this kind of recipe.
- Feel free to enjoy chocolate-covered bacon on any occasion.
4
Layer veggies and feta cheese to make a tasty appetizer. Cut cucumbers and cherry tomatoes into wedges and halves, then slide them onto a party skewer. Arrange a pitted Kalamata olive on top of the veggies as a special touch. To finish up, slide a chunk of feta cheese on the end of the kabob.^{[9]
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- You can dress up the cheese by garnishing it with dill, lemon juice, and parsley.
- This is a great vegetarian option for parties.
5
Enjoy an easy-to-eat hot dog by sliding it on a stick. Open a package of premade crescent rolls and rip off a triangle of dough. Wrap it around the hot dog like a coil and bake it for 12 minutes at 375 °F (191 °C). Slide the cooked hot dog onto a skewer and enjoy!^{[10]
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- These are a great appetizer to serve at parties.
6
Stick meatballs on toothpicks for an easy snack. Cook up a platter of meatballs to serve as the base for your appetizer. Melt a small circle of mozzarella on top of each meatball, then place a folded basil leaf on top of the cheese. As a final touch, skewer a toothpick through each meatball so the food is ready to eat.^{[11]
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- Meatballs are an easy appetizer to make for large crowds.
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