Old World Cereal Etiquette

A British made, transfer ware shredded wheat bowl in blue and white. It’s in the George Jones Abbey 1790 pattern, circa 1920’s to 1930’s.

One of the old-world ways to eat the cereal or porridge was to serve with it individual bowls of creamy milk. A small portion of the hot porridge was then taken up on the cereal spoon, this was dipped into the milk bowl, and the two eaten together. The portion of porridge was taken up on the side of the spoon nearest the person, and the milk was dipped up from the farther side.

The dainty eater did not allow the side of the spoon that touched the lips to go into the milk. This method of eating the break fast porridge is used in Canada, in Great Britain, and here and there by individual families in the United States. But the general fashion in this country is to pour the milk or cream over the cereal in its own dish.

No food, liquid or solid, should be sipped or eaten from the point of a spoon, whether teaspoon or dessert spoon. Everything is eaten from the side of the spoon only.

The spoon should never be left in the coffee cup, or in a scooped-out melon, but should be removed and placed on the saucer or the fruit plate. The spoon may be left in the cereal dish. — Mary D. Chambers, 1923

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia