• Wait for everyone to be seated before eating
• Ask to pass food instead of grabbing or reaching across the table
• Do not chew with mouth open
• “May I please be excused”, “please” and “thank you”
• Carry own plate, utensils and cup after finished eating to sink
• Learn proper dinner placement for setting table
• Eat together, turn off television and talk about your day!
• Eat with utensils not your hands(unless it is finger foods)

Setting the Table

Your Typical Dinner Setting

• Fork to the left,
• Plate center 1 inch from edge of table,
• Knife and spoon to the right
• Knife blade should point toward plate
• Napkin under fork or on top of plate

• The plate should be placed 1 inch from the table edge.
• A dinner fork is placed to the left of the plate.
• If you had a salad fork it would be to the left of the dinner fork because it is used first.
• The knife is always on the right hand side of the plate with the blade facing the plate.
• Spoon is to the right.
• The little spoon beside it is for coffee –the spoon can also be placed on the coffee cup saucer.
• The little plates above the dinner plate are for bread.