I'm hungry! | Imamother

amother

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 11:05 am

Is it a cultural thing not to eat on the MTA subway? Whenever I rush out of the house with a sandwich and snack in my bag and I want to eat it on the train I feel very out of place cause nobody's eating. When I shop at department stores and I sit on the benches at the shoe department and want to reach for my bag I get the same feeling. Is nobody hungry? Do most peaple eat at the restaurants? People don't brings food from home? Do I look 'normal' if I do eat in these places?

flowerpower

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 11:25 am

I think its ok to eat on the train-as long as you do it quietly and doesn't attract attention. People cut their nails there, others snore really loudly, and others speak on tone 1,200 on their cell in their native language. If you want to eat your breakfast (not sardines or anything smelly), then why not?

bigsis144

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 11:42 am

If it's something small and neat, like a granola bar or cut-up fruit in a container or a water bottle, I think it's okay. I'd be more hesitant about a sandwich or peeling an orange or anything that I'd have to touch with my hands -- because I don't want subway germs on my food, and because other people will give me the stink-eye if they think my food-y hands will touch their subway.

saw50st8

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 11:45 am

Eating on the subway is fine, as long as its something that's food you can eat on the run. A sandwich is fine, a steak that you need a fork and knife to eat - not so much.

yo'ma

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 11:57 am

amother wrote:

I'm not saying you can't eat on the subway if you're hungry, but there's a time and place for everything and a subway isn't one of them and that's why no one is eating. Of course people get hungry, but not every minute of the day that if you know you're going shopping, get something before.

greenfire

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 12:08 pm

I personally wouldn't eat on the subway cause it wreaks of urine plus the movement would make me nauseous ... I would find a place to sit outside

last I checked people eat by nature ... so whatever is good for you - don't forget to bring napkins

[reminds me of a funny seinfeld episode about a tv guide that elaine took from george's parents house - whose father was obsessed by tv guides - only to try & replace it - but then on her way there she was eating on the train and it dripped onto the tv guide]

gp2.0

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 12:15 pm

amother wrote:

The benches are not meant for eating. They're meant for sitting on and trying on shoes. You're not allowed to eat in stores because you might get the merchandise dirty. Most dept stores have a food court.

greenfire

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 1:55 pm

gp2.0 wrote:

amother wrote:

ha ha - good catch one that I didn't notice before ...

so OP are you sitting down now ? does sitting down in general make you hungry ? it's quite an interesting dilemma Scratching Head

nyer1

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 3:23 pm

as a frum jew, I was told, you are supposed to eat only in places that are designated for food. not sure if its from the torah or not, maybe just hashgafa, but my rav told me that it would not be right to chow down a sandwich "on the street" because that is what animals do, and we are above that.

however, in NYC, anything goes. I've seen people do plenty of weird things on the subway, and eating certainly wouldn't be weird to me, I have seen people do it all the time.

my rav mentioned like, eating a sandwich because thats a big thing you hold and bite into. however, when I asked him about lets say pretzels, or something small tha toyu can put in your mouth, he seemed to say this was fine.

however, use your judgement. I think a subway car would be ok to eat something quietly that you put in a snack baggie, but having a burger would be a different story. in addition, eating in a clothing boutique wouldn't be so appropriate, but eating in a park, where people have picnics, wouldn't be a big deal IMO