I hate in when people just reach into my plate with out asking or anything. But I never had the guts to grab their hand and stop them
. i usually just grit my teeth.

I love to share. The portions are so big, it is easy and saves tons of money to split a meal. Also in a big group we always order 1 or 2 deserts and lots of spoons. But I agree, I would never just take food off of someone's plate without being asked first. If something looks super good, I may ask to taste, but it depends on how well I know the person.

Yes, with current family, but it was a learned behavior.

When I was growing up it was never done in my natal family.

Somewhere in my life, I've developed a distaste for sharing my food if the other person's already eaten from their fork/spoon/chopsticks/whatever.

The other day, a co-worker helped himself to some marinara sauce from my lunch and all I could do is blink at him, "Did you just take food from my plate?" in horror.

I don't share with my boys either, unless they have clean utensils. :( If they want to finish off something of mine, they are more than welcome to it, but I can't bring myself to eat anything of theirs if they've already been at it.

I wish I knew where this odd behavior of mine has come from; it certainly wasn't there when I was a child!

My girlfriend and I often share at restaurants as the portions at US restaurants are just silly and we don't believe in doggie bags.

I don't share! hehehe I do, just for a bite or two if I want to try someone's food.

I never offer my food to anyone unless I don't like it.

Depends on who I'm dining with & when it is. I offer a small portion before I start if the other person showed interest but wouldn't offer or ask for sampler if already started eating. Once, a client dipped his fork into my pasta before I could object. I pretended to eat because I didn't want to offend the client, but it was so strange. He asked if he could taste my pasta but didn't wait for my answer.:confused:

My bf and I often order stuff to share, or we each offer one another a sample.

I would never ever just grab something off someone else's plate. Very rude!

Often my wife and I will look at a menu and decide on the same thing. That doesn't seem particularly adventuresome, so the 2nd choice is also selected and the sharing begins.

We have a pan-Asian place that does small plates along with sushi. Perfect for sampling and sharing.

guilty as charged. Most of my family and friends are sharers, and I have occasionally just forgotten who I'm with and reached over to grab off of someones plate who wasn't exactly enthused about it. Apologies in advance if I ever to it to you :)

You may not have the opportunity to apologize if you do it to me. :D

Call it the only child syndrome but I hate sharing food and will only allow my wife to pick off my plate since that is solely under duress. FYI, the reverse does not hold true, I never pick off her plate

:) Understood. I'm an only and I don't like to share either.

I can't find the story right now, but after Julia Child's death I read that she hated the whole fuss and production of sharing plates when out with a group of people. She basically said, "I order what I want, and if I had wanted what you ordered I would have ordered that instead. I want to eat all of what *I* ordered." That's a paraphrase.

It was a relief to hear that. :D

Always wondered why I never trusted that woman! :p