NO; Some people like myself ; just automatically add salt, pepper ect to our meals BEFORE we even taste them ... Not meant as an insult to anyone .

I wouldn't think that is bad manners. Especially if it is before they even tasted it. A lot of people put salt on a lot of things they eat.

I dont think it is, I am a saltaholic, and I know I like my food saltier than most. I usually do taste the food before putting salt on it.

I don't think so. Some people just do that, but it does make me wonder if I missed on the seasoning.

No it's a personal eating habit.

No.They just like salt.

no...he can do whatever he wants.

I don't think so, nope.

we're all creatures of habit and some people just probably don't think about it..they eat so much salt, they have desensitised their tastebuds, they just dump salt on everything...I doubt it's intended to offend anyone, so why be offended by it. I like all of my food simple, but I've cooked many a good meal only to see people dump salt, ketchup, or whatever all over it..I dunno why they would want to ruin a wonderful tasting thing..I mean if you like salt or ketchup or whatever that much, then just eat that and forget the food! but it doesn't offend me.

I put salt on everything... its habit... and the fact that I eat everything with way too much salt.

It is a bad habit that may contribute to hypertension...a leading cause of cardiovascular problems. We take way too much salt than we really need.

Guess I am in the minority here but I think it is rude to the cook to season food before tasting it. Is it a biggie? No I don't think so. I agree with other posters here in guessing the person did it more out of habit than anything else and likely didn't mean it as a comment on your cooking.

Personally, I thought nothing of it until I became the full-time cook for my family. Now, a certain someone will add salt AND pepper to anything I make - even if its totally new and they've never tried it before. When I was just the customer and not the cook, I never gave it a moment's pause but now when they do it to my food (which is GOOD! btw) it really gets me pissed off. Is it too much to take ONE bite before you publicly 'declare' I left out some ingredient which, apparently, makes aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the difference in the world? Man, I feel indignant. So yes, I think it IS bad manners. This isn't a restaurant where you never see the cook. You sleep in the same bed as the cook! (in my case anyway lol) A little token taste for the sake of my self-esteem is really not too much to ask... Now, if thats what they do to something NEW on the table, then I'd be put off a bit. But I have to say, if they have already had this dish from you before, I think its safe to say they already knows it needs salt or what-have-you and thats something I find far less 'offensive'. YMMV. M :)

I don't taste food, i like to start and end with the same taste of that specific food. I smell it then add whatever i feel proper for my taste, not to obvious about the sniffing part.. but still some people would find that offensive. Adding salt before tasting goes into a different domain, to someone close..a friend..a relative.. it is no big deal, they probably know your habbit or will simply find it weird. Someone who does the same thing when the food is not self-prepared will understand it. But.. to those "from the outside"..they will feel more or less offended(adding salt without tasting equals not giving their cooking skills and knowledge a chance from that point of view). However, it is a habit..no one thinks of doing it, they just do it. <<It is not bad manners, just not putting much thought into the other ones perception, since it feels only natural to the one doing it..no big deal>> I suppose it's a little different in other places, where i live you would surely get a confused look(around here rarely u meet people that do the salting thingie) from the 'host', sometimes with a statement like "It's salted enough, taste it."(expecting to get an agreement).

I had a friend who did that - it was part of who he was - and he always put sooooo much more salt on than I could ever have possibly put in it! I was tempted to serve him salt cod, just to see what he would do. The only time I add salt to food is a boiled egg, tomato or chips - and I probably use a little less salt in cooking than most people do, so perhaps people might need to add salt to my cooking. if they have eaten with me before, then they know to add it immediately. But otherwise, yes I do find it a little irritating, but would not necessarily say it was bad manners.

No. I'm just shocked they were able to eat it at all.

Not in my world. In my world guests do what they want. I tend to undersalt things because one can always add but it is impossible to delete. I prefer to taste food before I season it. I don't consider that being mannerly or that the converse is unmannerly. It is habit with some people. Now the downside is simply that food will be oversalted but that is the choice of the person wielding the saltshaker. You makes your bed and you lie in it! :) Happy Sunday! :)

no its not bad manners and no they don't assume that the meal is unsalted just that many cooks put in the bare minimum of salt when they cook and this seems to be true when over 90% of people add salt to cooked meals.

no not really because i dont like salt in my food, and most people no that.

Not Bad Manners...just a risky and bad HABIT! Risky, since it may be perfectly seasoned and then they've gone too far with the salt!

I think it is rude to comment on another person's eating habits

I wouldn't take it that way, some of us just do it out of habit. Take no notice.

No, preference.

It soon won't make much difference. The person is likely to have a heart attack and die. Problem solved. Don't bring a salt shaker to the funeral dinner, it's in bad taste.

There is an old saying. "There is no accounting for taste". If you season the food too much there is no way to take the salt OUT of it. Well, there is, but it involves boiling potatoes... Don't let it bother you that people like food diffrent ways. It dosen't mean your cooking is bad, just that diffrent people have diffrent tastes.

Yes, it is rude. You should at least take a small bite first.

no. i think it would be bad manners if they tasted it, then put salt on it, because its saying it needs something else. but even then i dont see why it matters, some people like food the way they want it, just like me. if someone puts salt on it first i dont think it should matter, because it just means they like salt allot or do it out of habit...

I don't think there's any particular etiquette rule about this and I would not be offended if someone did it to food I had just cooked. I want my guests to enjoy their food however they like it. I've had guests ask for Tobasco and I don't take offense. They're just addicted to a spicy taste.

No i don't think that it is bad manners to add salt on to your food when at someones home. I think it's a matter of preference. Personally, i do not care for salt, i can only tolerate small amounts. How about you?

Yes it is considered rude to season your food before tasting, that means salt, pepper, ketchup and/or any other condiments. It is an insult to the cook who served the meal expecting it to be perfect. Once you have tasted it then it is fine to add whatever you like because it is afterall a personal choice of flavors.

It is more UNWISE than rude. Many people do not add salt or not much when cooking these days, however, I prefer to taste first and season after! Heaven forbid it is perfectly seasoned to my taste and I go and botch it up, simply for lack of a single bite!

Kinda, you should taste it first.