There may be no more common a date activity than going out for a bite to eat. So how funny is it that what you choose to order and how you’re going to look eating it can be such a cause of distress?

Is it going to get stuck in my teeth? Will it make my breath smell bad? Am I going to look like a fatty? What if it spills on my outfit?

Really, this is not where your focus should be on a date. Better to concentrate on getting to know the person sitting across from you at the table, and he you… including your love of bacon cheeseburgers. (Besides, if you order what you want and the date’s a bust, at least you’ll enjoy the meal.)

Nevertheless, here are some pointers for how to better approach five “tricky” date foods.

Burger with “the works”:

If those Carl’s Jr. ads with Kate Upton and Kim Kardashian have taught us anything it’s that watching a hot girl take a big bite of burger can be pretty sexy, right? No but seriously, that this menu item is “messy” and not exactly “girlish figure-friendly” should be a non-issue. In fact, he’ll probably appreciate your confidence in making such an uncompromising choice.

Word to the wise: Try cutting the burger in half to make it more manageable, then (and this may sound a little crazy) hold the burger upside down so that the toppings are on the bottom while you eat. It looks a little goofy but it works, and if anything, can make for a good conversation piece.

Pizza:

Hitting up the neighborhood pizza joint is a classic dinner date move. But it’ll be difficult to have fun if you spend the whole evening obsessively blotting the pie with napkins (please, god, don’t do this on a date – or ever), and worrying about strings of cheese dangling from your mouth. Just pick up the slice, fold it in half, turn it horizontally, and dig in point first. Just be mindful to make sure your hand on the crust end is out of the line of fire from grease and sauce drippings.

Word to the wise: If the mechanics of the slice fold stress you out, you’ve got a couple options. One, if you’re in a paper plate kind of joint, you can always just scooch the slice off the edge of the plate and bring the whole thing to your mouth. Or, better yet, suggest the two of you go to a Neapolitan-style pizza place where using a fork and knife is the MO.

BBQ:

As has been discussed here before, going out for barbeque on a date can be a great way to show you’re a down-to-hang girl who’s not afraid to eat with her hands and get a little dirty. Obviously, however, this shouldn’t give you license to be completely uninhibited (i.e. use wet wipes and napkins when needed).

Word to the wise: You can also keep the mess to a minimum by opting for something like dry rub-style ribs (Memphis, for example) or a pulled pork sandwich, where at least the sauce will be absorbed by the bun to some extent.

Ramen:

What are you afraid of here? Slurping too loudly when you suck up those tasty noodles and delicious savory broth? Don’t be — traditionally, slurping is seen as a compliment to the chef. So if you’re really feeling awkward about it, turn the tables on the situation by dropping a little food culture knowledge on your date.

Word to the wise: Admittedly, getting those long, slippery noodles in gracefully can be a little tricky. Here’s one approach: Pick up a small bunch of noodles with your chopsticks (or fork, if you must) in one hand, and with the other have your soup spoon at the ready to catch them. Now in a much more manageable pile on your spoon, you can just eat them in one easy bite.

Tacos:

Like with the burgers, there’s presumably a concern here about the sloppy mess factor — chunky salsas, juicy well-marinated fillings, not to mention the inherent challenge of everything falling out when you put it down to take a breather. Worse than all of that, however, would be having to explain the West Coast cutie you’re out with why you’re intimidated by a taco.

Word to the wise: Consider skipping the crunchy tacos in favor of soft-shell corn or flour tortillas. Some might advise taking alternating bites from both ends to avoid filling spillage, but I find this can create more problem than solution. Instead, try folding the edge of one end in and then holding the two new small edges over the space (much like you would do to wrap a present). That way, you can eat from the open end without anything falling out the bottom.

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