NBR: settle this salt and pepper shaker debate

hilwithonelary

DH and I have jokingly argued since we got married about which shaker is supposed to have salt vs. pepper.  I won't tell you who thinks what as I don't want to affect the results.  [Poll]

dragon_chica

I didn't vote because I never even noticed there was a difference in holes! 

grapeape73

I have always thought the salt was supposed to have the more holes.

broomy

I can't believe more people voted for pepper = less holes. I always thought salt = less holes, because it's worse to over-salt your food than it is to over-pepper. Plus, pepper doesn't come out as easily as salt.

hilwithonelary

broomy:

I can't believe more people voted for pepper = less holes. I always thought salt = less holes, because it's worse to over-salt your food than it is to over-pepper. Plus, pepper doesn't come out as easily as salt.

This is what my DH says!  I've always thought salt = more holes because you use more salt than pepper.  I had never known that anyone thought differently until DH and I had this argument after we got married.  I filled our salt and pepper shakers, and DH poured a ton of salt on his food because he thought it was pepper.  You'd think after 6 years, he would remember that I put salt in the shaker with more holes, but he still forgets about half the time and then gets ticked when he uses the wrong one.

abb08

We collect salt and pepper shakers and the majority of them are labeled in some way.  Only one set (out of MANY) has the pepper shaker with fewer holes.  All of the rest have either the same number of holes, or the pepper has more.  If you think about it, this makes sense...not because people oversalt their food, but because salt pours better and faster, so you don't need as many holes. For a lot of shakers you just have to tip the salt, but you have to actually shake the pepper.

superherostocker

I was always told pepper has more holes because it is harder to get out or it is bigger than salt so you need more holes.

justme04

I've always put salt in the shaker with few holes.  I dont like to use a lot of salt though.

kimfoley88

The holes on mine are in the shape of an "S" and "P" so there's no confusion over here!

CD+AL

abb08:

We collect salt and pepper shakers and the majority of them are labeled in some way.  Only one set (out of MANY) has the pepper shaker with fewer holes.  All of the rest have either the same number of holes, or the pepper has more.  If you think about it, this makes sense...not because people oversalt their food, but because salt pours better and faster, so you don't need as many holes. For a lot of shakers you just have to tip the salt, but you have to actually shake the pepper.

This!

SallyJean95

Dear Yahoo!:

Which goes in the shaker with more holes -- salt or pepper?

Shaken With Doubt Hamden, Connecticut

Dear Shaken:

Until quite recently, when we started receiving this question from a number of readers, we were blissfully unaware this was the source of much controversy and debate. We had always been taught that salt went in the shaker with more holes and never thought to question this piece of wisdom. However, our confidence was strongly shaken when we started researching the matter and learned that this question of dining etiquette is far from set in stone. We found many sources that completely disagreed with each other with complete authority. For example, About.com states that traditionally, pepper was more expensive than its easier-to-come-by companion salt, and so pepper was placed in the shaker with fewer holes to reduce usage. On the other hand, the International Guild of Professional Butlers asserts that salt shakers generally have larger and fewer holes to accommodate the larger, heavier grains that flow faster than pepper, although they do admit there is no manufacturing standard. One web site indicated there seem to be two distinct camps in this matter -- the "Flow" camp and the "Flavor" camp. The Flow camp preaches that pepper grains are larger than salt grains and hence need more holes to equalize the flow between the two condiments. Interestingly enough, we found this same argument reversed on several sites, which claimed that salt is coarser than pepper and thus goes in the shaker with more holes. Guess it depends on the types of salt and pepper you are using. The Flavor camp dictates that since people tend to use more salt than pepper, the salt should go in the shaker with more holes. Of course, if you are one of many people on a salt-restricted diet, this solution may not make sense for you. Sadly, Miss Manners and Emily Post did not seem to have any say on the matter, and even our favorite food reference site, epicurious.com, was of no help. Our conclusion? Unless you have the kind of cutesy shakers where the holes spell out an "S" or a "P," feel free to go with the flow and do whatever suits you. Now that that's settled, pass the salt, please!

luckylauren14

I never noticed if one had more ore less holes.  I do know if the holes are bigger that salt goes in that one, b/c salt crystals are bigger than the pepper flakes.

PiRSquared330

https://ask.yahoo.com/20040126.html

ryry1977

It is supose to be the salt with the more holes...although I think it should be the pepper because I like a lot of pepper!

blckwhtyllwgirl

abb08:

We collect salt and pepper shakers and the majority of them are labeled in some way.  Only one set (out of MANY) has the pepper shaker with fewer holes.  All of the rest have either the same number of holes, or the pepper has more.  If you think about it, this makes sense...not because people oversalt their food, but because salt pours better and faster, so you don't need as many holes. For a lot of shakers you just have to tip the salt, but you have to actually shake the pepper.

This totally makes sense but I voted salt = more holes because that's how I've always done it. Now, in thinking about it, I'll probably switch.

kattyleigh

Old etiquette is pepper shaker has the fewer holes, but now with rising heart disease and national health issues, new etiquette is salt shaker has the fewer holes.  My Mom told me this recently.  Great poll!

driveshorses

Salt=more holes and pepper=less holes.

I love salt, hate pepper, that's why I do it that way! 

g8trkim

Salt has fewer holes because it pours out... pepper is harder to get out so it has more holes.

cbwm

I voted salt = less holes. However, we have a little container for sea salt and just use pinches of it on our food and a pepper grinder (erm, okay...three pepper grinders) because I'm a freak about freshly ground pepper.

Cali Mommy519

broomy:

I can't believe more people voted for pepper = less holes. I always thought salt = less holes, because it's worse to over-salt your food than it is to over-pepper. Plus, pepper doesn't come out as easily as salt.

This!! 

CTri17

hilwithonelary:

broomy:

I can't believe more people voted for pepper = less holes. I always thought salt = less holes, because it's worse to over-salt your food than it is to over-pepper. Plus, pepper doesn't come out as easily as salt.

This is what my DH says!  I've always thought salt = more holes because you use more salt than pepper.  I had never known that anyone thought differently until DH and I had this argument after we got married.  I filled our salt and pepper shakers, and DH poured a ton of salt on his food because he thought it was pepper.  You'd think after 6 years, he would remember that I put salt in the shaker with more holes, but he still forgets about half the time and then gets ticked when he uses the wrong one.

why don't you buy a set that has a salt shaker and a pepper grinder?

blissfully_caffeinated

broomy:

I can't believe more people voted for pepper = less holes. I always thought salt = less holes, because it's worse to over-salt your food than it is to over-pepper. Plus, pepper doesn't come out as easily as salt.

I had the same thought process.