Etiquette: To Smell or Not To Smell

Keep these customs in mind while traveling in Ghana if you want to be a culturally informed tourist (and avoid seeming silly). Innocent behavior at home might be outrageous abroad. For example, if a waitress delivers a dish of delectable food in front of you, your initial instinct may be to smell it. Don’t! In Ghanaian society, this is considered the peak of impoliteness. Your host or hostess may believe you are inspecting the food because it is not properly cooked or because you believe it will make you sick. This is definitely one of the things about Ghana you should know before traveling to this country

Also, don't eat (or shake, or pass money off, or do anything else) with your left hand — Ghanaians see the left hand as vulgar. It might be difficult to remember to use your right hand for everything (particularly if it isn't your dominant hand), but please be alert.

Note! Many delicacies in Ghanaian cuisine, including Banku, Kenke, and Fufu, are eaten with one's hands. Scooping the food with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand is the ideal technique to eat these meals.