Is it authentically established that the Prophet (peace be upon him) ate with a spoon rather than with his hand, and how do we reconcile the prevailing custom and the manners of the age with the Sunnah of Al-Mustafa regarding eating with one's hand?

It is not authentically reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ate with a spoon. Rather, he used to eat with his hand, and this is superior. Eating with a spoon is permissible, and any dislike associated with it (according to those who deem it disliked) is removed if there is a need for it, such as when a person is in a place where people do not appreciate eating with the hand, or if the food is such that it cannot be eaten except with a spoon.