Licking the bowl.

[lurkerspeaks]

I was 'baby'sitting yesterday for a very articulate 9 year old.

I did what I often do in such situations - produce baking gear and instigate cake baking.

I was somewhat surprised when the time came and I offered up "bowl and spatula or beater" (to lick) to be told "Oh, you mustn't lick the bowl, it is really bad for you, we aren't allowed to at school/ child care".

I must confess in all my years of baking, almost exclusively with free range UK sourced eggs, sometimes even from hens I know, I have never once not licked the bowl (might explain the size of my hips..)

So am I being negligent? Should I let children in my care (baking with UK eggs) that don't have allergies lick the bowl!

Do I need to start asking for 'licking' permission from the parents... as it has genuinely never crossed my mind before.

Interestingly I spoke to the child's parents afterwards as I was bit perturbed - thankfully, they are both totally unfussed about licking the bowl and do so themselves but can't persuade their child to do so The influence of 'authority' adults obviously carries weight! However, I'm not sure how common this is and don't want to unwittingly piss any of my friends off when they leave their kids with me.

To clarify I know about egg allergy and salmonella but I am talking about healthy children with no allergies. A quick google has confirmed my suspicion that UK eggs are very unlikely to have salmonella but that imported eggs may be more risky.
www.lioneggs.co.uk/page/eggsafety

One can only assume that the professional environments either use cheaper eggs or have a blanket ban because of the risk of allergy (or maybe I'm out of touch with current food thinking).

WDYT?

[DawnOfTheDee]

I don't trust anyone who doesn't lick the bowl.

[RaisinDEtre]

Have you done a food handling course ?

Best practice imo is to let your own dc lick raw egg batter but some one else's kid, no

[squeakytoy]

I can understand it not being encouraged in schools, but at home should be allowed! My mum always let me do it, and the whisks too sometimes she even unplugged the mixer first

[RaisinDEtre]

Talking about proff situation, mates kids I would ok with parents beforehand

[cheekybarsteward]

Ooooh I see!

[slartybartfast]

its a modern phenomenon.
never did me any harm, nor has it harmed my dcs.

dont trust em

[OneOfMyTurnsComingOn]

I thought it was law to lick the bowl when baking

[FredFredGeorge]

I think the modern phobia of bacteria is very harmful, humans need huge numbers of bacteria living inside and on them - where else are they going to get these than from the enviroment?

And more importantly it loses the pleasure of licking the bowl.

I'd also consider it a failure if my child swallowed the school line without evidence of why it's unsafe.

[DawnOfTheDee]

at squeaky's mum sometimes unplugging the mixer first.

[Inneedofbrandy]

We lick the bowl. The wooden spoon, the whisk attachment, and the two spoons to spoon fairy cake mix in. It's the best part!

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

You have to lick the bowl....tis the law.

My DS much prefers raw cake mix to the finished product....I always leave a generous amount of mix in when he licks the bowl, would be cruel to not let him :)

[storminabuttercup]

Some people are funny about the whole raw egg thing aren't they? Wouldnt bother me if my child did it. He often does at home, we keep our own chickens so no lion stamp

[lurkerspeaks]

I'm afraid I too am in the 'licking the bowl is the best bit' and have many happy memories of being allowed to do so.

I just wanted a bit of reassurance that there aren't a whole pile of people inwardly seething about it as it has really, honestly never crossed my mind that in a domestic situation people don't lick!

I suspect in future I will check primarily because this has caught me so short in terms of my thinking. I was terribly reassured that my friends didn't mind in the slightest and in actual fact laughed as they find it funny they can't shake the faith in the school rules.

[eurochick]

Non-lickers (like my husband) are wrong'uns wot shouldn't be trusted.

[thecheekofhim]

My mum made me dry up if I licked the bowl.

[SammyTheSwedishSquirrel]

What's the point of making a cake yourself if you don't get to lick the bowl?

Bowl licking went on in this house despite using cheap salmonella infested eggs. We're all still alive.

[slartybartfast]

dd's 2 friends (aged 15/16) arent allowed to lick bowls. when she has been at their's makign cakes.
dd was crushed i tell you

[Hullygully]

It's best not to. A friend of mine's second cousin got Grimbly's Feather Syndrome from licking the bowl.

[Floggingmolly]

The bacteria arguement wouldn't bother me at all. But raw cake mix is bloody rank. Raw eggs and butter It's like a hangover cure!
I'll wait for the finished product, thanks.

[freddiefrog]

There would be much outrage if I didn't let my kids lick the bowl. As far as they're concerned the whole point of baking is to lick the bowl.

I used to bake for a living, and in a work-environment, no bowl licking.

Home baking - more goes into the kids than into the oven

[Bubblemoon]

So long as it's not the lavatory bowl just keep on licking.

[DilysPrice]

I was Strict Mum when DCs were little and anything with raw eggs didn't get licked except by me. DD was rigorous about checking which stage of cooking we were at and nicking any bowls and utensils which were egg-free, so it was educational for her. Now they're older I've let it slide.

[DilysPrice]

I was Strict Mum when DCs were little and anything with raw eggs didn't get licked except by me. DD was rigorous about checking which stage of cooking we were at and nicking any bowls and utensils which were egg-free, so it was educational for her. Now they're older I've let it slide.

[cozietoesie]

Youngsters have licking rights in our household - and I recall my Mum baking with a queue actually formed up waiting.

But then when I think of the things that went on in her household - any one of which would have the hygiene and Elf and Safety mob completely outraged, I marvel we're all still alive!

[stellayip]

I have happy childhood memories of licking the bowl, but my brother spent several weeks in hospital as a child after contracting salmonella from doing exactly that. So no bowl licking in our house.