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Original poster

Licking dinner plates

189 replies

Endlessblueskieswhatsnottolove · 10/09/2026 14:03

Recently my 8 year old has started licking her dinner plate when she's finished. Whilst I appreciate it when she says it's because it was delicious, I've told her not to do it as it's yucky and bad manners.
Dh thinks I'm being harsh on her for getting cross with her

Aibu to not want my child to think it's ok to lick plates after finishing their food?!

OP posts:
PrettyLittleRose · 12/09/2026 10:10

JustAPeach · 12/09/2026 10:00

I said sounds as in the phrase mopping up. It sounds unpleasant to my ear probably because I associate mopping with dirt not food.

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Yeah, mopping up the soup, or mopping up the gravy does sound gross. It's right up there with 'have a drink to wash down your food!' 😖 Bleurgh!

JustAPeach · 12/09/2026 10:00

CaptainMyCaptain · 10/09/2026 17:47

Mopping up with bread is actually good manners in France. When manners get too pernickety, like not allowing bread, pushing your soup spoon away from you or passing the port the right way, it's just a way of dividing us and them. Which you may be happy with but I'm not.

Licking the plate - no but I wouldn't get cross. Mopping up with bread - absolutely fine.

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I said sounds as in the phrase mopping up. It sounds unpleasant to my ear probably because I associate mopping with dirt not food.

PrettyLittleRose · 12/09/2026 09:54

Dipping bread/bread roll in soup is something everyone does though isn't it? Confused

godmum56 · 12/09/2026 09:35

Myblueclematis · 12/09/2026 09:08

I couldn't ever do this, my parents would have gone mad as well, they were both red hot on table manners. If there was any gravy on the plate, we always used a spoon.

I live alone and I still wouldn't ever do this, I do, however, lick the knife if I've had toast and marmite and the knife has butter and marmite on it. 😳

Edited

lol

godmum56 · 12/09/2026 09:35

XenoBitch · 12/09/2026 00:24

How does someone dipping bread into soup in their own home, affect you?

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its Judgy Mc Soupface

SereneFinch · 12/09/2026 09:08

MatriarchCaz · 11/09/2026 23:46

You sound nice.............not

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Fair. I just have a really visceral reaction to the idea of someone licking their plate and I don’t even know why.

Myblueclematis · 12/09/2026 09:08

I couldn't ever do this, my parents would have gone mad as well, they were both red hot on table manners. If there was any gravy on the plate, we always used a spoon.

I live alone and I still wouldn't ever do this, I do, however, lick the knife if I've had toast and marmite and the knife has butter and marmite on it. 😳

Grumpyoldcat · 12/09/2026 09:00

We always had sliced bread for that purpose so try that.

CptnJaneway420 · 12/09/2026 08:52

This reply has been deleted

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Onautopilot · 12/09/2026 01:41

Hmmm..I think there's an advert on this site with two kids licking their plates, or did I imagine it?
Anyway, it's a bit gross by the age of 8. A toddler I would understand.

XenoBitch · 12/09/2026 00:24

Berlinlover · 12/09/2026 00:22

I wouldn’t dream of it and judge those who do.

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How does someone dipping bread into soup in their own home, affect you?

Berlinlover · 12/09/2026 00:22

godmum56 · 10/09/2026 17:11

why would you not dip bread in soup when at home?

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I wouldn’t dream of it and judge those who do.

XenoBitch · 12/09/2026 00:16

I am a plate licker. I am not going to waste delicious gravy. I don't need or want more carbs from bread.
Of course, I only do it at home, or at my DMs (she is a plate licker too).

SnowFrogJelly · 11/09/2026 23:55

Horrible!

MatriarchCaz · 11/09/2026 23:46

SereneFinch · 11/09/2026 22:22

Fucking grim and I would not tolerate it in any circumstances. The bread mopping thing is also gross. It gives off an air of greediness.

You sound nice.............not

SereneFinch · 11/09/2026 22:22

Fucking grim and I would not tolerate it in any circumstances. The bread mopping thing is also gross. It gives off an air of greediness.

Scrimblescromble · 11/09/2026 22:18

BigMommasHouse · 11/09/2026 22:07

This is only the correct etiquette for very particular dishes in old money circles. Asparagus is another food that is traditionally eaten with the fingers.They very much do care.

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My very well to do ‘old money’ grandparents, father, uncles and aunts, old family friends etc followed impeccable etiquette when it came to formal meals and eating publicly. For any informal meals plates were scraped clean and sometimes licked, and knives were eaten off etc etc.

BigMommasHouse · 11/09/2026 22:07

CaptainMyCaptain · 11/09/2026 22:03

I have just seen Tom Parker-Bowles on Masterchef saying that he eats lamb cutlets in his fingers holding the bone. Really posh people don't care.

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This is only the correct etiquette for very particular dishes in old money circles. Asparagus is another food that is traditionally eaten with the fingers.They very much do care.

Mammyloveswine · 11/09/2026 22:04

Ffs I’m a stickler for table manners and 8 she is old enough to understand that is disgusting!

CaptainMyCaptain · 11/09/2026 22:03

Scrimblescromble · 11/09/2026 19:14

If you don’t want her to that’s your choice. Growing up we were allowed to do it at home (same with drinking our cereal milk) but with the caveat that we only do it in our own home and never when we have guests. I concur with others…if it’s grossing you out then give her a slice of bread.

In my experience the posher people are, the worse the table manners at home are. It’s a bit gauche or aspirational to care about these things in private.

I have just seen Tom Parker-Bowles on Masterchef saying that he eats lamb cutlets in his fingers holding the bone. Really posh people don't care.

BigMommasHouse · 11/09/2026 21:55

Your DH is setting her up for failure. If this becomes a habit there will come the day when she is mocked and made fun of for her feral behaviour.

Pallisers · 11/09/2026 21:50

There was a thread on this recently (think it was OP's husband who was the plate licker). There were a surprising number of people who thought it was perfectly fine.

scrivette · 11/09/2026 21:48

I used to lick the ice cream bowl when I was a child and now if I am on my own at home I use my finger to wipe yoghurt or ice cream. I don’t ever do it in public.

At 8 she should be old enough to know that it’s not really something that should be done, but it’s okay sometimes in the privacy of your own home.

ItsAlwaysTwins · 11/09/2026 21:38

FGS. It’s disgusting. She’s not a dog.

raspberrychocolatecake · 11/09/2026 21:36

Since this is new, maybe she's going through a growth spurt OP. Try giving a larger portion of dinner and make sure she's getting a healthy mix of protein, fruit, veg, fibre and efas each day, so she's getting all the nutrients she needs.