If you don't let your kid eat blackberries...

[OuchIsLife]

Before they have been washed what do you think will happen? Or what has happened?

Just curious as I've always let my kids eat them as soon as they've picked them and I'm not sure what harm would come to them.

Where do you pick them from?

Well they might end up eating a small spider😀. Not that it’s ever done ours any harm.

Waist height level - nothing. Below that - potentially covered in fox/dog piss.

We get loads in our garden so dd is free to pick and eat those, she's hardly ever ill so it doesn't seem to be having too many negative effects. Agree on not below about child-waist height though.

Above dog wee level and not on a busy road, no problem.

So long as they're above waist ish level and not on a main road, it's fine.

I actually don't pick them to wash, as last time I picked a bowl full I washed them and then got called out unexpectedly so left them on the side in a bowl covered with a tea towel. Got home and lifted the cloth to a scene from A Bug's Life. Had I not been called out all of that would have gone in the crumble I was planning.

So now we eat a few when we pick them, but I don't pick in bulk anymore - trying to limit the bug eating!

My DC are very young and while I don't have a problem with unwashed blackberries, I don't want them picking other random non-edible berries and eating them straight off the bush, so we have a rule that berries need to be washed (and inspected) by a parent first.

From the garden, no worries, from the road side, nah, quick wash first as you should see the colour of the water when rinsed off....it's quite a cool experiment, water is pretty clear from the garden, not clear from the road!

From a busy road we always wash, years ago I was told about the dangers of picking and eating berries from a busy rd, something to do with car fume remnants. The lady who advised me, her son is a doctor.
If it's just from a field out in the open, or the school grounds I'll let them eat as they're picking.

My kids sometimes don’t wash them when they pick them from the garden, they’re fine. However when you wash/ soak them, 8 time out of 10 you’ll see small bugs crawling out.

Full of worms. I've always soaked them in cold water with a slice of lemon in it. Drain after 10 mins and repeat for an hour. Absolutely shit loads of fruit fly larve in them with the occasional spider and beetle. I don't want a crumble full of worms. BOAK!

Last two times my DC picked blackberries and ate without washing they were both sick. I would never have been fussy before but I don't think we'll pick them again. (From higher level on a pedestrian walk)

Is there something in blackberries that's neutralized by cooking (like potatoes and rhubarb?)

Please don't flame me these are genuine questions...
what would happen if your kid ate a blackberry that had been weed on by a dog?

Have you ever seen a dog wernin a blackberry bush?

What would happen if you are a small spider?

what would happen if your kid ate a blackberry that had been weed on by a dog?

Do you wash your hands after you've been to the toilet for a wee?

Though they taste of dirt, I never had a problem with it until I decided to soak a bowl full for baking. The ensuing maggoty bug water has put me off for life. Also dog piss.

This reminds me though of when I took my youngest who was about 4 on a dog walk with my mum who pays no heed to my opinions. Both started to enjoy collecting blackberries together but upon finding that they had more than they could carry my mother decided to pop them into an unused dog poo bag 🤮 Shortly after, mother bumped into a neighbour and started chatting. Gradually a look of absolute horror crossed the neighbours face and when I turned to see what had caused this I realised that all she could see was my child eating the contents of a poo bag. Funny, but strong words later had.

I know it's a typo but it amused me. If you are a small spider it's curtains for you I'm afraid

Probably nothing. But most of us would rather not risk it or ingest wee.

Ditto, probably not going to do any harm if you ate a small spider or similar. But again, ideally not.

Having said that, we don't pick very low ones but otherwise, if we're in the park and picking DD eats them straight from the tree no problem (assuming they're not obviously covered in spiderwebs etc). But I do like to give them a good wash before using any that actually make it home.

@Comedycook yes I do. And I'm motivated to wash my hands because I've literally just been for a wee...what I'm struggling with is being motivated to get my kids to be safer with eating wild blackberries as I just don't seem to be able to see the possible danger.

Like my friends seem to have this automatic response when their kids goes near black berries, they will literally jump up and stop them. I sort of know it's not the best for them to eat them but I just can't conjure up that reaction...so having it spelt out to me might help.

I've never washed blackberries. In rude good health here. As are my children and grandchildren.

The ensuing maggoty bug water has put me off for life.

That helps...they could get worms

I always let my children pick and eat blackberries straight away. My little boy loves that he can pick them and have a snack on the way to the park 😀

They'll end up growing snails and worms in their bellies. Naturally :-)

Same. There are flies all over them laying eggs. You need to wash the eggs and tiny maggots off. I don't know what harm they'd do (worms possibly) but I have always done this.

Where did all the bugs come from? In the blackberries or did leaving them on the side attract them from outside?

Do blackberries get any soil on them? I genuinely have no idea...if so, there's all sorts of unpleasant things you can catch from soil. I ate unwashed spinach once...said on packet it was washed but I could literally taste the soil and it was crunchy....I was so unwell