Using a plate or bowl when eating yes or no?

[Colango]

We had a very bad ant infestation earlier this year, took weeks to get rid of them. We have pets and hard flooring, and I like to keep the floors clean.

Coming down in the morning to tread with bare feet on someone else’s gob crumbs gives me the ick but even more so, I don’t want the ants back

Members of my family seem to be allergic to using plates or bowls to eat food from? Or sitting at a table to eat? Is this normal?

DH is terrible for eating without a plate and it makes a mess. He brushes his fingers together over the floor too to get crumbs off them. I would do this over a sink or a bin if I did not have a plate, not just straight onto the floor in the house? Am I the weirdo?

I asked DH he said he doesn’t want to do extra washing up, but the kids are wandering around eating food as well. I hoovered after dinner then he let them have toast and all of them stood in the middle of the kitchen and created a carpet of crumbs - which I trod in and then I have a foot covered in toast crumbs from someone else’s mouth. Yes I made him sweep it up but we have a kitchen island with chairs they could have sat on to eat, then it can be cleaned off the worktop?

USE A PLATE? or perhaps I have PMT 😒

That would do my head in OP.
Lazy arses not using plates. 🙄

Animal! Massive ick. How does he expect his kids to function in the world if he lets them behave like this?! Massively disrespectful behaviour all round. Food should be eaten from a plate, preferably at the table. Or no food.

Honestly I think this is weird.

We are v crap with food, tend to eat in front of our own individual screens like hermity weirdos but we always always use a plate or bowl. I thought the vast majority of people did (and also that most people eat at a designated place like a dining table).

Not surprised you have had ants

No you are not the weirdo. Couldn’t stand crumbs all over the floor or side. Such an easy way to keep place clean and tidy. Always will use bowl/plate or whatever, otherwise you are just making more mess you are going to have to clean up later when your crumbs get everywhere (as you say also - ants/mice etc as well don’t want). My mum I remember used to get on at us (USE A PLATE!!) and now completely understand why 😂 And same with crumbs etc. - would brush hands off in sink or wash them otherwise to me it just feeling littering getting your crumbs everywhere. Probably doesn’t help I am also coeliac so crumbs for me is stress (no gluteny crumbs thank you! 🙅‍♀️)

I haven’t been on MN for very long but I think this is one of the stock phrases…..

Tell me you do all the cleaning and laundry without telling me you do all the cleaning and laundry.

Lock all the food away, nobody eats unless they sit at a table eating with mouths closed, off crockery and with cutlery, unless it’s obviously finger food. If they bring their own food indoors and throw it/crumbs all around or wipe greasy hands on clothing or bedding then they do the cleaning and/or laundry until you are satisfied they can be trusted to be civilised hoomans.

I wouldn’t clean up after slobs.

This your DH is gross and lack basic manners,.my DC, gc would not be allowed to eat unless they are sitting at the table using plate, bowl, cutlery.

Yes, my DC were never allowed to walk around eating their meals. They sat down with a plate or bowl. I don't understand how it's become a 'thing' to walk round eating.

Eating without a plate, on the sofa. Arrrrgh.

I'm sorry but your family sound like animals.

How easy would it be for you to insist that all meals are eaten at the table off of plates, or bowls, using cutlery? Like normal human beings.

Are you not in a position to insist on this? If not, why not?