Licking dinner plates

[Endlessblueskieswhatsnottolove]

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?!

The wartime poem when food was in short supply ...." a blitz of a boy is Timothy Winters, licking patterns off his plate"

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

You're right. It's awful Don't allow it.

I abhor poor table manners and no you shouldn’t permit this, she’s eight, old enough to know how to behave at the table.

is she still hungry though, is she getting enough food?

Inside voices and outside voices. Helping yourself at home or waiting be asked when you are guest. Breaking wind in the bathroom but not at the table.

Different rules for different contexts, it's not complicated.

Many years ago I was the teacher in a school nursery class which offrred full time places. One little girl stayed for dinner for the first time and ate every scrap of shepherd's pie then licked the plate. I said 'Oh you enjoyed that did you?' and she said 'Yes I've never eaten meat before'. I was so horrified that I'd committed a terrible faux pas that I forgot about the manners aspect. I confessed to her Mum at home time but she was fine about her daughter eating meat at school. I don't think the plate picking became a habit.

I always dip bread in my soup. I am obviously uncouth.

Timothy Winters goes to school, Eyes as wide as a football pool....

It was a very sad poem.

I think if my child started doing this suddenly I’d be concerned she’s still hungry and isn’t being fed enough. Of course greed can play a part but maybe not at 8, so I’d worried she was still hungry,

Slice of bread if she must, but I wouldn't allow a place to be licked.

Is licking the bowl icky? Is another childhood pleasure gone?

Yes I know, the question is about doing it in front of other people. But as always, you can play Mumsnet bingo with this thread.
Grim - tick.
Ick - tick.
Only “crass” is missing.

The only plate licker in our family is the dog... if he gets the opportunity, which is not encouraged.

My DH does it . If I make a chocolate cake. He wouldn’t do it in public. He’s got an extremely long tongue, that’s why I put up with him.

Yes it was ( sad) ...and maybe we still haven't moved on that much with so many kids not eating ok before school ?

That’s fucking feral.

Some people on here with a very low bar in regard to manners.

It’s rude and I’d never do it in public or in front of other people but I would do it on my own in the kitchen. I’d tell my children to do the same.

“Mopping up” with bread sounds just as disgusting as licking the plate looks IMO.

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.

Just no.

I am with you on this one, OP.

There is a young female who is an exception to this though.

My husband does this! Its a turn off and not good table manners. I would try to gently stear away from this

When we were students, a close friend had a boyfriend I couldn't abide. He couldn't abide me either. One day, we went to eat in a greasy spoon, the three of us. When he had finished eating, he put his knife and fork on the table, picked his plate up and licked it. He thought his behaviour confirmed his proletarian credentials (he had been brought up in a family of teachers and classical musicians in the Home Counties).

For me, it confirmed his credentials as a absolute tosser. That is the only time I have seen anyone lick their plate. It's an image that has stayed with me for nearly half a century. No, children, we do not lick our plate clean at the table.

Meh I couldn’t get too worked up about this. She’s old enough to know that it’s ok to do it at home with her own household but maybe not in public or if you have company over. But if it’s not acceptable to you it’s fine to tell her you appreciate she liked the meal but it’s not good manners.
Personally, I wish my 11 year old dd ate with such gusto! She eats like a sparrow and is so picky.

Wouldn't bother me either as long as it was not in a pub/restaurant.

Dipping bread in soup or in sauce is fine as is using your hands when eating chapattis or naan breads. Bringing a bowl up to your face or bending your face down to your bowl to lick it is not though.

That is an unexpected answer. Let's hope the children don't do it in public.

My kids lick plates before dinner to reserve a certain plate - they only do it at home and it's to annoy each other I'm praying they grow out of it.