Do you lick your fingers when eating food?

[MissKNG]

When eating food, do you lick your fingers? DH does sometimes and I think it is disgusting simply because I was raised that licking your fingers was poor manners and that we use a napkin.

 

And I specifically mean while eating a food - after eating or during eating, whenever.

[Heather in Neverland]

No... Unless it is chocolate. :)

[GailV]

I don't. DH uses approximately 2763* paper napkins per meal to wipe his hands as he goes along. I wish sometimes he WOULD lick his fingers.

 

*This is possibly an exaggeration.

[jillian]

If its something like wings I will before taking a drink but usually wipe on a napkin.

[Shawna in Texas]

We are a family of proud finger-lickers.

[Word Nerd]

At home? Sure. It depends on what I'm eating.

 

I can understand thinking it isn't good manners in our culture, but that doesn't make it "disgusting."

[Truscifi]

It depends on the food. A finger food that is sometimes a bit messy, or just juicy or greasy, like fried chicken - yes. Foods normally eaten with utensils - no.

[magnificent_baby]

I have recently noticed DH doing this a lot. It drives me crazy. Not sure if I have just now noticed, or it's a new habit. Either way, I think it's gross, especially when preparing food.

 

A friend does this when serving desserts...eww!

[Mergath]

If I'm eating finger food, I will. When eating a food that requires you to messily rip chunks off with your teeth and bare hands, licking fingers doesn't seem to be too much of an etiquette breach. ;) The rest of the time, no.

[Paige]

Only dessert! My own of course, not when I'm serving other people.

[Susan in TN]

I don't. DH uses approximately 2763* paper napkins per meal to wipe his hands as he goes along. I wish sometimes he WOULD lick his fingers.

 

*This is possibly an exaggeration.

 

 

We are trying to wean ds17 from his excessive napkin usage. "Eat in such a way that you can get by with one napkin per meal." Dd6 (Napkin Queen of the Table) is considering an "excessive useage" tax on napkins.

[SKL]

It depends on where I am and what I'm eating. I live with someone raised in a country where most food is eaten with the hands, even in the most polite restaurants, and fingers are licked. At home or in certain ethnic restaurants, I will occasionally lick my fingers, but in other situations I generally don't.

 

I think if you're following convention by eating something messy with your hands, licking the fingers isn't that much different.

 

I also feel that if you're at home with your own family, you don't have to behave as if you're visiting the Queen. :)

[Miss Mousie]

I'll do it after eating snack foods that leave "dust," like Cheetos or salted nuts. I'll wash my hands afterward, of course, and I don't lick my fingers and then reach back into the bag unless I'm the only one eating it.

 

Then there are the times I'm eating a super-juicy peach outdoors ... no napkins there. :)

[Dandelion]

Never at the table or when I'm around others. If I'm eating a snack that's gooey or otherwise gets on my fingers, and I'm by myself, I sometimes do.

[regentrude]

No. Except for sandwiches, I eat with utensils.

[Janie Grace]

No. One exception: eating wings with dh. No one else around.

 

It grosses me out when others do it, so I choose to spare them! :) I was raised in a NON-finger-using family. We cut everything (including pizza, chicken drumsticks, etc) so that may have something to do with it.

[briansmama]

No, and it does gross me out when others do.

[DianeW88]

No. That's what napkins are for. And we always use cloth napkins, so we're not wasting paper with excess napkin usage.

[SKL]

I get more grossed out by the fact that some really messy stuff is supposed to be eaten with the hands. I do not enjoy having barbecue sauce on my hands, regardless of how I clean it off. I avoid eating greasy grossy finger food if I can.

[DragonFaerie]

Yes, with discretion and only when eating finger foods. And to the PP who commented that her friend licks her fingers while preparing dessert? EWWW!!! One should NEVER lick fingers and then touch someone else's food! That's gross!

[UrbanSue]

Yes, I guess. It's hard to remember, actually. I would NEVER do it with company around or at someone else's house. But I think I probably do it at home. I think it can be done in a disgusting manner and in a slightly more refined way.

[Parrothead]

It depends on the food.

[nmoira]

Yes, but only "at home."

[AndyJoy]

I voted no, but my one exception is hot wings because otherwise little bits of napkin will stick to my fingers. Or if I use a wet-wipe before I'm done the rest of them will taste like rubbing alcohol!

 

DH mocks me for using so many napkins, but I figure between my 3 and his 1 (at the end after licking), 2 each is about right.

[*********]

I do it, but I know it's bad manners. :p

 

I try not to do it when outside of my house, and I *think* I've taught my boys not to do it in public.

 

Funny thing; I never even knew it was bad manners as a kid until I read in some novel about a man doing it and how it was bad manners, LOL.

[justamouse]

It is one of my absolute pet peeves. It totally grosses me out.

 

We have a dear friend who does, and I just can't even look at him while he eats.

 

Use cloth napkins, that way the paper doesn't tear when you wipe your hands.

[Danestress]

No. Absolutely not. I am not ms manners. I do other things that aren't as civilized as I could be, but I draw the line at finger licking, and my dh would agree.

[GSOchristie]

No, after being a teacher, I have been programmed never put your hands in your mouth, you don't know what germs are lurking. I also try my very best not to touch food that is going into my mouth, like I keep candy bar in the wrapper, pour M&M's directly into my mouth. I really hate to get sick!

[Mommy22alyns]

I never do it around other people. Otherwise, it depends on the food. I mean, you kind of have to lick your fingers after eating wings or Cheetos!

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Only in absolute private. When I'm by myself I can sometimes be a total slob.

 

Around anyone else, at family dinners or with company, we are very much of the napkin-and-utensil persuasion.

 

And I can't stand to hear about finger-lickin' cooks. If I think about it too long I might never have the courage to eat at a restaurant or someone else's house ever again, so I have to choose not to think about it, but I don't know why people do that.

[mlktwins]

Only when home -- just me, DH, and the boys. And...only if it something messy like ribs. Can't help it. I do lick my fingers sometimes when serving desserts, but I always wash my hand after I lick and before I serve/touch another piece or utensil.

 

I was at my in-laws favorite restaurant (they go there at least one a week). They have a favorite waiter there and always request his booth. I was so totally grossed out when he was serving our food, licked his fingers, and then put those fingers back on the plates to continue serving us :scared: . I haven't been back since.

[gingersmom]

My mother was fanatical about table manners. No finger licking in my house.

[OrganicAnn]

So if you are licking your fingers, then you are using your fingers to eat. I think if you are picking up your food with your fingers, then you are not eating formally and so finger licking is fine. If you are eating formally, then you don't eat with your fingers or lick them.

 

How do you know if something is 'finger licking good' if you don't lick them?

[magnificent_baby]

Only in absolute private. When I'm by myself I can sometimes be a total slob.

 

Around anyone else, at family dinners or with company, we are very much of the napkin-and-utensil persuasion.

 

And I can't stand to hear about finger-lickin' cooks. If I think about it too long I might never have the courage to eat at a restaurant or someone else's house ever again, so I have to choose not to think about it, but I don't know why people do that.

 

Yes to the bold!

 

I also want to add, there is a difference between a lick of one finger when there is no alternative, and licking every single one (which DH does).

[LucyStoner]

Context.

 

At the dinner table, at restaurants at holiday meals and Sunday dinners? No.

 

At a campground, bonfire or when eating greasy fried chicken on family movie night? Yup.

[gardenmom5]

it really depends what and where.

[Lisbeth]

Um, no. I do however lick the plate (at home) on occasion. :blushing:

[dirty ethel rackham]

When no one is looking :o. Or when eating chocolate:0. I don't do it in public and I don't make a habit of it. Most of the time, I use a napkin.

[Murphy101]

Sometimes with certain typically messy foods such as BBQ or fried chicken. And only at home.

 

However there is a difference between quick finger licking and what I call finger slurping. Finger slurping rates right up there with smacking loudly as they chew on their food and drives. Me. Insane. A huge peeve is an understandment. One warning and then they are excused from the table. If it's an adult I can't excuse from the table, then I am promptly done eating and make my excuses.

[LizzyBee]

Depending on what I'm eating, I'll sometimes lick my fingers at home, but never in public.

[kewb]

Never when there are other people around. But if I am alone and it is something I am really enjoying, absolutely.

[Tokyomarie]

When I was a kid, our local culture allowed major licking of fingers when eating BBQ or fried chicken and similar foods. I seem to see it less now. After living in a variety of places, I've gotten so I typically don't lick my fingers in public, no matter what I'm eating. At home, however, I'll lick them but am still careful not to make a production out of it. When I am alone....well, all bets are off....if it's something really tasty, I rationalize that I don't want to waste any of it! :-)

[Amy in NH]

If I'm eating food with my fingers, then yes I will lick them before I either a) wash them right away, or B) wipe them on my napkin before continuing the rest of my meal and then wash them when I get up from the table.

1. My hands are clean if I'm going to be eating.

2. It doesn't make sense to get my good cloth napkin completely covered with food.

3. I wash my hands right after the meal before I go touching anything else.

 

I would think it is rather gross for you to wipe very messy hands on a napkin.

 

ETA: If I ever lick my fingers while cooking, I wash them immediately afterward and before touching any other food. It is certainly gross and unsanitary not to.

[TranquilMind]

When eating food, do you lick your fingers? DH does sometimes and I think it is disgusting simply because I was raised that licking your fingers was poor manners and that we use a napkin.

 

And I specifically mean while eating a food - after eating or during eating, whenever.

 

 

No! It is totally disgusting. That IS what napkins are for!

[Paz]

I voted no. I am not prissy about most things but for some reason seeing people lick their fingers freaks me out. I just can't get over it. It's worse than seeing someone hurl in front of me.

[Barb_]

Mmmm. Fingers....

[lexi]

Never. My mom would be so proud!

My hubby's family does and it drives me crazy. My hubby used to but I have since converted him. Now it bugs him too.

[BakersDozen]

No, and if (when) my dc do this I send them to wash their hands. It grosses me out. My kids hear, "Nothing goes in your mouth but food, drink, and a toothbrush" all the time.

 

I also find it disgusting when someone licks their fingers when preparing food. When at the home of a friend's parents, I watched as her father continuously licked his fingers while making dinner. I pleaded pregnancy nausea when it came time to eat. Gross, gross, gross.

[beaners]

Now I have a terrible craving for a slab of ribs and big basket of hot wings.

 

I try not to lick my plate in public. My husband's restaurant serves a soup that I adore, and it drives me crazy that the tureen it comes in doesn't match the shape of the spoon. I have to pick it up and tilt it to get the soup from the very bottom. The soup is good enough that I'm willing to do it though.

[simplyme99]

While I am tempted sometimes, I do refrain from licking my fingers (at least in public!).