I don't generally mind peeling them but sometimes if they are a bit yuk inside it does put me off. My sister in law and I have solved the messy fingers problem by carrying a small bottle of hand antiseptic in our bags.
YES ! I cannot eat prawns if I have to peel them. It is not about being lazy but peeling them gives me a little ick. For same reason, I cannot eat lobster or crabs. Crab Cakes are fine though.
I don't mind peeling prawns if I'm doing a batch in one go by the sink and can wash my hands, with soap, immediately afterwards. But when in a restaurant and all you have is a napkin and one of those tiny bowls of water I just can't do it! And then I always have to remember to freeze the scraps so that they don't stink out the bin!!
It does not generally put me off, as I feel it is worth it.
However I have to admit on a few occasions at a buffet I have not taken prawns as I just did not want to get my hands so dirty -would not worry me at home as can go and wash with soap but at a restaurant you have lemon water, and I do not feel this as clean as soap!
However, I mostly do have the prawns at buffet as they are always SO good there.
I mostly buy green prawns that I cook so doesn't bother me in the least as I know how clean they are before use. If shelling cooked prawns I cut the head off with a sharp knife then shell and clean out the centre back, pile them up and eat all so I don't have to shell and clean in between eating.
I love prawns and I don't mind peeling them for myself and others….if I have to. I only like Australian prawns though.
When I was very young, and living in Sydney, we didn't even "clean" prawns. I think that they may have been "purged" before we got them….cooked prawns that is. We didn't seem to get raw or 'green" prawns then.
Same for lobster. Never cleaned the head…my father used to call it the "mayonnaise"