no more buffets for me!

I work at my kids school so I have to take food saftey classes....you wouldn't eat out at all if you knew what I did! EEEKKKS I even have issues at people's houses. And well they tend to get offended if you inform them they just cross contaminated. eeeks I guess I should just stay at home!

I never thought about the serving utensils. I guess we do all touch them to get our food. I'm not sure how I will feel next time I go to a buffet. You may have ruined it for me. lol.

Buffets and salad bars at the grocery store are usually not the cleanest places. I only get salad from the salad bar at the grocery within 30 minutes of them opening. I avoid buffets just on GP...the food is usually nasty and would not be good for us under the best of conditions. I don't eat candy or cookies out of the dishes either. I guess I am a little neurotic..I have seen far too much, When I travel I bring my own food..it is usually healthier and better for you. I bring wipes and cleaners for our hands. But just remember..even if you wash your hands, everything you touch in between is probably pretty gross.

Good thing I don't go to buffet restaurants so I don't have an issue about it. With regards to germs, well, they're all around and we can't be all germ-free. Even our house is full of germs. The nice thing is that our body is created in such a way that it can keep some bacteria away. So rubbing elbows with some germs in body is not that gross :)

yup, you're a fruit loop like me...hehe. If I go to buffets, I always carry the germ disinfecting gel. It is in a small bottle and I use it before starting to eat my own meal, after I have served my food. If I start to think about all the people either coughing, sneezing, picking up and putting back, I would never eat out again !!!

I dont think about those things. It doesnt really bother me. It isnt like they are putting their hands in the food. (Ihope not anyway) Here in Australia, we dont have nearly as many buffets around as there used to be. A lot of it comes down to hygeine and food in the open. Best wishes to you, modestah

I don't think you are being neurotic at all - i don't go to buffets anymore. And after hearing some of my friends talk about the restaurants they have worked at, I'm pretty limited in what restaurants I can go to, as well.

Not neurotic, but overly worried. You noticed that others had touched those utensils, and thought about the possibilities. However, you don't think about everythign else you touch. The fact is, the dirtiest thing in an office isn't the toilet, it's the desk and keyboard you eat at without giving it a second thought. When you are in public, you not only touch things that others have touched, you literally breath air that has been inside other people. With each breath you suck in dust, much of which is human skin cells. We can drive ourselves bonkers worrying about germs, viruses and other little bugs, but in the end, we'd have to stop breathing to stay very clean.

Hmnn..I am now also disturbed by your thought too..good thing I don't see any buffet coming up for the next month.. I think,it's good to be cautious all the time, we do not know how contaminated the food we take now a days,and there is always health risk. see my discussion about a cake which was found to have rats parts in it? eeew! guess people need to be re-oriented about hygiene and all.

You have every right to be disgusted. However, the Human body is pretty resilient. The vast majority of germs are relatively harmless. Only a tiny minority can bite hard. Unless you've a compromised immune system, you should be safe enough.

Well Thank You hon for wrecking it for all of us. hehehe I never even thought about that. Here's another one. We push the grocery cart all over the place while we shop for groceries and sometimes we even buy something to eat on our trip home and never think about the sick kids that vomited or pooped and goodness knows. Well now we're even hehehehe. Take Care.

I must admit I have had my second thought about using utensils that strangers have touched. When I go to a buffet I get my spoon, knife and fork first and serve with those rather than the ones they provide. The individual utensils are less likely to be contaminated than the ones they put in the trays. I don't think you are neurotic at all, just cautious. :D

I don't worry so much about the personal utensils as I do about the ones used to serve the food. Everyone is touching the darn things and who knows if they washed their hands. Especially men! Do you know that the satistics show that a high percentage of men do not wash their hands compare to that of women. My husband is so grossed out by this when he goes to the mens room when he is out and about. The personal cutlery I check to make sure it is clean and sometimes wipe it with my serviette . You could use one of those wet ones if you carry them in your purse. I try not to eat at buffets for the most part but every once in awhile it just seems like the best thing to do when I feel real hungry and want a variety. Then again saying that; I am usually disappointed with it by the time I leave! What about you; are you glad you decided to eat at one of them? The food is usually not that great. My Opinion! Yet I still eat there once or twice a year. Silly Me!

You are good, I have never ever thought of that. You really have an analytical mind. I am truely impress! For my family, before we start off for the buffet counter. First thing, we will visit the washroom or clean our hand with wet tissue before we proceed. After reading your discussion, I will let my husband know what this. Thanks for your thought. Good!