Please Tell me I'm Not Alone Regarding Work Potlucks

[penn19]

I'm not a huge fan of potluck....maybe it's because I'm a picky eater, but I usually only eat what I bring.

Also........no bake sale purchases for me. I'm an avid baker and will donate tons of baked goods, but I have never, ever purchased a baked good from a bake sale. Just can't do it!

Gosh, I thought there was only one of me who felt this way! I know all about restaurants, but for some reason I have a "thing" about eating other peoples food. It's not all people, but the majority. It is really hard because you don't want to hurt someones feelings, but I just cannot make myself do it. My dh on the other hand will eat anything!

 

[daisyduck123]

Yet these same people will eat at a restaurant where the people who prepare your food are total strangers...

As a previous poster stated....at least with restaurants, they have to pass inspections. There's just something that makes me feel different about that.

And OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, if you had seen one of my neighbor's kitchens a few years ago (and this woman baked stuff periodically for her kid's classroom), you would shy away from home-baked stuff too. I watched her kid wipe his runny nose with his hand, and then continue to roll the sugar cookie dough into little balls & place them on the cookie sheet. I had to leave after that.

 

[jen0610]

As a previous poster stated....at least with restaurants, they have to pass inspections. There's just something that makes me feel different about that.

And OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, if you had seen one of my neighbor's kitchens a few years ago (and this woman baked stuff periodically for her kid's classroom), you would shy away from home-baked stuff too. I watched her kid wipe his runny nose with his hand, and then continue to roll the sugar cookie dough into little balls & place them on the cookie sheet. I had to leave after that.

But even with inspections, there are issues.

We were at an all you could eat buffet. I was sitting so that I could see into the area where they would prep food. I watched as a worker open a package of frozen mac 'n cheese. While trying to transfer it from the wrapper to the pan that it would be cooked in, the whole thing fell on the floor.

I watched the worker put the pan down, reach down and pick up the frozen mac 'n cheese. Turned it all over inspecting it, then put it into the pan and put it into the oven.

The manager was informed of what I witnessed, so they could address the issue. Had that restraunt passed the last inspection it had, yes. But, the day of the incident numerous workers had been walking all over that floor area. They had previously been walking outdoors with those shoes on. And more than likely walking around their house with those shoes on. God only knows what all was actually on that floor by casual every day transfer.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

I'm not a fan of potlucks at work. Due to stomach issues, I am very careful about what I eat, it's not always practical to ask every ingredient of every dish, so I just stay away. However, working in a supermarket, where my husband is one of the managers, the food that the store kicks in for our holiday potluck always meets my dietary needs, so I will eat that.

 

[shortbun]

I eat potluck when it's a cookout or football party with a lot of our friends. I know their kitchen habits. I never ate potluck at work. Now that I'm retired, I don't have to think about it any more.

 

[jodifla]

I love work potlucks. But I tend to work with the type of people I trust to be sanitary.

 

[Pugsley]

I am extra careful when making food to take somewhere. Not that I am poisoning my family on a daily basis but I will keep my hair tied back, clean off counter bleach, etc.

Me too. I was thinking about this last night when I was baking cookies for my husband's office holiday party. I was rolling cookie dough into balls with my hands and was really careful to wash my hands constantly. Then it occurred to me that other people might not be so careful and who knows how clean their hands are when they are touching the dough and stuff. I've never gotten sick from anyone's food and I'm not normally too worried about this kind of stuff, but it did gross me out a little when I really thought about it.

 

[ReneeA]

I love work potlucks! Although I am one of the few that actually cook or throw something in the crockpot and not just pick up chips and dip at the grocery store.

I guess everyone trusts my food since there's never any left to bring home.

 

[SC Minnie]

We have potlucks here every so often. I always volunteer to help set up so I know who brought what. There are some people I will not eat what they bring.

 

[luvsJack]

While it is true that resteraunts have to pass an inspection, you have to remember that if they fail one they are not usually automatically closed. They have a certain amount of time to fix the problem or sometimes they just get "don't do that anymore" and still pass.

Not saying that resteraunts aren't clean or that the food isn't ok, I eat out all the time. I just don't think the majority of people have kitchens so dirty that it would make you sick either.

Another word of warning: don't necessarily judge what someone's home may look like because of their work space. One the most organized people I know at work, has a house that always looks like a storm came through. I don't know if she ever completely cleans up!

 

[liamsaunt]

I will admit that I avoid work potlucks like the plague. I just don't like eating work potluck food. But I don't like most work social functions anyway.

 

[happygirl]

I have never heard of people having issues with potlucks, I'm always learning thins on dis

 

[shirleyb]

I love potlucks, whether they're at work, church or wherever.

 

[Kit'smommy]

I rarely eat anything from a work potluck or from friends' and neighbors' homes. I did eat some fudge a coworker brought in this week as know what her cooking habits/kitchen are like. I have one friend who constantly tests everything with the same spoon (not washing it after eating off it) and who licks stuff off her fingers and keeps on working without washing her hands. I've also seen dishes with animal hair in them.

And I do eat out of restaurants, but they rarely have pets all over their kitchens as many of the people I know do.

 

[Deb in IA]

After eating a couple clumps of cat hair before I realized it, I now avoid work potlucks!

We used to have a "crazy cat lady" at work. She lived independently,along with about 10 cats, but clearly had some learning/intellectual disabilities.

Her food was often, um, furry.

We usually took some of her food so that she didn't get upset, but we would put them in a napkin and throw it away when she wasn't looking.

 

[Hannathy]

And I do eat out of restaurants, but they rarely have pets all over their kitchens as many of the people I know do.

Oh they just don't give them names...........

 

[cm8]

There are definitely a few people at work that I stear clear from their potluck food.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I never think about it the same way I won't allow myself to think about things that go on in commercial kitchens and the people that wait on us. I just can't go there.

Lisa

 

[LilyWDW]

Oh they just don't give them names...........

 

[canopynut66]

Okay, I'll say it. Work potlucks weird me out something crazy.

I don't know how clean my co-workers keep their kitchens. I can see how well they don't clean the kitchen here. I don't wish to eat mystery dishes. I can't try them and say they are horrible, right? No matter what, you HAVE to say, "Oh, that's yummy!"

So, tomorrow I shall eat the store-bought stuff and leave it at that.

Am I alone in this?

No your not alone. I was never so sick in my life as after an office potluck in fact ---after that our work went to "food item" has to be store brought and wrapped. so many here do not wash their hands at work (and we all know who those people usually are) so can imagine they would not when home alone--cooking