Was I Being a Germaphobe?

[Disneylover99]

The after game eats were being run by the dads? Us dads do not use bowls, just pop the bags open and enjoy.

That explains it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Were the bags just opened and placed on their sides? I probably would’ve made bowls out of the bags, but my kids and their friends eat just out of bags here all of the time. If I was grossed out, I’d still let my kids eat the chips, but not eat them myself.

 

[Disneylover99]

I've never seen chips at a gathering NOT served that way. I've literally never in my life seen anyone serve chips with tongs. Picturing it is making me laugh, though.

Everytime we pick up our kids from camp, they put out a final goodbye spread of food for campers and parents. Chips, hotdogs, veggies, cookies, etc.....There are tongs in every bowl.

 

[Aliceacc]

^^ Right. Because that's run by the camp professionals, not the dads.

 

[wgeo]

Hey if "the dads" were able to put out a spread of food for 200 people and have enough for everyone, then I say cut them some slack on the bowls lol.

Honestly though, I may have passed, but I would have let the kids dive right in.

 

[Aliceacc]

Keep in mind: when those same kids are at the cafeteria lunch table sharing food, the odds are pretty good that they're not using tongs either.

 

[dish rag]

Keep in mind: when those same kids are at the cafeteria lunch table sharing food, the odds are pretty good that they're not using tongs either.

One of the reasons I won't eat at a Buffett. Some folks are in the ugly habit of licking food from their fingers. Then the grab the tongs.

 

[Disneylover99]

^^ Right. Because that's run by the camp professionals, not the dads.

Yes. I know. I’m just mentioning where I see tongs in a chip bowl to a poster who has never seen them.

@TheRealTeal, it makes me laugh too. You can only pick up a few at a time and most of them break.

 

[EveDallas]

My daughter had a Little League event today that included a free lunch afterwards of subs, chips and water. When we got to the food line I saw that the chips were being served as opened bags (like large Costco or Family style size) laid horizontally on the table. No tongs. There were like 4-5 choices and each person though the line reached in and grabbed their chips to put on their plate.

The event was for children ages 4-6 and their families following playing a game. No bathrooms that I saw or hand sanitizer stations if you are wondering about that. I’d estimate a crowd of 200 people.

I promised my kids there would be chips so I bought them 2 individual snack sized bags from a small concession stand that had a few items for sale.

I just couldn’t bring myself to grab the chips being served after seeing all the kids jamming their hands into these big bags. But apparently I was the only one concerned because everyone had piles of chips on their plates.

WWYD?

Yes, you were being a germaphobe.

 

[Calee]

Yes you were being a germaphobe. Know how many times your kidd touched their face during the game or in the dugout?

 

[sunshinehighway]

I wouldn't have thought twice about giving the kids chips from the bag.

 

[luvsJack]

I work at a college, we are constantly having some kind of “bring food” event and there is always chips. We don’t use tongs.

It’s kinda funny because you can always tell who is in line by someone they know to be a bit of a germaphobe. You see them very daintily picking up chips while trying very hard not to touch any chips but the ones they plan to take.

Of course we are adults and we do wash our hands.

My kids are grown and have had these kinds of end of season gathering many many times. They lived. I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[Micca]

I'm only an entry-level germaphobe, mostly consisting of frequent hand-washing.* I'd have no problem with the bag 'o chips. I agree that all the sanitizer has likely done more harm than good.

* It's not without basis--I spend a lot of time on my computer, with my home theater electronics, books, records, dvd, and other media. I just like to keep those things clean and in nice condition by having clean hands. Coincidentally, as the hand washing has increased, instances of illness have dropped dramatically.

 

[mekay1012]

I'm a big germaphobe. I'm the mom that would have made all the kids go and wash their hands (or an least given hand sanitizer to everyone) before touching the chips.

 

[kdonnel]

My dad worked as a food inspector for 20+ years. Hands in a chip bag are nothing.

You have no idea what goes on in restaurants the many days the health food inspector is not present.

My dad has walked in on people shoulder, yes I said shoulder, deep in a giant bowl mixing coleslaw with their arms. Periodically stopping to rake the coleslaw off their arms back into the bowl and then mixing some more.

Yum!

 

[mombrontrent]

I probably wouldn't have any myself, but I'd let my kids.





I don't know what that says about me as a mother

Me exactly!!! Because in my normal rational mind I know they is no nothing “wrong” with the chips and I’m not really worried about the germs or kids getting sick from the community bag. However I know I wouldn’t personally be able to eat them myself knowing everyone else had been touching them. I’m weird like that

 

[ronandannette]

Never would have hit my radar to think that everyone is reaching in there and there’s no hand sanitizer in there.

I’m 56. I rode a bike without a helmet. Rode in a car without a seat belt. Ate all kinds of things out of a “community bag”. By today’s standards, I should be dead.

It's early here and I read your post wrong. I though you said you did all those things today. At our age, being that busy would kill me too!!

I'm only an entry-level germaphobe, mostly consisting of frequent hand-washing.* I'd have no problem with the bag 'o chips. I agree that all the sanitizer has likely done more harm than good.

* It's not without basis--I spend a lot of time on my computer, with my home theater electronics, books, records, dvd, and other media. I just like to keep those things clean and in nice condition by having clean hands. Coincidentally, as the hand washing has increased, instances of illness have dropped dramatically.

I'm a very frequent hand-washer too but not because of germs. I'm just super-prissy and can't stand not being perfectly clean. I can "feel" dirt on me and it skeeves me out.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I'm with you--that's so icky! I would not have allowed my kids to eat from communal bags either. Kids don't really understand how to properly wash their hands until 5-6th grade, and you said that there were no facilities anyway. Eww.

Disclaimer: I am a germaphobe so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

[penn19]

What concerned you wouldn't even have occurred to me. Not saying your feelings on it weren't legit, but my kid and I would have been eating the chips without giving it a thought. I might think about it the next time I'm in a similar situation though, thanks to this thread.

Interestingly, my DS who is now 21, somehow managed to develop some major aversions to "community food". For sure he'd be passing on those chips now. He won't even share popcorn with a date at the movies and he'd rather die of thirst than share a beverage out of a single bottle or straw. If somebody grabs a fry off his plate (just as an example), he's done.

I’m the same way as your son. I never even used to pick off my kids plates when they were little.
In this situation, no way would I have eaten those chips. It’s not even the germs per se, it’s the “thought” of all those hands being all over the chips.

 

[Klayfish]

I would have never eaten or touched those chips on my life. Then again: I have immune system issues, and allergies to many things, so it's kind of not a new thing for me to react that way.

I have immune system issues too and I absolutely would have reached in. Just my opinion, but as a whole we've jumped the shark on things like this.

Yes, OP, I think you were being a germaphobe.