Was I Being a Germaphobe?

[Poohforyou]

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?

I would have let my daughter eat the chips. Heck she and her friends/classmates double dipped at that age. They share so many germs that it wouldn't faze me.

However, I wouldn't have eaten any of the food. Partly skeeved over the germ factor but also the choice of food.

Also, chips are a dry food so I don't think the germ factor is that much of a issue.

 

[Jennasis]

Yep. That's irrational germaphobe territory.

 

[larissawbb]

Proud germaphobe here lol. I’d have gotten individual chip bags too. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Yes germaphobe, it wouldn't have been on my radar.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Yep. That's irrational germaphobe territory.

This food safety training company doesn’t call it irrational.

https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/article/category/Resources/article/a-bag-of-surprises

But I totally get that it wouldn’t phase most people.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I would've let my kids eat the chips. I'm definitely not a germaphobe though. I think we go overboard with all the sanitizer nowadays.

Sure, I would have eaten the chips. Even after watching little Johnny grab a handful, stuff them in his mouth, lick his hand clean, and then reach in for another handful. Too bad there wasn't any salsa or cheese sauce for the kids to double dip.

 

[Mermaid02]

Put me on the list who would have let my kids eat them, but I wouldn't have. I am just picturing all of those little nose pickers reaching into the bag.

 

[emmybee]

So gross. My family is hardly finicky about cleanliness, but we wash our hands before eating and would definitely never eat food handled by a bunch of people...much less kids

 

[anniemae]

Another BIG germaphobe here. I would not have taken any. I usually try to be stealthy in these situations, by either opening a fresh bag, if one was available, or I would reach way in the back of the bag where nobody has reached (I would have sanitized before reaching in) to get some for the kids.

I thin tongs are useless for chips, but better than nothing.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Another BIG germaphobe here. I would not have taken any. I usually try to be stealthy in these situations, by either opening a fresh bag, if one was available, or I would reach way in the back of the bag where nobody has reached (I would have sanitized before reaching in) to get some for the kids.

I thin tongs are useless for chips, but better than nothing.

So it's ok for you to reach in a fresh bag or reach far in and get your germs all over the rest of the bag?

 

[crazylady]

I've really never given this much thought but I will now. Thanks alot!

 

[SteveH]

Do what makes you happy. I really don't care. But I won't criticizes the others that don't care about it either.

I see a lot of germaphobe parents, I don't know their backstory about their life so I don't judge. But I see a lot of people being way overly cautious about small things like that and avoiding other issues completely. My favorite was the mom that used a alcohol wipe on her phone, yep it was germ free. But the missed the boat completely as the entire meal we watched she was on her phone not paying one spec of attention to her two kids.

 

[anniemae]

So it's ok for you to reach in a fresh bag or reach far in and get your germs all over the rest of the bag?

Yup, because as I said, I would sanitize BEFORE reaching in. I always have hand sanitizer as well as antibacterial wipes in my bag. Reaching to the back just gets the chips that have not been pawed over.

If the servers are not going to provide serving utensils or have a server with gloves on serving the chips, everyone just has to kind of decide what's best for them. For me, it's reaching to the back with clean hands so I don't taint any other chips and so my kids have cleaner chips. Others can do the same, or more likely, just reach in and grab what you can from the front with dirty hands if they are not bothered by that. I would not eat them myself as I am immunocompromised and must be diligent, but I would clean my hands and get some for my kids if they wanted chips. For many, this type of situation would not even be a blip on their radar, but for those of us who are compromised, we simply have to be. Believe me, I wish I could just brush it off and not be concerned.

Don't make it sound like I would be doing something sinister or rubbing dirty hands all over other peoples food and not caring about it. That's not what I was saying at all.

 

[larissawbb]

A lot of people have autoimmune disorders and are on immunosuppressants. So you’ll find an increase in germophobes. Some people really have to be.

 

[deedeezee]

I am a total germophobe, but I recognize that dirt, in general, is good for immune systems. I make my kids wash hands before eating, etc. but in that situation, I would have gone with it and tried to pretend I wasn't grossed out.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

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.

Ah, so you’re going be that parent, then!

Seriously, if she’s going to play baseball, just let her be one of the boys!

(Oh, and some players will wash their hands and some won’t, but that’s ok. Really. This is different than another type setting!)

 

[mom2rtk]

Unless you want to be seen as "that mom" you're going to have to check inclinations like this.

 

[Klayfish]

Yup, because as I said, I would sanitize BEFORE reaching in. I always have hand sanitizer as well as antibacterial wipes in my bag. Reaching to the back just gets the chips that have not been pawed over.

If the servers are not going to provide serving utensils or have a server with gloves on serving the chips, everyone just has to kind of decide what's best for them. For me, it's reaching to the back with clean hands so I don't taint any other chips and so my kids have cleaner chips. Others can do the same, or more likely, just reach in and grab what you can from the front with dirty hands if they are not bothered by that. I would not eat them myself as I am immunocompromised and must be diligent, but I would clean my hands and get some for my kids if they wanted chips. For many, this type of situation would not even be a blip on their radar, but for those of us who are compromised, we simply have to be. Believe me, I wish I could just brush it off and not be concerned.

Don't make it sound like I would be doing something sinister or rubbing dirty hands all over other peoples food and not caring about it. That's not what I was saying at all.

It's a bit hypocritical IMO to say you'd never reach into an open bag, but you'd grab a fresh bag and open it and have others reach in after you. Perhaps people don't want sanitizer or anitibacterial wipe residue on their chips.

And as I said before, I'm "immunocompromised" too. Each to their own.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It's a bit hypocritical IMO to say you'd never reach into an open bag, but you'd grab a fresh bag and open it and have others reach in after you. Perhaps people don't want sanitizer or anitibacterial wipe residue on their chips.

And as I said before, I'm "immunocompromised" too. Each to their own.

Or skin flakes.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

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?

Things may be different for us because we use facilities that are inspected. But we'd be written up by the health inspector for that. And given that, I cannot say that you're overly concerned about germs.