The Community Spoon

I have to get this off my chest because for the first time, I have had a germaphobic experience. I am not one to wipe off the grocery cart before shopping nor use a paper towel to cut off the water after washing my hands, but something happened yesterday that may change my habits!

Our garden club meeting was held at a local church yesterday. One of our members graciously planned the meeting, meal and entertainment, and for that I am grateful. However, the Senior group from the church had their Christmas program, meeting and meal right beside us–we were separated by a wooden partition.  Once the meeting was  over and the program done, we were given instruction for how to proceed through the buffet.

Well, the Seniors apparently were given the same instructions, and rose to the buffet line simultaneously.  Hundreds of them gathering around the steel containers of hot food. Ham, pineapple/cheese casserole(?), creamy grits, and green beans. Oh, and red velvet cake.  After waiting a good 15 minutes for the line to clear, my friend Gina urged me to the buffet line to scoop out the dregs. I told her I was not hungry. All I could think about was the hundreds of hands touching those serving spoons. I am going to get sick, Gina.  No. No. Here, just have some green beans. So I did and some creamy grits. What an odd combination for a Christmas gathering?

The nurse in me kept punching me in the face, telling me I should not have eaten from the Community Spoon. Cough. Cough. Hack. Hack. So, I am telling you to learn from my lesson. Don’t take from the Community Spoon. Go somewhere where you will be served. Cough. Cough. Hack. Hack.

This taken from You’ll Be Fine. I promise.

BUFFETS:

There are two reasons why I don’t like buffets: One is the community serving spoon. Think of all the hands that touch the end of a serving spoon at your favorite buffet style restaurant. Now assume that over half of those hands belong to people who are not avid hand washers. Oops! Someone let the entire serving spoon slip into the cornbread casserole. That handle has more bacteria and virus bugs on it than a CDC petri dish. And now it’s in the food. But that’s not the scary part. Sometimes the serving spoon falls into the food and you are NOT there to witness it and therefore avoid it. The next person simply pulls the spoon out and continues to use it. Unless you are the very first person in line, you are at risk of getting dirty serving spoon food.