The question in this thread is whether you wash your hands before dining when you’re at home. Suppose you were out in the yard raking leaves, or stuck at your desk paying bills, and now it’s lunchtime. Your spouse has thoughtfully prepared a plate for you with a sandwich and some chips. Your hands don’t appear visibly dirty, but it’s been hours since you last washed them. Do you wash them before sitting down to eat?
I went with no, and then I read the op. If I’m sitting in my chair watching tv I’ll just serve up and eat. But most of the time I’m the one cooking dinner and I wash my hands multiple times as part of the food prep process. If I’ve been outside or in the shop I’ll certainly wash up before I sit down to eat. I generally won’t come in from working to eat until I’m done for the day so I may shower before eating most of the time.
Hell yes. And if I’m even doing modest prep (e.g. making a PB&J), I’ll wash my hands before that. It just feels wrong to handle food with unwashed hands.
It depends on what I’m doing. If I’m out doing yardwork or replacing a light fixture, absolutely. If I was just reading, on the computer, or watching TV, not unless I felt like something was off. If I was doing something that involves getting stuff that might not be good to eat on my hands like painting, probably yes. Can’t really pick either of the poll options since they’re pretty absolute.
I said yes, but really it’s because I’m involved in the prep and cooking. So it’s more of a “it happens”. If I’m not involved in the prep/cooking I’d say NO, unless I’ve been working in the garage etc.
I didn’t vote because it depends on a lot of things. If I’ve been outside working in the garden, sorting dirty laundry, petting the dogs for an extended period of time (like if they’re cuddled up on the couch with me all afternoon), or anything where my hands are visibly dirty then, of course, I wash my hands before I eat. If I’m just watching TV, reading, picking up around the house, etc. then I probably wouldn’t. If I’m preparing food for anyone else though, I will always wash my hands.
Yeah. I’m often the cook and when not, I’m often the sous chef But if I was totally uninvolved in the food prep, probably not unless I had additional reason to do so.
No. It’s a dirty world and I’m breathing it in 24/7 anyway. I’ll wash up to address any aesthetic unpleasantness (hands are visibly dirty, sticky, smelly) but it’s got nothing to do with germs.
One of my weird memories from childhood involved hand washing. `When playing at a friend’s house, his mom would tell us dinner was ready. My friend would rush off to the bathroom and I would follow. He would wash his hands, and on cue I would also.
I remember thinking they were a very dirty family. At my house you didn’t have to go wash your hands before eating, therefore my home was clean. No telling what horrible filth lurked in my friends carpet!
I’m usually the one cooking the food, so often have schmutz on my hands anyway. Even if we’re getting takeaway, I’ll generally wash up before sitting down to eat.
When you maintain a consistently healthy life, and seemingly do most of the people I’m with on a regular basis (the worst being an occasional cold), it really shouldn’t be that surprising. I’ve been exposed to germs my entire life, and so has most everyone else. That said, I’m not totally, “germs are fiiiiine - you just need to be exposed to more!”, and I get my flu shot just like everyone else should.
I generally don’t unless they are visibly dirty, so I picked no in the poll. But then I noticed the OP mentions having been in the yard raking leaves. If I have been out raking leaves I more than likely will wash my hands. But that’s because if I’ve been raking leaves my hands will more than likely be visibly dirty. Inevitibly little pieces of dry leaves get kicked up and stuck to my hands and arms, especially if I break out the blower rather than just using rakes.
If I was hungry right now and grabbed a banana, I wouldn’t wash my hands. I damn well wouldn’t if I’d had a few drinks and remembered I had Tostito’s in the cabinet.
This morning I woke, made coffee, used the bathroom (washed hands) and then toasted a bagel. So, I guess that counts. Not worried about my hands on the coffee grinder or coffee maker.
Tonight I’ll make broiled chicken and will wash my hands before and after putting the chicken in the oven.
But if I was totally uninvolved in the food prep, probably not unless I had additional reason to do so.