What the hell is up with people who have no sense, when it comes to putting their dirty hands on other people’s food.
I was at a New Year’s gathering the other day at casual friends’ place, and the guests were told to bring their own favorite munchies and their own booze if they wanted to drink. Other munchies were put out on the table and soft drinks, tea and coffee were available to all.
Also, guests brought their pets, as all critters know each other and there’s no tension.
I brought my own snack:
My favorite is trail mix. So I brought a bag of that, and sat eating that throughout the evening.
People of the world !! Hear me now, and believe me later.
I will gladly share my trail mix with you, but there is a hygienic method.
You should have a small container, or a paper towel, or cupped hands.
And I will happily pour some out for you.
Please. In the name of all that is holy and just. Do not pet your dog, scruff it’s ears, straighten out its tail and then dig your hands into my bad of trail mix. :eek:
Seriously, trail mix? I’m hip to what you’re saying, but I thought it would be about drinking out of other people’s drinks, or double-dipping their chips in the communal dip.
Trail mix is part of that group of foods you eat with your hands. If you were eating potato chips, would you expect people to pour those out into a bowl as well? Chips and salsa? I’m not getting it, even with the dog angle.
I think the oddest part of the story is people just bringing their own snacks for themselves at a party rather than putting them all out, but maybe that’s just me?
I know, right? OP’s problem could have been prevented by just being a good host. Empty all the snacks into bowls or plates and set down a thong or big-ass spoon. That way, no one has to be embarrassed about asking someone for the fifteenth time if he can have some more of his delicious trail mix.
OP, I’m kind of with you on the hygiene thing, but not because of pets. For me, I’d be constantly reminded that it’s a bad flu season and the flu vaccine was crappy this go-round. A little doggie slobber doesn’t bother me, but the risk of being laid out for two weeks does.
But this is a gathering of friends who’ve known each other a long time, and it is known that each doesn’t like what the others like.
So, it takes the pressure off the host by not having to buy specific items for each person. Bring your own stuff !! Some are diabetic. Some like spicy chips. Some prefer to nibble on nuts and raisins, others want 100% sugar candy, and some don’t touch junk food at all.
When you know people a long time, there’s no need to try and make it “by the book” and all formal-like. You just say 'bring what the fuck you want, and let’s focus on having a good time".
Agreed on the spoon thing. That’s what I used to do when the gatherings rotate back to my turn to be the host. Except a lot got thrown out, because everyone likes something different. So I try to split the difference. I’ll put out, for example, a container of spinach dip and a plate of cut up pumpernickel bread. With a spoon and little paper plates to take back to where ever you’re sitting. I always use paper plates and have a garbage bad in the kitchen for people to easily throw things out. And people know in advance to bring their own thing if they want something specific that I wouldn’t know to put out.
But anyway, the logistics of the gathering isn’t what I’m going off about.
It’s the germ factor. Which I see is not a concern for many of you. Ok.
I can see how close friends wouldn’t sweat over each others germs. Families are the same way. But if it had been a workplace party, you bet the behavior would have been different. It doesn’t make sense…and yet it kind of does.
You broke the cardinal rule, you didn’t bring enough for the whole class. And how do you expect people to eat trail mix, with a knife and fork? Isn’t it a great enough horror that you’re eating the stuff they clean out of the bins at the snack plant?
And I’m not saying that you are wrong. Its like eating chinese food with friends: people need to keep track of what spoon has been in what container as well as which utensil has been used by someone to eat food off of their plate.
Clean spoons are important because you can squick people out pretty easily by accidentally putting a spoon that has been in a mouth into someone else’s ordered food.
That said and in the same way that its the table’s responsibility to ask the waiter for extra spoons, its the trail mix guy’s responsibility to share as he sees fit (given the party style described in the OP).
What that could mean is that you bring a small stack of those plastic cocktail cups to put next to the mix or even a stack of napkins. If you do that, then people should abide by your wishes.
I’m not saying that you have to stand by the bag all night like its filled with thousand dollar bills or that you have to dress in a caterers uniform handing out cups all night. This is a small group of friends with very specific & diverse
dietary needs and the party style implies people who are adaptable and (usually) not idiots. Say it once & they should get it… unless you are being pranked because they know it bothers you.
Now I’m picturing the buffet table with a thong right in the middle of it.
I can kind of see where you’re coming from, OP - people do indeed have grubby mitts, and I would prefer them to stay out of my food, too. That said, a party is not the place where I would get all worked up about this. It’s sort of the nature of the beast that people will be sharing food and germs at a party.
You could try making a joke of it, like one acquaintance I used to have who didn’t want anyone to ever poop in his house. We joked that he needed a “NO DUMPING” sign for his bathroom. You could (half-jokingly) ask people where their hands have been before they dig into your bag of trail mix.
