Grocery Store Free Samples... sanitary?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

GrillingFool

Head Chef
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
2,223
Location
usa
So, do you try those unattended samples sometimes found in grocery stores?
Cheese, meats, produce in the little plastic things?

How about the attended ones? Especially cooked food? Do you trust that it is correctly prepared?

Myself... depends on how the unattended ones look. If they look fresh with few taken, I;ll try them.

As for the others, well, Costco on the weekend is a great free lunch! ;) ;)
 
They don't have unattended samples up here, they all come with a server.
And I would trust any prepared samples as long as the store also prepares food, which they all do up here.
That said, I never grab any free samples of "eat-it-now" food. The closest I come is asking to taste something at the deli counter.
 
I take them if they look like something I would like. I am a little wary or the unattended ones like the cheeses. Those I will give a once over. If there is a decent amount there then I usually feel pretty safe. If it looks like it has been picked through then I keep walking.

I have no problem with the attended ones. I have never seen those sit around too long. It seems like they are constantly cooking or serving new ones.
 
I would think the attended food items would be safe. You simply would not know about the unattended ones.

I never try food samples. In my area, they do not look good.
 
There is a store near my house "Market Basket" very gourmet. There stuff I would try no questions. I can't afford to shop there often. I normally shop at Shop Rite. When I get my lunch meats, they give you a slice of everything you get to try. I usually go at lunch time.:):):)
 
I think those who prepare them have to have a food handler's permit (except maybe the produce samples). So I don't worry about attended items. With unattended you just don't know who has sneezed on them, or whose kid has mauled them.
 
This post is perfect timing. Last night I was standing at the deli counter watching a little boy triple dip crackers into the dip. Okay, so he was just a child, with the flu, or some other contagious thing going on? Who knows? No one paid any attention to him especially his more than aloof mother.
 
I tend to stay away from any of the samplings if it involves a product the server touches. Yes the server is wearing plastic gloves, but she also grabs other things with those same hands in between the food. Sanitary it is not IMO. I'm not that desperate for free food.
 
I don't bother with any of them. I get too annoyed by everyone crowding around, filling up the walkway and pushing to get 1 nibble of free frozen pizza...
Seriously? Gimme a break. I'm trying to shop here.
 
I enjoy the weekend lunch at Sam's Club too! I remember around the holiays last year, they actually had sample of steak, potatoes and green beans at one of the stands...turned around and lo and behold there was cheesecake for dessert!
 
For no particular reason, I never eat them. Just doesn't appeal to me.
 
I stay away from anything left unattended and within reach of someone's snot-nosed kid. I'm 6'-1" tall, and if I have to reach up and across the top of the deli or bakery counter for a sample, I'm pretty certain the unwashed hands of someone's kid have not been in it. If the brats can reach it, I don't touch it.
 
Our "unattended" samples are close to the deli counter and are watched by the deli workers. I have had no problems with samples in the past so I'll keep sampling until I do.,
 
Yuck to attended or unattended.....I have a seen too many touch there hair and then handle the food. And too many people let their kids loose in stores and they touch everything!:rolleyes:
 
I've seen too much of the so-called "attended" samples being touched by people that have hung on to the grocery cart, wiped their nose or sneezed into their hands. No thanks. I will only sample from places like Costco where I can get the first samples after they're made and know that they're clean. My problem is I wind up buying the stuff. :rolleyes:
 
Back
Top Bottom