How do you nicely tell someone about food safety?

[roadfix]

I think that's the best advice yet. How could she possibly be upset/offended/defensive when you cared so much about her safety, and the safety of her friends and family?
Good luck, and I know all of us would love to know the outcome.

But on the other hand she might take offense for putting this out on a public forum. No one knows how she might react by putting her on the spot.

 

[justplainbill]

Same way you tell your wife that her dress does or does not make her 'look' fat!

 

[Alix]

Same way you tell your wife that her dress does or does not make her 'look' fat!

If you wanna stay married you tell her she is the most beautiful woman on the planet no matter WHAT she wears and offer to take her out for ice cream.

 

[taxlady]

Same way you tell your wife that her dress does or does not make her 'look' fat!

I think you better know your wife for that one.

If I ask if a dress makes me look fat, it's because I want to know if the dress makes me look fat. I prefer not to go out in public in clothing that makes me look fat.

 

[blissful]

The measure of a true friend, is the honesty that can be shared.

OR

You can tell her about your big brother that died in his 20's along with his family. What a sad day, he made some chicken, didn't take care to wash hands or disinfect cutting boards, he even reused chicken marinades. He and his family perished within 3 days from poor kitchen hygiene habits all found dead covered in vomit in their beds. If only your mother had taught him better. Your mother has never forgiven herself. Pull out his picture and that of his wife and kids, and tell her how much you miss them.

 

[jdthompson]

Thanks for all your input! This past weekend I had the opportunity to casually mention the dangers of cross-contamination to my friend. Luckily, I didn't stay for lunch but I was there to witness another incident.

On the menu that day was Chinese Chicken Salad. So we're just chatting away and I'm watching her shred the chicken. Halfway through she realizes the chicken isn't cooked all the way. She shows me by touching the raw center and fires up the stove again to continue cooking the chicken. She then proceeds to toss the vegetables with her contaminated hands. I was horrified! I HAD to say something. Thanks to this thread, I finally worked up the courage. I told her she should be careful when dealing with chicken and told her the story of a friend who re-used chicken marinade and had to be taken to the ER (true story BTW). Her response? "Oh it's fine, I do it all the time and I've never gotten sick." I was at a loss for words.

 

[Kayelle]

Oh it's fine, I do it all the time and I've never gotten sick."

Ghaaaa!! Predictable, however.

Thanks so much for the report though. You can rest easy now that at least you spoke up. Some people can be so danged frustrating.

 

[jdthompson]

I wasn't happy with her response but at least I feel better now. My job is done. The problem now is trying to find excuses not to eat at her house. Maybe next time I should be brutally honest by saying, "No thank you...I just don't feel like making a trip to the ER today." Or, "I'll pass on the salmonella, thanks." I may end up losing a friend though. Ahhhh! It's a lose-lose.

 

[FrankZ]

You can be honest without being sarcastic. Say "No thank you, I am not comfortable with your food handling practices, can we go out?"

 

[jdthompson]

That is probably a better approach.

 

[thePanMan]

I agree with roadfix, you've got to be a bit lighthearted about it, after all if she and her family don't get sick or any of her guests, she could be very insulted. They must have built up some level of immunity over time, and I guess that if food is cooked thoroughly enough most if not all contamination is eliminated. And bear in mind she may throw it back at you that you are over cautious and how might that make you feel.

 

[jackattack1]

to the point

I'd pull a Gordon Ramsay on their ass and start yanking things from their 50 degree fridge and say things like..."WTF is THIS!?!?!? Oh Bloody HELL.....You're gonna' f#@ki%ng KILL someone!!! Quit acting so stuuuuuuu-pid......Oh....here come the tears.....Bloody Hell!" hahaha

 

[jackattack1]

I have a friend who is a great cook but she does not adhere to any food safety practices. For instance, she will use the same fork to stir raw pork and eat out of. She will also use her hands to mix raw marinated chicken then go on to hand toss a salad after just a quick rinse with no soap.

Does anyone have an suggestions on how to nicely tell her that it's dangerous?

Maybe when you go to her house for dinner, ask if you can use her phone and order a pizza for delivery. Maybe she'll get the hint. Haha

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

I tend to be blunt when it comes to safety in general. My friends find this out pretty quickly. "Get your shoe out of the fire, I don't care how cold you are I don't want to have to leave camp to take you to the ER. I'm not kidding, get your foot out of the fire or I'll make you." Granted, that guy was drunk, but also I had a friend who never washed her fruits and vegetables before eating them. I'd suggested it nicely numerous times but she always told me they tasted fine. One day when she offered me an unwashed piece of fruit I told her no thanks, I'd rather not eat unwashed produce that might have been peed on by who knows what. She started washing her produce after that. The thing is, I let people know pretty early on in friendship that when it comes to safety I don't mince words, not because I want to be a jerk, but because I care about the person's well being. If I didn't, I'd stay quiet. I haven't lost any friends over it yet. In your situation, when she responded telling you that it was fine, she does it all the time, I'd have responded right then that if she wanted to risk her safety, so long as she's been informed, fine. That's her decision. But I'd have told her I wouldn't be eating at her house anymore. Again, my friends know right from the beginning that I'm blunt about such things, so it works for me.

 

[Snip 13]

I have a friend who is a great cook but she does not adhere to any food safety practices. For instance, she will use the same fork to stir raw pork and eat out of. She will also use her hands to mix raw marinated chicken then go on to hand toss a salad after just a quick rinse with no soap.

Does anyone have an suggestions on how to nicely tell her that it's dangerous?

I would tell her that I read an article or watched a program about food safety and I was amazed how much I was doing wrong etc. and then tell her all about food safety and she'll think your just sharing some information and hopefully get the hint without anyone's feelings getting hurt

 

[Fabiabi]

Indeed a tricky one. If I were in your position i'd be a total coward and just eat the food prepared by her and hope to live to see tomorrow and then try to avoid any more dinner invitations. However that's probably not the right thing to do, I would be brave and take the advice of the other forum members, be forthright.
Really your friend should be taking health and safety issues seriously when cooking for others.

 

[babetoo]

Maybe when you go to her house for dinner, ask if you can use her phone and order a pizza for delivery. Maybe she'll get the hint. Haha

if you knew what some of those kids do in the sauce, you wouldn't eat the pizza. i know first hand from guys that worked at pizza parlors as teens.

 

[Fabiabi]

if you knew what some of those kids do in the sauce, you wouldn't eat the pizza. i know first hand from guys that worked at pizza parlors as teens.

Good point, in which case jdthompson, your friends food might not be so bad after all!