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AIBU?

to feel like throwing up whenever I have to eat other people's home cooked food

240 replies

gettngbetter · 19/08/2013 13:32

A lady in work baked a cake the other day and brought it in to share around. I accepted a slice as not to seem rude and said I'd have it later with my lunch as I'd just eaten. Then when no one was looking I wrapped it in a napkin and threw it in the bin.

I don't know why exactly but eating something that someone baked at home makes me feel ill. How do I know how hygienic they are? I'm not overly obsessed with hygiene or germs but i dont like the thought of someone I dont know very well touching the food with their hands.

If I'm in a restaurant I have no problem eating anything - even though if I think about it rationally the chef there could be very unhygienic! I've read horror stories about restaurants having to be shut down because they were endangering people's health.

Sometimes I'm in a situation where I feel obliged to accept and eat something - and there's no way of disposing of it - I try to gulp it down as quickly as possible.

I admit it's a bit weird to feel like this - Does anyone have the same issues. Or does anyone else have similar weird phobias? My friend is totally freaked out by cotton wool (I find that weird!)

OP posts:
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AnneUulmelmahay · 19/08/2013 13:36

Yanbu. Ugh. But only cakes. Rolls eyes at self.

Yes to cotton wool, and I will bet my last scone (made by moi, natch) that your friend cannot bear wet wood ie washing up wooden spoons.

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TheCraicDealer · 19/08/2013 13:37

YANBU. I sort of understand where you're coming from; I will happily munch away at shop bought treats, but "home made" stuff is just not as palatable. Even though logically I know that the home made is probably better in terms of additives and E-numbers and all that!

Having said that, if someone's a professional baker who works from home, I will have my plate out quicker than Oliver bloody twist. It's completely illogical.

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LookingThroughTheFog · 19/08/2013 13:40

Not a proper phobia, but I gip when I have to handle rubber bands. Hate them. If they're old and corroded, then it's worse (my flesh is crawling just thinking of it).

However, in your situation, I do think it's acceptable to say 'oh that looks so good! I'm fine without though, thanks for offering.' If they press, just say 'I really can't, but thank you for offering.'

But I think I'm thinking that because you're throwing away cake I could have eaten!

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sonlypuppyfat · 19/08/2013 13:40

Funny bunch!

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SaucyJack · 19/08/2013 13:41

The cotton wool thing isn't weird at all! The thought of touching it gives me that fingernails down a blackboard feeling.

Ditto polystyrene scraping on nylon and I don't even want to think about wearing cheap fleece gloves.

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bequiasweet · 19/08/2013 13:41

Yes to wet wood! Cannot eat an ice lolly from a wooden stick and as for wooden toothbrushes (gives a shudder).

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SilverOldie · 19/08/2013 13:42

I've never known anyone with the same issues as you. I don't really understand why you are ok in a restaurant, if you watch any programme about chefs, they seem to use there fingers on pretty much all the food on the plate.

Sorry, not much help.

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themaltesefalcon · 19/08/2013 13:43

Biting on a towel. I would rather die.

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TheWickerWoman · 19/08/2013 13:43

I am exactly the same! So is my other half. Recently at work one of the staff got into the habit of bringing lunch in for everyone on a Friday, I had to keep finding excuses to opt out. I don't know why I'm like it, the lady who made it is a hygienic cook and probably a lot cleaner than places I wil eat from but I just couldn't eat it.

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JackNoneReacher · 19/08/2013 13:44

YABU to be more worried about your friends cooking than eating in a restaurant.

If your friend is eating it in front of you/fed it to her family there shouldn't be too much to worry about.

In a restaurant, the chef is not eating the food. Even if s/he has good standards of hygiene there are other members of staff from pot washers to waiters with shocking standards of hygiene. I try not to think about it...

But just politely say you're full or just eaten something if you don't want to eat.

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farewellfigure · 19/08/2013 13:44

I had a colleague like you. We used to do lunches where everyone would bring something to contribute and had a big buffet style meal. He would go and buy a takeaway pizza and eat it all to himself as he wouldn't touch anything that someone else had made. We all thought he was really rude as it was a sort of sideways swipe at the state of our kitchens!

I'd much rather eat something made by someone at home. Goodness knows what the state of a café kitchen could be like, but a nice big wodge of home-made cake. YUM! Post it over here next time Grin

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VodkaJelly · 19/08/2013 13:46

yes OP I am the same. I could never by a cake or some food from a school fete or village fair or something. I dont know why, I am sure the food is perfectly edible and the person making it has washed their hands..... but I just balk at the idea of eating it.

And I wouldnt even dream of eating something that was made in school (buscuits, cakes etc) that the kids have made (even my own) that just makes me want to vomit just thinking about it.

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VodkaJelly · 19/08/2013 13:47

buy a cake obviously

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BikeRunSki · 19/08/2013 13:48

You are all oddballs, but my mum can' t bear to touch fleece.

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Boosiehs · 19/08/2013 13:49

Very very odd if you don't feel the same about restaurants.

I wouldn't say ybu, but I find it rather odd.

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FatPenguin · 19/08/2013 13:50

I am the same in work with home baked stuff off colleagues, I always politely decline. Especially when there is a 'buffet' for someone leaving etc and everyone brings something in. I have seen some colleagues using staff toilets and walking out without washing their hands, I doubt their hygiene standards are much better at home

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RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief · 19/08/2013 13:50

So what do you do when you get invited to someone's house for dinner, lunch, cake etc? Tbh, I'd say this is a pretty weird and irrational fear.

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PeriodMath · 19/08/2013 13:50

Totally get this OP. I'm the same. I know it's illogical. I do all I can do avoid eating anything anyone has made and put in a Tupperware container too.

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littlemisswise · 19/08/2013 13:50

I'm the same as VodkaJelly. I won't eat anything from a cake stall or that ilk.

And don't even get me started on a piece of birthday cake where children have spat all over it blown the candles out!

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Treague2 · 19/08/2013 13:50

I'm not bothered by this at all. There are germs everywhere. I wouldn't want to be given a bit of cake by someone who'd just cleaned a toilet without wearing gloves, but even that's not entirely logical.

What makes me not bothered is the stark fact that we are not, as a species, dropping dead of food-and-poo related infections all the time. We have enough of a clean environment for this not to be a worry. When there is a dangerous E. coli outbreak or a legionella outbreak then that is newsworthy. Pathogens tend to be dealt with very well by our bodies unless immunosuppressed, in which case, you take special measures.

I think it's a bit sad/worrisome to be thinking about it to this extent.

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cozietoesie · 19/08/2013 13:51

Home cooked food doesn't worry me and I'll happily eat in a restaurant (despite having worked in catering before) but I'm always careful not to piss off the waiters. Don't want any 'accidents' on the way from the kitchen.

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TheOnlyPink · 19/08/2013 13:52

I'm only like that about people I don't know, so its only an issue at things like bake sales.

I'm weird about stickers. When they are new and fresh that's fine, but after the kids have stuck them on and off and they are dirty [shudder]

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Brillig · 19/08/2013 13:52

I'm a bit like this, although I don't take it to extremes - I would eat something a colleague had brought into work if it would look impolite not to.

But I just don't fancy things that look as though they might have been pawed over. I feel bad about it but that's just the way it is (and I'm a big cake-maker, with a tendency to be very critical of how the finished product looks).

I try to avoid anything SIL has cooked, as they have pets (disclaimer: I've had cats so I'm not a fanatical animal-hater) and I'm not convinced they're too hot at handwashing also, I've seen the state of their sink

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EarlyIntheMorning · 19/08/2013 13:53

I think I'm a bit similar even though I've never given it much thought.

Whenever there's a suggestion to do a get together or a picnic with lots of people involving everyone bringing their own dish and sharing, I make my excuses. I can't think of anything worse.

When there's a cake sale at school, I always buy the shop bought individually wrapped ones.

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FatPenguin · 19/08/2013 13:54

Littlemisswise- oh yes, 'there was birthday cake left over from my 4 yo party!do you want some?we covered it in candles and each kid had a go at blowing them out'

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