Do you wash your hands before preparing food?

[Darkdiamond]

My mum was a nurse and it was drummed into us to always wash our hands before preparing food, even if it was just a piece of toast. Now I do it every time I go to prepare food without thinking.

However through the years, being in other people's homes and living with flatmates, I noticed that I'm very much in the minority. I even saw a friend change a nappy, clean her hands with a wipe and then put the kettle on the make me a cup of tea. I declined!

I did read on mumsmet previously that lots of people don't wash their hands after changing a dirty nappy (and don't see the point). I mean, that really shocked me, so I'm expecting to hear that lots of people don't clean their hands before preparing food.

So, what about you? What's your policy when it comes to preparing food and hand washing? And what's it based on?

Yes. I used to work in a kitchen and cleanliness and hygiene rules were discussed at every staff meeting.

Yes, always. There's a bottle of antibacterial hand wash by the sink.

I haven't poisoned anyone yet. 😊

Haha we are the family who go and wash their hands in restaurants before the food comes, especially if the preschooler has been playing outdoors beforehand 😅

I'm not an overly clean person (like, if I woke in the middle of the night to pee I wouldn't wash my hands - I remember a thread on this and some were shocked that people didn't!) But I do wash my hands after changing my son's nappy, and before touching any food!

nah.... why would i?

I've often wondered if its the same posters who never wash their hands, eat out-of-date meat while claiming that they never get ill are actually the same ones also posting about how awful it is to have the family go down with noro for the third time and blaming the school or soft play.

Yes I always wash my hands before preparing any food.

I'm frequently astounded by the number of people who touch public rubbish bins then happily continue eating their hamburger/packet of crisps. Urgh.

Yes I always wash hands before preparing food, though I might not wash them before putting on a piece of toast or the kettle. However I always wash my hands after doing anything germy so my hands should already be clean. The idea of changing a nappy and not washing hands just freaks me out, no!!!

Yes I tend to.

Except when it’s smashed avocado on a plate, then I have a whole different set of hygiene standards.

I agree, in fact I think it's worse now than pre Covid.

Oh I'm glad you mentioned shoes! I remember several years ago I posted on Mumsnet that I always washed my hands after touching shoes,just for the fact that they've been in contact with the pavements outside that have goodness knows what on them. This is whether or not I am going to be preparing/eating food afterwards. Several posters piled in saying 'Why on earth do you find it necessary to wash your hands after touching shoes?!', making out that I was being germ phobic. I was rather put out! Hasn't stopped me though.

I had to tell a certain relative of mine that dabbling your fingertips in cold water is not sufficient when you've just been handling raw chicken. 🤮

Yes always before and during preparing a meal, especially if cooking meat. I always wash my hands when coming in from outdoors too.

I went on an all inclusive holiday, abroad, once and couldn’t eat because of the number of people touching the food and then putting it back. It didn’t help when I saw two women come out of the toilet, didn’t wash their hands and headed straight to the self service restaurant 🤢

Now we go self catering every time.

Some people are utter skanks! 🤮

I do, and I also always wash my hands when I come in, especially after using public transport. I go to wash my hands in restaurants too if my hands don’t feel clean.

I soap my hands 4 times after petting my cats (I'm allergic but I love them!). I don't wash my hands in a restaurant as I will already have washed them several times before leaving my house!

Yeah, I always order food and then go wash my hands. We have trained the DC to do so as well. Girls & I first and DH & the boy second.

Yes and yes. Since covid I have become a bit OTT on hand washing so has my DD. DS not so much!

I once watched a friend change a dirty nappy and then cook my lunch without washing her hands in between.
I was horrified but survived to tell the tale.

I work in food-to-go and always wash but you would be horrified at how often we get new starters (or in some cases not so new staff) who take rubbish to the outside bins and come back in, head straight to the counter and need reminding to wash hands. Makes me think twice about eating out!

Sometimes I do sometimes I don't it depends what I'm preparing and what I've been doing

Yes. Always. I also wash my hands frequently during food prep especially if I've had to open the fridge. You don't know if the last person who touched the handles washed their hands.

Yes always.

I can never understand people not washing their hands after using public loos either.

Unfortunately there are quite a few ignorant and lazy people around.

i do before preparing a meal but not to make a brew/toast etc. I would always wash my hands after changing a nappy though.- that’s a bit grim not to

And after I’ve used the toilet/emptied the bin etc obvs