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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Eating things off the floor

70 replies

0karen · 15/01/2011 12:35

really forked from "to expect people to take their shoes/boots off?"

When food has fallen on the floor do you bin it or eat it?

I and my DDs usually end up eating it but it drives my mum mad, especially if the girls do it?

OP posts:

cabbageroses · 15/01/2011 18:09

Depends on the floor- and where. if I have just washed the floor and it's clean, sure.

Also depends on the value of the food!

minipie · 15/01/2011 18:28

I adopt the "does it have any noticeable dirt" rule.

If not, I'll eat it. Good for the immune system and all that.

(This is off my own floor mind you, wouldn't eat off a public floor. But my own floor is not cleaned all that often).

complexnumber · 15/01/2011 18:30

We tend to follow the three day rule. Unless it's chocolate, in which case length of time doesn't really enter the equation.

Though tbh, if it really is chocolate it is hardly likely to have been lying around for long in our house.

I know; 24 carat chavs.

yama · 15/01/2011 18:38

Never. Thought the 3/5/whatever second rule was a joke. Food either touches bacteria or it doesn't.

kickassangel · 15/01/2011 18:43

whilst i would never recommend eating off the floor, i wonder how many people go for pic-nics, eat ice cream outside etc, where there are germs.

i don't actively go seeking germs, but i do realise that most bacteria is pretty harmless.

brightlightsandpromises · 15/01/2011 18:45

i have the "does it have shit on it" rule, if not, its fair game

TaperJeanGirl · 15/01/2011 18:47

I dont eat foor off the floor, ds 18 months is another matter though, he has been known to hide bits of toast under the sofa and go back for it an hour later, in fact pretty much all of his food is eaten via the floor no pets here though......

Original poster

0karen · 15/01/2011 18:58

interesting.

We do not have any 3, 5 or any other second rules or where it has fallen, as long as an bits that do not look to appetizing can be removed

OP posts:

Clary · 15/01/2011 19:11

LOL @ Kickassangel "outside, where there are germs"!!

Do you really think there are no germs indoors? Or are you having a laugh?

tinkertitonk · 15/01/2011 19:15

We eat anything from the floor of the cave house, homo sapiens has done it for millions of years.

tinkertitonk · 15/01/2011 19:16

We eat anything from the floor of the cave house, homo sapiens has done it for millions of years.

kickassangel · 15/01/2011 23:05

having a laugh. there are germs everywhere & kitchens are particularly bad. so, really, if you're too worried about germs, basically you shouldn't eat anything that you haven't just soaked in disinfectant.

i would turn down food with visible dirt on it, or i you knew the floors were particularly dirty. however, i'm aware that i shouldn't allow dd to adopt my cavalier attitude, in case other people don't approve.

Clary · 16/01/2011 09:02

That ad where she has to disinfect the kitchen surface before the child can eat off it always makes me laugh!

kreecherlivesupstairs · 16/01/2011 10:01

I would and so would DD. She was once so desperate to try chewing gum, she prised a piece out of the astroturf at school.

TheMeow · 16/01/2011 11:34

In my house we are all heathens and it's the 10 second rule...but it depends on where in the house it fell on the floor:

If it's in the dining room or hallway it goes straight in the bin...I don't know what's on the pram wheels and the litter tray is in the dining room so that's just a bit ickky! I suppose if anyone were to eat in the bathroom I'd want it in the bin but I don't think anyone in our house actually eats in the bathroom so it's never come up really.

Bedrooms and living room are fine to eat off the floor...but god help ou if it stains the carpet!

Kitchen floor is ok so long as the food is going to be cooked

Although there are rules about what kind of food is dropped on the floor - if it goes splat or collects fluff easily then it should really go in the bin (although this rule was once bent very slightly for a pie that fell on the floor when we had nothing else to eat...)

Morloth · 16/01/2011 11:57

Another 10 second rule here, though it depends on the floor in question and the sort of food as well. Both my children (and DH) will eat anything and don't appear to have come to any harm.

hopingforfour · 16/01/2011 22:17

Only from my own floor. I am very picky about my floors being clean. I usually sweep them every day. Ds eat cheerios off them all the time. Sometimes frozen peas. I prob wouldn't let him eat off the floor right inside the door. But as he is a VERY oral lilttle dude, I find some random and sometimes pretty gross things in his mouth. I am constantly having to do a mouth sweep on him. Therefore I think cheerios off a freshly swept floor can't be too bad.

hopingforfour · 16/01/2011 22:19

Also we have no pets...

eddiemccready · 16/01/2011 22:58

Everyone knows if something falls on the floor all you have to do is bless yourself with it 'father, son, holy spirit' and voila its safe to eat, simple!

Liv77 · 16/01/2011 23:37

I found DS who is 2.5yrs lining up his raisins on the lounge floor the other day and eating them like a dog. I did tell him he wasn't a dog but they do say imaginative play should always be encouraged, at least he wasn't cocking his leg us against the sofa.

I do tell him not to eat stuff off the floor but it does depend what it is. If it's a main piece of dinner like a fish finger then I'm more likely to take it away, pretend it's going in the bin and magically reappear with "another one", if it's a bit of biscuit or cake I'd be lucky to even reach it before DS has shoved it back in his gob.

Personally, I have been known to eat stuff that's been on the floor but I do try and do it when DS (and DH who thinks it's disgusting, but has eaten more of it then he would care to know) aren't looking. Then again perhaps DH does know and that's why he cooks the majority of the evening meals these days.

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