Pasta salad - using hands to mix?!??

[SomethingLikeAPhenomenom]

DH was making a mayo pasta salad today as friends over for a BBQ. He'd put all the ingredients in a big bowl, I walked in on him using his hands to mix it all together. AIBU to have called him out on how disgusting and inappropriate this is? No idea where he's got the idea that hands are better than spoons. Am now getting the silent treatment - genuinely now questioning if I am in the wrong here and this is normal behaviour??

AIBU to have called him out on how disgusting and inappropriate this is?

YABU. How is it inappropriate? And unless his hands were dirty it's not disgusting.

But chefs work in sterile environments

Hahahaha

This is hilarious! I had no idea people are so uptight over things like someone touching food they're preparing.

How on earth do you think food is prepared in commercial kitchens? No spoon mixes as well as hands either.

How do some people cook if they never touch food with their hands?

@peasaregood

How do some people cook if they never touch food with their hands?

Same way like they make chicken last 3 weeks. Mumsnet magic🧙

So he either touched the ingredients going in the salad with his hands or he used his jedi power to prepare the ingredients without touching them.

Why do his hands suddenly become ‘germy’ when they enter the bowl, but not germy when chopping etc.

I worked in a restaurant kitchen years ago - we mixed all the salads by hand, it was faster and more efficient than using spoons. We were constantly washing our hands, no hygiene issues at all. We used cold water btw, easier on your skin with soap, hot water at a temperature you can stand is no better than cold. I imagine some posters on here would die if they saw inside a professional kitchen.

It's a bit weird. Do you not have utensils?

It's akin to buttering toast with your finger.

His skin mist be super smooth after that mayo

Bojo are you fairly new to mumsnet? You are about to be amazed, astounded and highly amused by the things mumsnetters are uptight about.
I’m surprised no one has suggested logging this incident with 101 yet.

@Crunchymum

The OP said a few posts back that he doesn't use hot water??

For water to be hot enough to have any impact when washing your hands it would cause burns.

bobfleming how would you prepare a sandwich without touching raw ingredients?

I wouldn’t use my hands, but only because I wouldn’t like the feel of the dressing between my fingers. It’s no different to handling food as you chop really, surely? The risk arises if the cook hasn’t washed their hands after handling raw meat or going to the toilet.

I’d definitely eat cheese DH had bitten, but wouldn’t be thrilled to find his teethmarks in the cheddar several days later😁

Do you wear gloves when peeling carrot, slicing cucumber, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes? Tearing salad leaves? Honestly what difference does it make? Get a grip. Hands are used for cooking.

Ewwww! Mixing spoons work just as well and without the ick factor.

What is wrong with breaking mince up with your hands.

Truthfully though hands are probably more sanitary that a wooden spoon!

I have to assume the disgusted people never eat out or buy any premade meals/sandwiches as they are all prepared by people with bare hands. I also have to assume that when they prepare food in their own home that they never ever touch it with their bare skin.

I actually really disagree that for mixing up most types of salad mixing spoons do work just as well. Anything with leaves gets a much better coating of dressing by hand. I would also do all marinading by hand, for the same reason.

"Do was making chilli the other day and I caught him breaking up the mince with his hands 🤢🤮"

This is the funniest one yet. Presumably you're not eating the mince raw so even if his hands weren't immaculately clean the meat will be by the time you eat it. How do you reckon meatballs are made?

Yabu for eatingayo it is disgusting. But this is not one of those things you mix with your hands. It is gross to do in general but especially for serving to friends. I feel a bit gaggy thinking about it tbh

FFS, as long as he washes his hands before and after, food prep especially by your husband who presumably gets to touch your fanjo is not in the least bit “disgusting”. YABU.

I don't like the thought of sticking my hands into a mixture like that but, hygiene wise, I don't see how it's any different to kneading dough or rubbing butter into flour.

I don't like the thought of sticking my hands into a mixture like that but, hygiene wise, I don't see how it's any different to kneading dough or rubbing butter into flour.

No idea why I needed to say that twice!

There are things in food prep you do with your hands, and things you don't - it's that simple.

DH isn't a fan of hot water

You do realise that the temperature of the water makes little to no difference when washing your hands?

You're uptight.