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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wash my fruit and veg?

208 replies

Marmm · 05/02/2022 22:14

Do you wash your fruit and veg before eating?
I usually wash the fruit when I buy it as the kids aren't going to be bothering with that.

Do you wash your fruit and veg or just cook it as it comes?

YABU = Don't bother washing them - I don't.
YANBU = yes of course wash them!

OP posts:
cheekychaplin · 06/02/2022 15:08

If you know there are exceptions there is no need to be amazed when you hear of them.

MyDogsSpeakItalian · 06/02/2022 15:12

If you know there are exceptions there is no need to be amazed when you hear of them.

When something is very rare, I can be amazed. Don’t tell me what I can think. You are not the thread police. HTH.

cheekychaplin · 06/02/2022 15:15

I suppose it was my roundabout way of asking you to listen to my reasons and realise that a little bit of empathy would be preferable to the 'amazed' comment. Never mind.

MyDogsSpeakItalian · 06/02/2022 15:25

I suppose it was my roundabout way of asking you to listen to my reasons and realise that a little bit of empathy would be preferable to the 'amazed' comment. Never mind.

I have empathy for people who have been disadvantaged in any way in their life. It was a combination of empathy, being amazed, shocked and sad for what some people didn’t have or had missed out on and my own hard childhood that made me start volunteering. Never mind.

ihaveonecat · 06/02/2022 15:56

I grew up living in pubs and restaurants. Did food tech at GCSE, have a food hygiene certificate
Still don't wash it! My parents never did either except the odd bit that was obviously gritty

MyDogsSpeakItalian · 06/02/2022 16:14

I grew up living in pubs and restaurants. Did food tech at GCSE, have a food hygiene certificate
Still don't wash it! My parents never did either except the odd bit that was obviously gritty

But I would hope you know it’s advised to wash it, having done food tech and having a food hygiene certificate, even if like many others, you don’t actually do it.
I get the impression that some people think they’re super cool for not washing it. 😎 And that people are over the top for washing it. Each to their own but it is advised and I see it as very basic hygiene like washing your hands after going to the toilet.

MeSanniesareBrannies · 06/02/2022 16:23

To the people who don’t wash fruit and veg, do you wash your hands after using the loo?

Pesticides and so on aside, have no idea where the fruit and veg has been, who had handled it or the hygiene conditions prior to your purchase. Washing it just seems logical.

ihaveonecat · 06/02/2022 16:24

I don't see it as super cool.. it just wasn't something I grew up with
I ate blackberries off the hedge, shared an apple with a horse and ate pot noodles at the stable with a fork of dodgy origin and never washed our hands before eating. Pinching apples off trees and pick your own strawberries. I've probably eaten more horse shit than anything else BlushGrin
Probably because I've never been unwell from not washing it, is why I don't do it

cheekychaplin · 06/02/2022 16:29

I have empathy for people who have been disadvantaged in any way in their life. It was a combination of empathy, being amazed, shocked and sad for what some people didn’t have or had missed out on and my own hard childhood that made me start volunteering. Never mind.

It's a shame it doesn't carry over to your online persona

Gowithme · 06/02/2022 16:29

Blackberries off the hedge haven't be sprayed with all sorts of pesticides and insecticides. I'd eat my own raspberries and strawberries without washing them but I would wash supermarket stuff. There is a strawberry farm near my parents and they amount of stuff you see sprayed on them if you drive by at the right time is disturbing IMO. A lot of fruit and veg actually says on it to wash before use anyway.

cheekychaplin · 06/02/2022 16:36

Sorry, I'm being an arse. Ignore me.

MyDogsSpeakItalian · 06/02/2022 16:49

It's a shame it doesn't carry over to your online persona

I’m not sure what your issue with me is. You seem to have taken offence at the word amazed. I’m not sure why, most people will know washing fruit/veg is advised so it’s rare to find people who aren’t aware. It’s not a judgement of any kind even though you seem to have taken it as one. I judge people for doing bad things, I don’t judge people for not knowing it’s advised to wash fruit/veg, just surprised that they’ve never come across the information in any part of their life.
I was taught it at primary school, secondary school, when working in a restaurant as a teen, by my parents, by my midwife, saw organisers at playgroup doing it, saw friends doing it, saw it on tv etc. It’s rare for someone not to have seen any of those things. You haven’t and that’s surprising but all good.

MyDogsSpeakItalian · 06/02/2022 16:50

Sorry, I'm being an arse. Ignore me.

It’s fine. I’m genuinely sorry that I’ve upset you. It was not my intention at all. Flowers

MeSanniesareBrannies · 06/02/2022 16:51

@MyDogsSpeakItalian I honestly think that some people just come on here when they fancy a row. You’ve said nothing objectionable, so I wouldn't take it personally. Just ignore her.

cheekychaplin · 06/02/2022 16:53

[quote MeSanniesareBrannies]@MyDogsSpeakItalian I honestly think that some people just come on here when they fancy a row. You’ve said nothing objectionable, so I wouldn't take it personally. Just ignore her.[/quote]

I definitely don't go looking for a row. I realised I was being an arse and apologised.

MeSanniesareBrannies · 06/02/2022 16:58

@cheekychaplin Fair enough. I missed your apology. In that case, I apologise.

giveyou2reasons · 06/02/2022 17:11

It would make me feel ill or anxious to know it hadn't been washed, so I do. I wash it all except for bananas. I don't eat them, and DH doesn't bother washing them when he does.

I don't eat melons, but if I did, I'd wash them too. The knife goes through the rind and into the part you eat, so in theory dirt/germs could be pushed into the edible part. I'd feel safer washing them.

Oncemoreforluck · 06/02/2022 17:14

Most people rinse under the tap. Surely unless you scrub with hot water and soap any chemicals or bacteria won’t be removed anyway?

FlasherMcGruff · 06/02/2022 17:14

I think not washing things that have been in the ground / on trees / covered in manure or fertiliser / sprayed with pesticides / handled by various people before eating them is pretty poor hygiene.

Probably the same people who wash their dirty knickers with their tea towels on a 30 degree wash.

The NHS says you should do it. I’ll trust that.

To wash my fruit and veg?
BeefSupreme · 06/02/2022 17:22

@VelvetChairGirl

Yes I wash everything
Everything? Even bananas and melons and kiwis?
KeepYaHeadUp · 06/02/2022 17:31

Always. I was really sick after eating unwashed lettuce once. So unwell.

You never knows who's been fingering or coughing on your fruit and veg in thr supermarket

VladmirsPoutine · 06/02/2022 17:31

I wash everything. For some reason particular people think it's fine to not wash meat, veg and even their own bodies. It truly baffles me Confused

astroboy45 · 06/02/2022 18:22

No correlation but I bet most of the people that are saying they don’t wash their fruit or veg also don’t wash their meat or their legs in the shower lol

Wnkingawalrus · 06/02/2022 18:56

@astroboy45

No correlation but I bet most of the people that are saying they don’t wash their fruit or veg also don’t wash their meat or their legs in the shower lol
I definitely don’t wash my meat in the shower.
Wnkingawalrus · 06/02/2022 18:59

@VladmirsPoutine

I wash everything. For some reason particular people think it's fine to not wash meat, veg and even their own bodies. It truly baffles me Confused
You do realise it’s advised not to wash meat, right?
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