Eating out & takeaway meals

[TimeForDinnerDinnerDinner]

I know many people are now happy to eat out at restaurants, purchase street food, have takeaways, etc.
For me, it seems too soon, but I can't wait to eat out again.
May I ask what gives people the confidence to accept food prepared by others?

Also if you want to check hygiene rather than assuming you can check how they did on last inspection www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/

The ONS tested 23,500 people in a random sample the week before last and only 8 people were positive.

The risk is actually teeny tiny at the moment - you'd have to be very unlucky to catch it.

Also I expect numbers to rise as we get into Autumn/Winter so now is the time to get out and about and do all the things (while following guidelines) before it becomes more of a risk again.

To be extra sure take aways are safe I only have ones that won't come to harm through going into the oven or microwave to get lovely and hot - then there's not going to be any surviving viruses in the food or on the packaging.

May I ask what gives people the confidence to accept food prepared by others?

That there’s no evidence it spreads through food?

That the virus has been suppressed to extremely low levels so this is probably the safest time to do it?

The fact I’ve had a good few takeaways and also lunch in a pub and am still alive?

But if you’re happy cowering in fear forever fair dos, leave the rest of us to safely enjoy life within the guidelines if we can.

I think it depends on your level of anxiety.

My friend gave in to pressure from her OH to go out for a meal. Restaurant was absolutely fine but she says she is going to be fretting for a couple of weeks until she knows she has got away with it.

She doesn't want to go again but he does.

Trouble ahead.

My problem is worrying that if the food handler or chef coughs or rubs their eyes during the final stages of food prep you'd eat their food none the wiser. They do stick their hands in the food when chopping, kneading, etc, so there's risk there too.

Pre Covid any half decent chef would practice good hand hygiene anyway. My husband is a chef and meticulous on hygiene in his kitchen, always has been due to the horrendous illnesses that can be passed through poor food hygiene. Covid not being one of them. If I didn’t trust them to practice good food hygiene I wouldn’t eat there anyway, due to the risk of food poisoning.

Agree, now is the time to get out and about, do the things you enjoy (whilst following the guidelines) while cases are low.

It will be a miserable autumn/ winter if restrictions come in again and you’ve barely been out since March!

I don’t think they will though actually. Cases will most likely rise and we’ll all have to make our own risk assessment. If you’re nervous now you’ll be even more so then.

But if you’re happy cowering in fear forever fair dos, leave the rest of us to safely enjoy life within the guidelines if we can.

A bit unfair. I was only asking for advice, not preaching about what anyone else ought to do 🤷🏾‍♀️

SengaStrawberry VERY helpful and constructive, thank you.
Yep, I think I'll treat myself to a takeaway next week - cannot WAIT!
We've been out and about on days out, etc, but I've not felt brave enough to risk eating out. Thanks to everyone's helpful tips I'll give it a go ☺
Thanks again all!

@TimeForDinnerDinnerDinner

But if you’re happy cowering in fear forever fair dos, leave the rest of us to safely enjoy life within the guidelines if we can.

A bit unfair. I was only asking for advice, not preaching about what anyone else ought to do 🤷🏾‍♀️

Yes sorry, that probably wasn’t warranted, I apologise.

As long as you get your food from somewhere you trust on hygiene I am sure it will be fine.

Separately this whole pandemic has made me ponder why it’s always been I get more colds and bugs than my H. I’m now thinking it’s because he’s always washed his hands often and I am a bit minging in comparison

Enjoy your takeaway OP.

I sat in a restaurant last week and it's was lovely. It is so low risk in my opinion that I am perfectly happy to eat out and am planning to book again very soon.

There’s no way that I’m ready to eat in anywhere but, living in a Shielding household, we’ve been getting takeaways delivered since April every two to three weeks.

We wear gloves while decanting and to get rid of the boxes etc and also either put it in the microwave for a few minutes or into a hot oven.

I’m surprised there are still people wary of getting a takeaway.

Is it best just to not think of these possible issues??
Yep, works for me

Yes sorry, that probably wasn’t warranted, I apologise.
Hey, no problem 😊

Have been having a take away every week since virtually the start and have eaten out several times since that was ok

We've been having regular takeaways since the start of lockdown. DH was wary at first but when I threatened to order myself a curry and he could have something from the freezer he soon got over that!

Seriously, we've been going to the same Indian restaurant for over 20 years and trusted them so I don't see why anything has changed now.

I've eaten takeaways throughout Covid/lockdown. Mostly I try to have food which has been cooked eg curry or fish and chips rather than burger where the bun may have been handled but not cooked. I've relaxed a bit recently

We went out for a meal recently . Intending to eat outside but as it was raining we moved inside. Everything was well spaced out. I confess to taking some cleaning wipes and having a quick wipe over the table .
But having taken my own plastic cutlery in the end I used the ones there. Meal was nice and I'm still here

@wheresmymojo

The ONS tested 23,500 people in a random sample the week before last and only 8 people were positive.

The risk is actually teeny tiny at the moment - you'd have to be very unlucky to catch it.

Also I expect numbers to rise as we get into Autumn/Winter so now is the time to get out and about and do all the things (while following guidelines) before it becomes more of a risk again.

I think this point is really important.

Obviously there are areas where cases are much higher than others , but if you live somewhere where new cases are low then now is the time to get out and do what you can as chances are it may be a miserable winter .