Dirty Dates
At the grocery store was a large box of Medjool dates. I love them, but didn't want to buy such a large box. It's not that I wouldn't be able to eat them all, it's that I would eat them all and would put on weight. Then I noticed a woman open the box, reach in and pull out some dates with her fingers. I had no idea that was allowed.
Once I realized that I could just buy as many as I want, I was even less eager to get some. I don't want to buy something that people have been touching with their fingers. The store didn't even have tongs, so that I could at least pretend that everyone actually used them. I'm not an expert on such things, but I don't think that dates can be washed.
But the good news is that Costco should be getting fresh dates soon. They come in sealed containers that have only been touched by field hands, packers, squirrels, birds, rats ... maybe it's best not to think about who has touched food before we get it.
How brave are you about reaching into bins at stores to buy things that can't be washed?
Written by Melissa on 6:39 PM
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Melissa blogging from sunny Santa Clarita, Southern California, United States.
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8 Comments:
I never buy any unwashable items from a bulk bin, even if scoops are provided. I've often seen little kids (petri dishes) putting their hands into the bins. I avoid salad bars for similar reasons.
I'm with Alan... but I will buy special flour and stuff from the health food store... it comes in bulk and is the only place that I found what I needed... they don't have corn meal here like they do back home.
I don't think you should worry about the rats eating on the dates, unless they are DIRTY RATS!
I enjoy dates too, but like you I am reluctant to eat them because they are loaded with calories. But now your post has made me want some. I think I'll get me a few. LOL
Only the yogurt covered caramel peanut clusters can tempt me to eat food that is probably contaminated, but if you use the tongs and reach way in the back of the bin I figure you're a little safer.
I only buy a couple at a time because I can't resist them and I end up eating half of them in the store, then I have to tell the cashier to weigh the bag twice because I don't want to go to jail for stealing yogurt peanut clusters.
Can you imagine how the other women would laugh at you in jail when you told them what you were in for? :)
Alan, I've heard enough grocery store bin horror stories to keep me from buying out of one.
Madwag, they don't have corn meal? How do Brits fry fish without corn meal? What a travesty.
Gary, I can write a post and influence you to eat what I write about? Who knew that I had such power?
Sarah, I can understand that if you're addicted to a certain treat how you may go to such measures to get it. But what would possess you to eat one of those peanut clusters for the first time?
I think I made the mistake of taking Gary to the market with me and you know he eats candy the whole time throught the market like a kid while he's throwing boxes of Captain Crunch in the cart and they just looked irresistible.
I'm with you, i won't touch anything that's loose in those bins.....gross :(
However, i also witnessed a customer put her kids pacifier in a jar of honey and put the jar back on the shelf, and another open the lid of a container of ice cream and scoop some out with her fingers!!
I grow & sell medjool dates, cleaned and packaged starting in l lb packages. I have a free catalog and a retail store in Scottsdale, Arizona. My website is www.sphinxdateranch.com
Check it out! If you would like the best Medjool dates possible
Jason
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