Why does she do this, and should I say something?!
She doesn′t like onions, and I still put them in salad (I slice the red onions big so she can pick them out of her bowl) so this can′t be the reason.
What should I do? I am not close with this person, but find this behavior offensive, and can′t believe she feels like she can do this in our home.
Answers: We have had a couple over two times for dinner in the past 2 months, and each time, the woman will put her fork into the salad bowl and eat out of the bowl-this is so disgusting!
She doesn′t like onions, and I still put them in salad (I slice the red onions big so she can pick them out of her bowl) so this can′t be the reason.
What should I do? I am not close with this person, but find this behavior offensive, and can′t believe she feels like she can do this in our home.
Breezer - do you like this person? Are they good company? If you want them over again then you are going to have to tell her how you feel.... either straight out so there are no questions about how you feel or in a subtle manner that gets the point across clearly. Hand her the salad serving tangs and tell her to us 'em the moment she's abt to stick her used fork into the serving bowl. .
I went to dinner at a friends house once and the Father thought it was ok to put his HAND in the salad bowl...no one said anything...people have different ways with food...this was probably ok in her family and she has never learned to do anything differently. HAve you got salad servers there in the bowl? If so and she ignores them...just say, "There are salad servers here" and pass them to her....if she doesnt get the meassage then dont invite her again.....or just do seperate bowls of salad for everyone.
I would say something, but make it sound like a joke, just so she knows you've noticed she's doing that. "Give us all your germs why don't ya...haha" like that.
If someone did that at my house they wouldn't get a second invite. Some people have no table manners. Makes you want to slap their Mama for not raising them right.
YOu need to ask her (politely) not to do that...maybe where she's from that's acceptable but let her know tactfully that she's not the only one that wants some salad. And if that fails just tell the nasty woman straight up that that's really disgusting.
Serve everyone salad, then put the bowl out of her reach on another counter or in the kitchen. You can use the excuse of the table being too full and needing the space.
JUST TELL THE *****
Gross!!
Very rude- I would just not put out a large bowl, only single servings. Then offer her seconds- that way you can retrieve her portion from the kitchen , not her bacteria filled fork!!
I think it all boils down to her upbringing.Perhaps she was brought up in an environment where everybody kinda just "digs" into the food without taking the trouble to dish them out onto their own plates before eating them.I once knew this guy who does the same, even when he's out eating with friends.I also caught his young nephew putting back a piece of jelly that had been in his mouth back onto the serving dish when he found out that it wasn't what he wanted during his open house at Christmas! Yucks...parents should really teach their kids etiquette and proper manners cause when they have grown up...nothing you do or say can make them change...it's like getting a leopard to change it's spots!! Absolutely impossible!!! Take her aside & talk to her...otherwise, just serve the food on individual plates to avoid all the problems. Good luck ya!!
New friends or company contact? Company contact...have to find a solution. New friends, I know you said that you're not close but...well...take her aside or don't invite again.
First off, does she do this with all the food? Are you passing the food around family style or serving buffet?
Serving Buffet---Have silverware and water at the dining room table. Plates only at the buffet. Use table butler and individual serving portions of salad and desserts. I can visualize a large crystal salad bowl sans onion with serving tongs. Side dish of onions if necessary, and bowls with variety of labeled squeeze bottles of dressing.
Serving family style--time to invest in a rolling table butler. Serve individual salad bowls from the cart. Leave onion out of one and red flag it some how--Whole pickle, radish, etc. Pass it to her first.
Shoot, I'd just leave the onion out of the whole thing and pass around a small bowl with onions and a serving spoon.
Note: might not want to have things you dip as appetizers..lots of double dippers out there. We solved that problem by buying individual serving containers for dip and filling ahead of time.
I have used individual squeeze bottles (cut ends bigger if necessary) and pump bottles to stop same! :)
I would put salad servers in the salad and when you sit down to eat, take the serving yourself first and then hand the servers to your friend as a way of saying, "here, use these to get your salad."
Obviously this individual has no manners. You should come out and ask her not to put her dirty fork into the salad bowl meant for everyone. Offer to fix her a large salad of her own. Or, you could just make individual salads for everyone. Even better, just don't invite her back!
1. You say you are not close with this person
2. You invited her once and she did it , why invite her again?
Rather invite them over for something else not involving a meal.
Yes, you should say something like "Would you mind not eating out of the salad bowl please? We all have to dish out of it."