It doesn't bother me at all. I probably wouldn't eat dip if someone double dipped but picking up something with their fingers doesn't bother me. I'm not very picky when it comes to food.

Believe me, there are all sorts of things that go on in kitchens in restaurants that you have no idea about and if you did know you'd probably never eat out again.

It bothers me if I see something happen, but I also know that a lot goes on behind the scenes. I just try not to think about it. :)

No time to worry about who prepared the food, or how. Or how people eat it. Enjoy tasting the homemade variety. Not everybody will rave about what you/I bring. Human nature.

My biggest concern about potlucks is that food is not always kept at the proper temperature thus allowing the growth of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. I usually avoid any dishes that should be kept hot or cold and only eat the items that are okay at room temperature. If I saw someone stick their finger in the food or sneeze on it or something, I would probably avoid that dish, too. Cookies are usually a safe bet. :-)

I agree with all of above. I love potlucks for the chance to eat all different kinds of foods since husband won't eat a lot of variety of foods.

anymore it's just been family...so we share everything anyway, lol...

If I know the people that are coming, I love them, But if I don't really know the people I am hesitate to go & eat.

I enjoy all kinds of food and potlucks are fine with me. I never worry about it but just enjoy. God filled our stomachs with hydrochloric acid for a reason and I say let it do its job!
Joann

Last Thanksgiving I told everyone that we would meet at my son's place and everyone would bring something. It was wonderful, hurray for potlucks!
I think family, school, church type potlucks are ones I'm will to take a chance on.

I like social events of all kinds but potlucks are perhaps at the bottom of the list. Partly because I share Fun2BHere's concern of improper food handling. (Typically the only thing that's reliably at the right temperature at a potluck is the beer and wine, all else is lukewarm). Also partly because I find that many people are lousy cooks, so it's hardly worth risking an upset tummy to eat something that may not be worth eating.

I figure every day offers at least several opportunities to eat, passing up an opportunity periodically (when it can be done politely) isn't a problem for me.

We have a few potlucks here at my work. We have plenty of refrigerators to keep the food in until lunch and a large side table with enough plugs to keep the food warm. So far, no one has gotten sick. I'm also a little leary about some, so I just avoid their dishes.

I have to admit I am wary.

Love them, but unfortunately I find that most of the dishes are pasta. I love pasta, but would prefer more variety than a bunch of pasta salads, hot pasta dishes, etc.

I don't worry about how the food has been handled/maintained.

I really like potlucks ; the fellowship is fun. I ALWAYS take something fresh and crunchy as I know for certain that the majority of dishes will be made with lots of cheese and/or mushroom soup, lol.

I really like potlucks ; the fellowship is fun. I ALWAYS take something fresh and crunchy as I know for certain that the majority of dishes will be made with lots of cheese and/or mushroom soup, lol.

I'm not a huge fan of potlucks. I'm not a huge germ freak, but if I see an ick factor, I'm not eating it. What bugs me most is the coordination of them and how they are sometimes like a hog trough. I'd prefer just to get food catered in.

Not wary, at all. And nothing has ever happened to me at a potluck? I don't see anything worth worrying about. I like a good sit down meal as well as the next person, but it gets expensive hosting. I come from a big family, my ex came from a big family... I'm just used to it. Of course, we all have pretty good manners. Church socials? Same. Nice people who try their hardest to fix a dish you'll like, and hope you'll taste it. I really don't see what kind of potluck one would attend and not know the people?

Around here they are called, Pitch in Dinners, we have one each month the first Sunday of the month at our church and everyone enjoys them. When I have a family meal everyone brings something and have no problem with that either. Everyone always looks forward to them.

Sue

Very interesting. My co-workers have frequent potlucks, and I have safety issue concerns too. With friends or people I know really well, I have no problems. We do pitch-in dinners with friends every other month or so.

Old Fixer, I'm curious why you brought up "not everyone will rave about what you/I bring"? No one mentioned liking or disliking the food or complained that food isn't liked/appreciated.

As I figure that most folks are reasonably careful about preparation ... and transportation ...

... I eat whatever I choose at a potluck.

Seldom have a tummy upset ... and not after having participated in a potluck, as far back as I can recall.

But ... I grew up on a farm, where we cleaned out after the cows and pigs, didn't get upset if some of the material got on our clothes, hands, etc. Horses ... and chickens, too.

It was at a time when one of our sayings was that we had to eat a peck of dirt before we die.

ole joyfuelled ... with occasional assistance with fuelling from a potlucky meal

I would be just as concerned at an eatery as a potluck...the restaurants try to get away with murder...read the inspection reports if you don't believe be..In my neck of the woods the ladies usually spend time trying to outdo each other so the food is always good...I don't worry too much about it at my age I have eaten it all...My concern too, like someone else said would be more about safety....ie refrigeration etc...I am careful at picnics to look for mayonnaise free things...etc..

At our pitch in dinners at church we have refrigerators and ovens to keep things cold or hot if need be or some bring things in their crock pots. The food is always great.

Sue

I'm leery if it's an outdoor summer potluck but not indoor winter one and that's just from a food-safety issue.

I too am cautious of eating at potluck dinners. You just never know how the food was prepared or under what sanitary conditions. If it was on ice or refrigeration. I would rather see it actually cooked in my presence. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips seem to be safe to me.
Mary

We had a family potluck dinner a couple of years ago as usual. No one ever gets sick from them however this time my SIL had a friend of hers bake a fancy birthday cake for the event. During the evening she told me her friend wasn't sure if she could get the cake done or not because her 9 year old was so sick.

Within 24 hours those who had a piece of cake were so sick. Judging from the symptoms it was Norovirus (and we all know what those are so I don't have to describe them). The sick people, of which there were 16 who were sick, included my 85 year old mother and my niece who was 6 months pregnant at the time. My niece wound up in Emergency she was so sick.

My son has had norovirus before and I know the symptoms, He and his brother can't eat chocolate which was in the cake and because I've been through this before I was constantly scrubbing down the house and they went and stayed with friends.

This isn't much of an issue with me because so many foods are a no-no for me I don't get to sample very many dishes.

At one annual event I usually eat some of whatever I bring, plus a salad a friend always brings, and that's about it.

I've learned not to arrive hungry. :-)

I'm not phobic about it, but another food safety issue I keep an eye open for is cross-contamination of food being BBQed, or BBQed food that's likely to have problems (like chicken or hamburgers) being insufficiently cooked.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen cooked chicken being pulled off a grill and put on the plate or platter the raw chicken was sitting on. None for me thanks, I'm not hungry.

The only potlucks we have are the family dinners, Father's Day etc.

Even though I know everyone, I'm still a little leary.

But I've learned that bad things can happen anywhere. I recently stayed at a friend's house, and was a tad taken-aback at the casual way of living, to put it mildly.
I was sicker than a dog the following day....on the couch with a bucket. I know for a literal fact it was food poisoning.