Check out my progress on Five-Second Believer?
A dropped cookie (or carrot) is a terrible thing to waste.
It’s happened to us all before: you’re scrambling around in the kitchen, either haphazardly grabbing a snack or clumsily cooking dinner when one of your precious food nuggets hits the floor. You are now faced with a dilemma. Safe to eat or not?
The notorious “five-second” rule dictates that as long as it’s on the ground for five seconds or less, the food is still suitable for consumption…but sometimes I wonder. Somehow eating a dog hair-covered banana slice strikes me as less than appetizing. Where do you stand on the five-second rule? Are you a five-second believer or a total germophobe? Somewhere in between? After seeing an episode of Food Detectives on this very topic, I toss wet or sticky items but usually don’t sweat it if I drop a pretzel stick or two–but don’t tell anyone;)
Onto to the eats!
Tuesday
I told you it wouldn’t take me long to dig into my YouShake samples. This was a soy-based mix, and it had a definite soy-ish flavor–a slightly beany aftertaste but still delicious. I’d like to try the rice protein for comparison. If you’d like to try YouShake for yourself, Broccoli Hut readers get a 5% discount! Just enter the coupon code “Broccoli” at checkout. Sweet. I’ll post a full review of YouBar products in the near future.
strawberry mango smoothie with soymilk, vanilla YouShake soy protein, & Acai Apple granola
Wednesday
Once again, I was rushing to get to class on time this morning. That Oikos is on the product review to-do list too–I’ve got a comprehensive Greek yogurt review in the works. So much food, so little time.
Honey Oikos
banana-almond butter sandwich; honey Oikos with leftover naner
I got creative with my hummus this afternoon. After much deliberation about potential “innovative” ingredients, my jar of Sunbutter caught my eye. Aha! Eventually Icame up with “Sunny Hummus:” a blend of chickpeas, Sunbutter, tomato paste, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. It might sound odd, but I really enjoyed the unique flavor the Sunbutter added to the mix. It was a nice change of pace from my usual tahini combinations. I’ll post the specifics on my ever-growing hummus recipe page.
"Sunny Hummus" with veggies & pitettes; grapes
I’ve grown tired of my usual black bean dishes (Mexican Dip, Coconut Black Beans, burritos, taco salads, etc.), so I tried something new tonight. I made up a quick batch of cheese grits (with reduced-fat Colby Jack) then added the bean-veggie mixture on top. Yummers.
Mexi-Grits: cheese grits topped with black beans, 'shrooms, red onion, cumin, chili powder, & avocado; steamed veggies; salad
I’ve been doing some more writing for CalorieLab lately–check out my product reviews, if you’re interested:)
Off to finish watching Grease. SUCH a good flick. Ciao!
Filed under: Meals
Caroline Yoder, dietitian-to-be and all-around foodie.
Grits are SO YUM! When something use to fall on the floor at our house my Mom use to tell us to “Kiss it up to God.” We would literally kiss the food and hold it up in the air. It must have worked because I’m alive today!
-A
LOVE grits! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!
And I did a research on the 5-second rule before, and apparantly it can be bacteria-free for up to a minute.
I actually did an experiment to test the 5-second rule in bio lab freshman year… and the results weren’t pretty. Like, all sorts of shiz was growing in those petri dishes. Yet I still find myself eating dropped stuff (but only dry items, and only if it lands in a relatively clean place). I figure our immune systems are designed to handle germs like that. And truth be told, I don’t get sick very often!
i eat off the floor, as long as it’s not covered in something! haha. my parent’s house is pretty clean though! Def. would depend on where I was!!
i used to eat it before i had dogs, now i can’t pick up anything without dog hair on it. alot of people think its gross when i go to restaurants and my food spills on the table and i eat it. haha
Caroline,
I’m with you! Sticky foods-not yum, but the occasional carob chip doesn’t kill me if it’s off MY floor. I clean that floor. I KNOW you can eat off ot it. ;P
With Love,
Emily
The hardwood floor “seconds” rule is a lot longer than the “pee pee” carpet “seconds” rule.
5 second rule rocks…but then again it depends where you are haha
Yesss for Honey Oikos…prob one of the top best yogurts everrrr! I’m also loving that sammy, that hummus plate, and the fiesta inspired din. Everything looks like tummy smiling food!
Love that little flower plate!
As for the 5 second rule, it really depends where I am. In my own house, it doesn’t really apply unless, like you said, there happens to be cat hair attracted to it! In a public place? GARBABE! A dog coulda peed there, you know!
If the floor is clean, I’ll eat it. Only dry stuff though like veggies or cereal.
In public, I won’t touch it.
I love Food Detectives! I’m SO NOT a germaphobe at all! If I drop something while I’m at home, it’s no biggie. If I drop something out – ehh, it’s getting tossed!
Your lunch and dinner look SERIOUSLY good! I’ve never had grits, that should change, si?!
i think it depends on the environment. if i drop something in my apt – im ok with picking it back up and eating it…5 seconds, 5 minutes, blurry line…but in the outdoors, who knows whats on the ground, id toss it.
oh, and nice shot of the sando. way to cut it in half fo all our viewing pleasure
I’m a total germ-phobe, so I can’t bring myself to eat off the floor. I don’t even like my food to touch the kitchen counter, without a plate or cutting board under it. Slightly compulsive, maybe
I’m about to have breakfast and that banana sandwich looks so good right now!
Your sandwich looks amazing! PB sammies are the best! If i drop something in my own home I usually eat it but if it’s somewhere else no way! lol
I tend to be a germaphobe and refuse to eat anything off the floor, but I also hate to waste food. This is where my dog comes in
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I love all your hummus recipes. I’ve tried just the artichoke one so far (because I’ve been making that one over and over again), and must try this new one!
Actually, there was a study awhile back that proves you’ve got about 30 seconds before bacteria creep onto dropped food: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/05/5second_dropped.html
That being said, if it’s a public place, I stick to the I-dropped-it-and-now-it’s-best-to-forget-about-it rule.
I’m generally not a germaphobe, because the more you try and be antiseptic, the worse off for you in the long run. No way for your body to build natural resistance. Doesn’t mean I go out of my way to get some germs in my system though either, that’s for sure.
As for food on the floor – if it’s dry, I’ll pick it up, dust it off, and consume. If it’s something that cat hair and whatnot is going to stick to, I’ll toss it. Or wash it off, if I really want to eat it
HA!
I’m not a germaphobe but like you if it’s wet or sticky it goes right in the garbage, but a cracker I will eat.