Pre-made salads

Hello,

Hey Trish, I am not so trusting of Subway but the thing is, nothing may happen to you. U just have to be willing to take the risk. I am sure they are not very hygenic in regards to the salads (even the cold meat). I am sure everything is brought in a plastic bag, they dont cut up anything.

But at least when you make your own food, it is not only clean but you save heaps of money instead of getting take away. U win in two ways.

Im not sure if you guys have heard of a take away healthy food shop called WELL BEING but their food is totally fresh and they always bring in new stuff every day. They have ham off the bone for their sandwiches, salads, risottos & soups. U can see and taste the freshness of the ham.

< 1 hour thats what I wanted to know - we don't have much leftovers anyway I am economical cook and with three healthy appetites here.

I think I will give Subway a miss - we have our own business so have kitchen at work. Just have to be super organised and take stuff.
Subway are too busy and I would not like to ask them such a question - how old is your salad .I will stick to my own lunches and hot chips LOL - they can't do much to them I hope.

I am taking no chances. I read my pregnancy leaflet from DR and it saves even home prepared salad /cold cooked chicken etc at home if even 12hrs old can have listeria.

Do you reckon ricotta/fetta cheese cooked and fully heated in dishes (like canaloni /spinach lasagne is okay ?(lean cusine type meals)

I can eat baked beans or vegemite/cheese sandwiches every day if I have to for lunch - protein and fibre.

Save the hotchips for a special occasion :)

thanks for suggestions OK -I think lean cusine should be safe -

I wonder how long your own lettuce in fridge is okay - say if you buy a lettuce and wash the leaves as you go.

I guess with salad in salad bars it is cross contamination with other meats / cheese / chopping boards / tongs to and fro / unwashed hands / gloves used multiple times / and then to collect customers money and put in till.

I eat Tuna from the can with crackers -yum - I got website info too on what fish / how much is safe.

I read in my Pregnancy book (current in 2004) that all vegies with skins should be washed with hot soapy water (dirt) too. I don't imagine the lettuce is included in this senario.

Does anyone know about mushrooms ? washed/wiped and cooked through or can you just wash and eat 'raw' in salads ?

Avocado - yes very good fats too :-k

I will have to search belly belly threads for some good quick lunch ideas -got plenty to start on and I am =P~ for a feast now - but too early for cravings LOL

We have small group church dinner to go to next week and tonight one lady volunteered to buy and cook for everyone -the other ladies jumped at her offer . I made sure I offered my HELP tonight - so I can be sure of what goes on.

I haven't told everyone -we will after 7wk scan.

Also, going to friends (who don't know yet) for dinner on weekend - BBQ - byo meat and I will do salads I said. She is doing a hot potato bake(safe) and other maybe dessert /bread.

I know some people don't follow good pregnancy food practices and have no problems but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Flowerchild (DEB) I think actually said had a friend who got it ... and lost the baby -

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I would exercise caution with eating foods out of the deli cabinet at all. There could be cross contamination from say ham to olives etc. I am a little over cautious as I have a friend who lost a baby due to the listeria bacteria. She believes she got it from a ****tail party but is obviously not certain. Having said that I do think that there is a little bit of 'listeria hysteria' today. Listeria isn't that common but interestingly I saw a program on the abc about food outlets and 6 out of 10 kebab shops (that the show covered) had listeria in their salads. Pretty scary. So, I just don't go there.

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thats what got me concerned - how do they know and wonder if they test routinely after a loss now (my little girl passed in womb for unknown reasons @26wks) It was mid winter so I wasn't eating salads but I can't remember what else ?

thank you
I didn't know about the 90 days either -just have to be careful I guess for 8 months

Hi Girls,

Try not to be too scared of foods. Just practice caution if you are eating out anywhere and just be extra hygenic when you are cooking at home. I think that leftovers are fine as long as you only eat them the next day. I used to do that all the time and still do as I work and dont want to make sandwiches every day. Sometimes it is nice to have a hot meal from home. What about veggie pasta sauce with spagetti or veggie soup. They are always nice and safe to have heated the next day since the veggies are fully cooked.

Always wash all fruit and veggies before cooking and eating. I have a fruit wash at home which I bought from an organic store and that cleans all the pestisides and dirt residue on everything.

You can only do so much and dont get too freaked out by what the books say. I would only be scared of take away as u dont know their whole cooking, washing etc process.

Just on the food cooling subject... the only things I can find on the Net about cooling food down is that you should let them stop steaming first. But you should basically put them straight into the fridge once the steaming has stopped.

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If you have cooked leftovers, place them straight into the fridge once they have stopped steaming (do not let food cool on the bench).

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Cook food thoroughly and serve steaming hot and refrigerate any left overs as soon as they have stopped steaming.' Dr Healy concluded.

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(this is from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website - government website).

Brookey I saw your post to mods help - good idea -maybe a general link to all the food safety articles.

They can be hard to find if you are new to site or newly pregnant.

I just would have thought the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website would be correct. It's just so hard to know what to believe!

Thanks for all your comments everyone.