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Shel is a Sizzler addict (LOL!)! ANd the summer menu starts tomorrow which she is very excited about... so she wants to go to sizzler tomorrow. I know that the hot food (ordering from the menu) is ok, but I'm wondering about the salad bar, can I eat from the salad bar, or should I stick to the menu food?
P.S. As with all my early pregnancy neurotic questions, you can laugh at me if you like :p :cryinglaugh:
Hi Alisia
I'd stick to the hot menu food if I were you. Most of those salads in the bar are pre-prepared and not good for preggy women.
I'm sure the salads at Sizzler would be fine - just don't eat the pasta/saucy ones - although they do say don't eat Pasta Salad or Deli Meats from places like Woolies... but I have been and I'm fine! They also say don't eat feta cheese.... you can, so long as it's pasteurised (which 9 times out of 10 it is). I wouldn't freak out over what you can/can't eat... my Mum says all this "you can't eat that when you're pregnant" is a load of rubbish... she said she ate everything with all 3 pregnancies & we're all fine!
The only thing I would be a bit funny about eating whilst pregnant is seafood (but I don't eat it anyway, so that doesn't affect me!).
stay away from anything that is pre-prepared as it has a higher chance of carrying listeria. This includes coleselaw (mayo has raw egg in it), potato salad,pasta salad, rice salad, any cold meats.
You should be safe with a garden salad, maybe beans, but stay away from anything that has had something added to it, or could be eaten hot or cold.
You also have to be careful with salads - as you don't know how well they washed the ingredients before they made them!
so it depends on how far you want to take it-
I personally only ate food that was really hot or really cold!!
the dangerzone temp where bacteria starts to breed is between 5-60 degrees- so anything in between stay away from!!! Hence also why salads bars are not recommeneded as even though the fridge they are kept at is between these temps- they are often uncovered and food you are eating is warmer as it is further away from the fridge source.
Sorry to be a barhumbug! my DH has worked in many places that manufacture these types of food for a living- and best to avoid all of them!
If you have any other questions- just ask!!
plenty of people have eaten these foods and had no probs- but its up to you if you want to risk it or not!
Good luck!!
odette
I'd stick to the menu at Sizzler even if I wasn't pregnant lol....too many dodgy stories about the salad bar lately!
No, I wouldn't risk it... I will stick to the menu I think, a safer choice... I don't want to risk it, especially something as easy to avoid like the salad bar!
So I guess that means no potato bake and potato skins?!?!?!?! Bugger, cos they're my favourite in the salad bar!
I love those potato skins as well - I think you should be OK with them - they are kept pretty hot. just don't eat anything that is luke warm - it's got to either have come from the fridge or be nice and hot.
Of course, if you regularly eat lots of things that are likely to contain listeria, you probably already have some immunity to it - but who wants to risk it?? The consequences of listeria in pregnancy can be pretty serious.
Thanks everyone.... I thoght sizzler salad bar would be a no-go, glad to have that verified.
Ok, so if i get shel to empty the potato bake tin, then make them bring a new HOT one out I should be right! HAHAHAHAHA!
i used to work at sizzler. all the hot stuff would be fine as if u got at a bsy tiem they get replace very often. also with the salads they rnt all mixed up b4 hand. the things like garden salad and then the promotional salads r made up b4 they r brought out the the salad bar because they go off sittin made up for ages.
Don't the salads come pre prepared in a bag though?
When I was shown through the kitchens by my friend who worked for Sizzler, she showed me bags of salads... so because they are made up this way, I would definitely stay away from the salads whilst pregnant.
Leasha, I would eat the potato bake if I saw it being replaced and it was hot... the potato skins should be fine.
I hope you and Shel enjoy your sizzler meal :)
Hmmm.. im going to say no i wouldnt. For the main reason Sizzler was banned in NSW. Even though they serve hot stuff, you dont know how long its been sitting there, who has touched or handled it , where their hands have been, what child has come along and grabbed something, then put it back etc. Salads, a BIG no no due to listeria and again the above. To me smorgous board type restaurants just arent worth the risk while pregnant. Youre only pregnant for 9 months so luckily its not a life time and there will be plenty of time afterwards to enjoy those types of things...
Boy i miss KFC already!!!!!!!!!!
There are 3 Sizzlers in NSW... 1 in Carramar, 1 in Campbelltown and one next door to St George RSL.
I totally agree that you don't know what you're eating etc... but for me when I went out for Sizzler whilst pregnant with Madeleine, I asked to be seated closer to the Salad Bar and I watched when something was brought out, and was one of the first to serve it up for myself, but only the hot foods. I'm not saying its the right thing to do.. but it is what I did.
Definately avoid! for all the reasons above.
And also avoid all fetta/brie/camenbert cheeses because whether or not they have been pasturised they are still a high listeria risk, in fact so is ANY food that is in moist conditions.
I wouldn't be having any of the salad bar stuff. One it could contain listeria and two you never know who's touched it.....think about all those kids that run around sizzler..... where have their hands been.... food poisoning in the making.
I agree that you should avoid the salad stuff, or the "hot" food that has been sitting there for a long time (this includes food at other takeaway places that sits under hot lights for hours). But, if you grab those potato skins as soon as they are brought out, I'm sure you'll be fine.
The other thing you can try (which I have done successfully at a hotel breakfast buffet) is to explain that you are pregnant & can only eat food made fresh. They cooked me my own bacon & eggs - rather than serving me from the buffet.