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Unsafe food handling observed

Dear Heloise: Why do people think that they can touch anything and still handle food as long as they are wearing plastic/rubber gloves? I was recently traveling and stayed overnight in a very nice, nationally known hotel chain. When I went down for the continental breakfast, this was observed:

The lady came from the kitchen to refill some of the food containers. She emptied scrambled eggs into the container and stirred them around with the same spoon that everyone was using to serve themselves. She then dumped biscuits in the biscuit container and proceeded to use her hands, wearing the same gloves, to move the biscuits around. She then reached down and opened a cabinet and continued to work.

I have observed similar things in supermarket delis and restaurants. Just because you are wearing gloves doesn’t mean that you can handle anything that you want and then use the same gloves to handle food. It’s no different than not wearing gloves.

People need to use common sense! Thanks for your column. — Regular Reader, via email

BOOSTING MEMORY

Dear Heloise: When I’m stopped at a red light or at a drive-thru, I often memorize the license plate number of the vehicle ahead of me. This is a good memory booster. I enjoy your column. — C.J., Waco, Texas

OTHER USES FOR …

Dear Heloise: One day at a discount store, I examined the small ponytail elastics on display. I bought them and decided to try them in place of rubber bands. When I tested them, I found that for most small items, these are superior because they don’t break, they do not get twisted up, they are easy to handle and they can also be used on packages for the freezer. — Priscilla Zanni, Vancouver, Washington

MICROWAVES

Dear Heloise: Following the three Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle — to cover food cooked in the microwave, rather than using paper towels or coffee filters, you can purchase microwave covers. They come in sets of different sizes. This keeps paper towels and filters out of the landfill. I am pleased that the Ventura County Star (California) is now running your column five days a week, with more column inches. — Lilith, Ventura, California

LINT COLLECTOR

Dear Heloise: I keep a cubed tissue box on top of my dryer so I can place my lint and old dryer sheets in it. When it’s full, I throw it out. — Kay G., Monroeville, Indiana

A STEP UP

Dear Heloise: My beloved golden retriever Izzy loved to go to the park and for rides in the car. But as she aged it became exceedingly difficult for her to jump into the SUV. At 72 pounds I could not lift her. She needed a step up. Instead of purchasing an expensive special stair step for her at the pet store, I took a plastic storage tub, removed the lid and flipped it over, giving her the perfect height first step that she could reach. She then could take the next step right up into the backseat.

The tub was lightweight, not cumbersome and served a second purpose in my SUV. I stored the tub in the back of my SUV, where it kept my grocery and shopping bags neatly contained so they wouldn’t spill or roll around the back of my vehicle. — Debbie in Kerrville, Texas

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.

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