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Eating out comes as a big relief and fun for most people who want to have something different from the regular meals prepared at home. No matter how much you love your home prepared meals, there comes a time when you crave for something different, and that is where the idea of dining out comes in.
Unfortunately, delicious restaurant food can easily be ruined by an unhygienic environment and food poisoning. All restaurants in Canada must operate under strict public health regulations, but it is always good to be extra cautious when it comes to dining out. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe while eating out.
Check for Cleanliness
You can tell quite a lot about your favorite restaurant’s level of cleanliness without even seeing how the kitchen looks like. Compile a comprehensive mental list that you will use to evaluate a restaurant before you sit down and order a meal.
Are the washrooms clean? Is the dining area clean? Are the tables, dishware, and silverware clean? Are there screens covering windows and doors to keep bugs out? Is there a health inspection certificate on display? Are garbage collection bins covered well and not overflowing?
These are simple things that you can quickly look out for the moment you step into the restaurant. If anything doesn’t seem right to you, walk out and move to the next restaurant.
Ask, Ask, Ask
If you feel that something isn’t right, don’t be afraid to ask. In fact, this is the only way of being sure that the food you are served is safe. If you discover that most of the food items on the menu aren’t healthy, don’t be afraid to ask the waiter to help you healthy-up your meal.
You can even order “off-menu” food items and be patient as the chef prepares your preferred meal. You can also request for specific food items to be prepared with less cheese or oil.
Remember the fact that the moment you enter a gluten-free restaurant, you become the king and you need to be served right. Therefore, don’t eat anything that you suspect is going to cause harm to your body.
Order Cooked Foods Instead of Cold Raw Foods
This is critical while eating in the roadside joints or eateries since most of them tend to use food items such as chopped onions and peeled potatoes that are usually pre-prepared. The danger arises when such foods aren’t covered and stored properly subjecting them to contamination from pests and flies.
Therefore, instead of ordering such foods that are a potential health hazard, go for thoroughly cooked foods since you are sure that most of the microbes were destroyed due to heating. For instance, instead of ordering the regular sandwich, go for a grilled/toasted sandwich.
If Food Isn’t Cooked Properly, Don’t Be Afraid to Send It Back
Make sure that you check your meal properly before you start eating. It should be prepared to your expectations. For instance, if you have ordered a burger, ensure that the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
If you notice that this isn’t the case, don’t be afraid to send it back. In addition to this, hot food should be served hot while cold food should be served cold. Lukewarm food is a potential health hazard since this is the temperature zone where bacteria love to grow.
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