Buffets can be tempting with their endless selection and “all you can eat” appeal.
But behind the joy of filling your plate again and again hides bacteria, old leftovers, and sneaky food traps.
Here are some things you should definitely leave off your plate the next time you're at the buffet.
Lemon slices
They might seem harmless and refreshing in your water, but lemon wedges are notorious for being loaded with bacteria.
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They’re touched by many hands and rarely stored hygienically. Unless you sliced it yourself, it’s best to avoid it.
Mayo-based salads
Potato salad, tuna salad, egg salad, they all sound fine, but they’re cold dishes that require strict temperature control to stay safe. Buffets often struggle with that.
Add in the mystery ingredients, and you’ve got a dish best skipped.
Crawfish
Unless you’re at a seafood-specialized restaurant, stay away from crawfish at a buffet.
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Especially far from the coast, the freshness is questionable, and that can quickly turn into a recipe for food poisoning.
Raw greens
We love a good salad bar too, but leafy greens like romaine are high-risk for E. coli contamination.
Add improper temperature control and you’ve got a dangerous combo. When in doubt, skip the salad.
Fried foods
Fried items often share the same oil, shrimp, chicken tenders, onion rings, all fried in the same vat.
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That can lead to weird flavor mixes and even cross-contamination. If you have food allergies, especially shellfish, beware.
Raw seafood
Sushi and raw shellfish at a buffet may look upscale, but they’re often stored poorly and made with more rice than fish.
Save your sushi cravings for restaurants that specialize in raw fish, it’s safer and tastier.
Cantaloupe
Fruit seems like a healthy choice, but cantaloupe is unusually prone to salmonella.
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Sitting out at room temperature for hours only makes it worse. If you want fruit, choose something less risky.
Communal condiments
Those ketchup and dressing pumps? Touched by hundreds of hands, rarely cleaned, and filled with bacteria.
If possible, ask for sealed packets or a clean bottle at your table instead.
Chocolate fondue
That dreamy chocolate fountain is basically a germ magnet. From kids sticking fingers in it to people sneezing nearby, it’s not as sanitary as it looks.
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Choose another dessert that hasn’t been fondled.
Soft-serve ice cream
Those nostalgic soft-serve machines are a cleaning nightmare. If they aren’t regularly maintained, they can harbor mold and bacteria.
And the handle? Touched by sticky hands all day. Go for a pre-packaged ice cream instead.
Dinner rolls
They look soft, shiny, warm, and hard to resist, right? But don’t waste valuable stomach space on bread.
Buffets love it when you fill up on cheap carbs early, so skip the rolls if you want to get your money’s worth.
Food at the beginning of the line
It’s not random which dishes are placed first. Buffets often put filling, cheap items like pasta, rice, and potatoes at the start so you load your plate before reaching the good stuff.
Always scan the whole buffet before you start serving yourself.
Soda
Soda adds tons of sugar and makes you feel full faster, exactly what the buffet wants. Plus, it often costs extra. Stick to water and save room for the real food.
This article is based on information from Cheapism.com.