I am all about going out to eat, especially here in south Louisiana where we have divine places to choose from on just about every street corner. Our amazing restaurants are part of the reason why we are a huge tourist destination for millions of foodies around the USA.

But, according to the folks at Eat This, Not That! there are certain things that you should avoid at all costs when dining out. In other words, don't even think about ordering these. You've been warned.

  • Drink Garnishes. Lemons, limes, oranges - they all have potential bacteria on the skins from sitting out for long periods of time. And yes, that even includes E. coli.
  • Raw Sprouts. Salmonella, listeria and/or E.coli. Need we say more?
  • Tap Water. Even though we have federal standards, there is still a possibility for trace amounts of lead, chlorine, mercury, and herbicides
  • Raw Oysters. Always a possibility for some scary food borne illnesses like Norovirus and Vibrio.
  • Buffets. The food is always at risk for contamination by other customers, or even employees. Don't get anything with a community serving spoon either. And sometimes it's hard to keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold.
  • Hollandaise Sauce. Hard to make, so therefore you are running the risk of getting it pre made, or even having it sit around for awhile.
  • Fresh Squeezed Juice. If it's not pasteurized, you're running the risk of lots of bacteria on the skins
  • Bread Baskets. Guess what? You might be getting your neighboring table's scraps, and not fresh. Yes, they are sometimes passed from table to table without you noticing.
  • Fish on a Monday. Most seafood markets are not open on the weekends, so that filet of sole you just ordered for dinner might have been bought on Friday morning. 4 days old.
  • Bottled condiments on the table. I don't even want to know what the explanation for this is.
  • Soft Cheese. Brie, queso fresco, and Camembert are soft, and not pasteurized. And that means they are way more susceptible to listeria.

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