The 5-second rule: do you obey it?

[tankinan]

For those of you who don't know, the rule is: If you drop a piece of food on the ground, you have 5 seconds to pick it up before it becomes junk. I'm not a devout follower, but I know people who will declare the rule with things like gum, chocolate, etc.

Any thoughts?

[BFK4ever]

On the busride home from wrestling, I gave my teamate some swedish fish, and he dropped one on the floor. So he picked it up, blew it off, and my other friend declared '5 second rule.' Ok your house is one thing, but I have seen people do the '5 second rule' in the High School cafe, on the bus floor, etc. To me that's just gross! Think how many people have stepped in a dog-pile and then you pick up the candy that was on the ground and basically proceed to eat sh!t? Sorry that's not my style, lol...

[williamwbishop]

5 second rule doesn't exist in my house. My children know to throw something away if it falls on the ground or floor, or what have you. My wife, being a touch cruder than I, tried to bring that tradition into our home(for paci's I believe, since they are dropped so frequently by babies), but has since learned just how bad it is. It only took a bit to get it accross.

[Can O' Beans]

Nope. I go by the 'ZERO second rule" :p

[slapNUT]

I think you are mistaken... thats "the 5 hour beer rule!"

If any beer is spilled on the floor, or yard, or pig pin, or in a toxic waste dump, then you have 5 hours time to locate the spill and lap it up. Otherwise if you only suspect that beer has been spilled and have no proof then you cannot lap-it-up in your neighboors wifes lap, no matter if it smells like fresh BudWeiser... thats the law... the 5 hour beer law....

[CMonster]

Oh! I though it was don't look in the miror more than 5 seconds...

[TheCatMan]

Depends on the food, if it's dry and in a cleanish environment then the 5 second rule is OK. If the food's valuable and the 5-second rule is violated, I might have to apply the 10-second rule or even the 20-second rule; in some places though, I'd discard it if it even looked at the floor.

[threadhead]

Originally posted by Can O' Beans
Nope. I go by the 'ZERO second rule" :p

as do i! :D

[Hena]

I tend to stick to "if it looks clean, it probably is as clean as it was before". Or something similar. I avoid being overly hygienic .....

Besides after the stuffs i've eaten in army, it can't get any worse :D.

[Silent Bob]

I don't see why you shouldn't eat something you dropped (within reason, don't eat it after dropping it in dog dirt...:))

If you drop it on something clean then what's the harm? There are probably more bacteria on your hands anyway.

Plus I think a bit of exposure to the wee beasties is good for you. A growing number of medical professionals think the reason for the increase in allergies/asthma is because we live in too sterile an environment, our bodies don't have anything else to do so they get narky with silly things...

[threadhead]

Originally posted by Silent Bob
A growing number of medical professionals think the reason for the increase in allergies/asthma is because we live in too sterile an environment, our bodies don't have anything else to do so they get narky with silly things...

you got it, they think it is caused by that. :D

but it sounds logical.

[Icarus]

Originally posted by Hena
I tend to stick to "if it looks clean, it probably is as clean as it was before". Or something similar. I avoid being overly hygienic .....

Besides after the stuffs i've eaten in army, it can't get any worse :D. Same here, as long as there is not hair and clumps of dirt hanging off of it, it's good :)

Never been in the army or anything, but after trying a friends mom's pancakes once in junior high...I think army food would have been a delicacy :D

[crokett]

It is the 0 second rule at my house. If it falls on the floor, too bad. Besides the dog usually grabs it anyway - he is fast.

[williamwbishop]

Originally posted by mahdi
Same here, as long as there is not hair and clumps of dirt hanging off of it, it's good :)

Never been in the army or anything, but after trying a friends mom's pancakes once in junior high...I think army food would have been a delicacy :D

Army food wasn't really bad. I mean, the MRE's suck(green eggs and ham takes a whole new meaning), but the hot served stuff was good. The stuff you ate when you were out wasn't too good either, but the stuff in the caf? Man, some of that was awesome.

[kaut]

I myself go by the "I didn't see it" rule which means if I didn't see the food drop, then it is good to eat. Sure I'll probally end up with some weird disease down the line, but I've gotten what seems to me perfectly good food. Although those chips outside on the sidewalk were a little stale, but whatever.

[Switch247]

The 5-second rule applies only on a visibly(it looks kinda clean...) clean kitchen or hardwood or tile surface. On carpet, it's the catch-it-before-it-hits- the-floor rule. if your kitchen floor happens to be clean dirt, then ya just wash it off in the sink.

Jake

[deathadder]

mine would be the if it gets to the ground before either me or my dog can catch it, its the dogs, so personally its the 0second rule

[quietguy47]

I have a 130 pound malamute/mastif mix house dog. No such thing as food hitting the floor when he's around let alone lasting 5 seconds if it does(maybe nanoseconds).

[linux12414]

It's the "zero-second" rule around here....with 3 shedding German Shepherds, who would want to eat what dropped on the floor???? :eek:

Floor's clean, but one cannot vacuum every 5 minutes.

[bosox79]

Originally posted by slapNUT
I think you are mistaken... thats "the 5 hour beer rule!"

If any beer is spilled on the floor, or yard, or pig pin, or in a toxic waste dump, then you have 5 hours time to locate the spill and lap it up. Otherwise if you only suspect that beer has been spilled and have no proof then you cannot lap-it-up in your neighboors wifes lap, no matter if it smells like fresh BudWeiser... thats the law... the 5 hour beer law....

I thought spilled beer was a party foul;) party fouls are a waste of good beer;) I always thought the 5 second rule was 3 not 5, anyway I will not waste food as long as it has not fallen into dirt or somthing worse. I figure may carpet is fariley clean & as long as the food looks clean it should be fine to eat:D

[jgr220]

I thought it was a 15 second rule, any ways if it don't have hair or doggy doo on it. It's still good specialy if it's the last one N ya dont feel like running out to the store.

[vbp6us]

I'll be honest...i do. Not in public though. :D

[timbobagginsii]

There's the three second rule for chairs in the living room - if they're vacated for more than three seconds they're fair game. This has been known to cause fights with those that don't know this rule.

[JohnT]

While in the navy I would observe less than fortunate locals (in a country I won't mention) go through the piles of rubbish and food waste on the garbage scow for something edible. It was an accepted and commonpractice.

[vbp6us]

Yeah but we are talking about food dropped by us on accident and not trash. I certainly wouldnt go through my trash to find something to eat. If i was poor and what not...i dont know. Thanks God ive never been there, and hopefully I never will be either. :)

[JohnT]

I was pointing out the degree of acceptability. People such as this would find a 5-second rule beyond ludicrous.