Look Out For This Pastry Red Flag When Eating At Buffets

Eating at a buffet is always fun. You have a variety of foods to choose from, the freedom to serve yourself, and you get to try a few new dishes. Of course, it can be tempting to put a bit of everything on your plate, but it might be worth skipping some buffet foods. While hitting the pastry section is usually fine, there's one red flag to watch out for: The pastries aren't covered.

Uncovered pastries (or any other uncovered foods) can easily be contaminated by germs from people sneezing or coughing and by flies or other insects settling on them. Plus, if the pastries are in an open basket, chances are other people have touched the pastry you're eyeing. Yep, we definitely think this is one of the buffet red flags you shouldn't ignore. Hygiene aside, uncovered pastries will also dry out much quicker due to the air exposure, so your croissant or danish will likely be stale — which just isn't worth the risk.

Firstly, the pastries at your buffet should either be individually packaged or at the very least shielded with a cover. If the pastries are covered, there should also be tongs available so that nobody is grabbing their pain au chocolat with their hands. You also want to ensure that the buffet isn't understaffed, since this is usually when regular disinfecting and other safety protocols aren't adhered to properly.

Another good sign is if the pastry section is getting refilled often. This is an indicator that the pastries are fresh and a lot less likely to have been sitting out for hours, which is important both for hygiene and freshness. It's also smart to look out for visual cues that the pastries are fresh, like flakiness or a moist appearance. If they look dry or stale, it's probably because they are — and neglected pastries are a no-go. So if you want to enjoy the buffet safely, avoid the uncovered pastries and use your best judgment to pick the freshest options.