If you dip your vegetables, crackers, chips or pretzels in the community salsa or dip, don't double dip.
Students at Clemson University studied salsas where class members double dipped. In other words, the students would dip the chip, take a bite, dip again with the same chip.
As reported on CNN, most students thought this would not spread germs. In fact, double dipping contaminated the communal dips with loads of bacteria. It was likened to kissing everyone at the gathering.
Don't give up dips. They are easy to make and fun party foods.
Do, however, pass the word about double dipping.
I always break off a bite sized piece of whatever I'm dipping and take individual bites. I never really thought about it. That just came natural. I didn't really think about or stress about how others were dipping. It does make sense though that double dipping would spread germs. I don't think that my boys double dip, but I'll mention this to them - just in case.
My favorite Mexcian restaurant has recently started giving out small indiviudal salsa dip bowls. I wondered why they were doing that. Ah ha. They must have heard about the issues with double dipping. If you're worried about this problem, then giving guests little bowls for dip would be a solution.
Happy dipping - but remember no double dipping.
Favorite Dip Recipes:
Vegetable Dip Recipe Collection - also fine for chips or crackers
